World Cup predictions: Mexico vs South Korea, Canada vs Qatar and more

The World Cup connected Thursday features 4 much group-stage matches, including a gathering betwixt Mexico and South Korea aft some teams opened the tourney with wins.

The contention for the Golden Boot is already taking shape, Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are celebrating historical results, and debates implicit hydration breaks, diverseness successful shot and Africa’s increasing beingness astatine the tourney proceed to make discussion.

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Here’s what to know:

What is the docket for Thursday?

• Czechia vs South Africa astatine Atlanta Stadium successful Atlanta, Georgia, successful the United States astatine noon (16:00 GMT)
• Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina astatine Los Angeles Stadium successful Los Angeles, California, astatine noon (19:00 GMT)
• Canada vs Qatar astatine Vancouver Stadium successful Vancouver, British Columbia, successful Canada astatine 3pm (22:00 GMT)
• Mexico vs South Korea astatine Guadalajara Stadium successful Guadalajara, Mexico, astatine 7pm (01:00 GMT connected Friday)

What are the predictions for Mexico vs South Korea?

Mexico person a beardown grounds against South Korea, winning some of their erstwhile World Cup meetings, including a 2-1 triumph successful Russia 2018.

While some teams boosted their knockout-stage hopes with opening wins, Opta’s supercomputer favours Mexico successful this Group A clash. Across 25,000 simulations, El Tri won 49.1 percent of the time, compared with 24.3 percent for South Korea, portion 26.6 percent ended successful a draw.

What are the predictions for Czechia vs South Africa?

Czechia and South Africa person met lone erstwhile before. South Africa person a coagulated grounds against European absorption astatine the World Cup, including a celebrated 2-1 triumph implicit France successful 2010, and person mislaid lone 1 of their past 4 specified matches.

The Czechs, meanwhile, mislaid 2-0 to Ghana successful their lone erstwhile World Cup lucifer against African opposition. Opta’s supercomputer calculates Czechia arsenic the favourites, giving them a 54.9 percent accidental of victory, compared with 21.8 percent for South Africa.

What are the predictions for Switzerland vs Bosnia?

This volition beryllium the archetypal World Cup gathering betwixt Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The lone erstwhile lucifer betwixt the 2 nations came successful a affable successful Zurich successful 2016 erstwhile Bosnia claimed a 2-0 triumph acknowledgment to goals from Edin Dzeko and Miralem Pjanic.

Despite that result, Switzerland participate this lucifer arsenic the wide favourites. According to Opta’s supercomputer, Switzerland won 61.6 percent of 25,000 pre-match simulations portion Bosnia came retired connected apical successful 17 percent. A gully was predicted successful 21.4 percent of the scenarios.

What are the predictions for Canada vs Qatar?

History favours the hosts successful this matchup. On the 3 erstwhile occasions a World Cup big federation has faced an Asian federation team, the hosts person won each time: Mexico bushed Iraq successful 1986, France defeated Saudi Arabia successful 1998 and Russia besides overcame Saudi Arabia successful 2018.

Opta’s supercomputer predicts that inclination volition continue. Canada were victorious successful 72.9 percent of 25,000 pre-match simulations portion a gully occurred successful 16.5 percent. Qatar are fixed conscionable a 10.6 percent accidental of pulling disconnected an upset.

What other is shaping the World Cup?

The archetypal circular of matches has already produced memorable moments, astonishment results and stories beyond the scorelines. Here are immoderate of the biggest talking points from astir the World Cup:

Golden Boot contention already fierce

Lionel Messi leads the contention for the World Cup’s Golden Boot with 3 goals aft scoring a hat-trick successful Argentina’s opening triumph implicit Algeria.

A radical of 7 players sits 1 extremity behind:

• France’s Kylian Mbappe
• Norway’s Erling Haaland
• USA guardant Folarin Balogun
• Germany’s Kai Havertz
• Sweden’s Yasin Ayari
• New Zealand’s Elijah Just
• England skipper Harry Kane

DR Congo marque World Cup history

Yoane Wissa scored the DRC’s first-ever World Cup extremity during their unexpected 1-1 gully with the squad FIFA ranks 5th successful the satellite – Portugal.

The Newcastle United forward headed home soon aft half-time successful Houston, Texas, to cancel retired an aboriginal extremity from Portugal’s Joao Neves, earning a historical constituent for the Leopards successful their archetypal World Cup quality successful 52 years. The milestone sparked celebrations among Congolese supporters successful the stadium and astir the world.

Colombia statesman with a win

Colombia made a palmy start to their World Cup run by beating tourney debutants Uzbekistan 3-1 astatine Mexico City Stadium.

Luis Diaz was the standout performer, mounting up Daniel Munoz for the opening extremity earlier scoring Colombia’s 2nd aft the break. Uzbekistan concisely levelled done Abbosbek Fayzullaev, but the South Americans regained power and secured each 3 points.

The triumph gives Colombia an aboriginal boost successful Group K arsenic they look to instrumentality to the knockout stages aft missing the 2022 World Cup successful Qatar.

Biggest surprises of the archetypal round?

Cape Verde’s 0-0 draw with Spain is arguably the biggest astonishment of the archetypal radical matches. The World Cup newcomers held 1 of the tourney favourites to a gully and earned a historical constituent successful their first-ever World Cup match.

The DRC’s 1-1 draw with Portugal besides ranks among the tournament’s biggest shocks portion Iran’s 2-2 gully with New Zealand raised eyebrows aft Iran were wide expected to triumph their Group G opener.

World Cup teams agreed crossed faiths and backgrounds

Several World Cup squads see players from antithetic ethnic, taste and spiritual backgrounds, reflecting the diverseness of the countries they represent.

England, France, Spain and Sweden are among the nations whose teams see some Christian and Muslim players. Spain’s teenage prima Lamine Yamal and Sweden midfielder Yasin Ayari are among a increasing fig of Muslim footballers competing connected the sport’s biggest stage.

Some analysts spot these teams arsenic examples of however radical from antithetic backgrounds tin enactment unneurotic contempt wider debates implicit immigration, individuality and integration successful parts of Europe. Eboo Patel, president of Interfaith America, said the practice seen connected the transportation sends a almighty message.

“They score, they each accidental their respective prayers and past they’re hugging each other,” Patel said. “You’re cooperating to physique a assemblage and a team. It’s the mode you physique an fantabulous shot team.”

Cristiano Ronaldo’s grounds sixth World Cup quality ends successful disappointment

The 41-year-old became 1 of lone 2 players, alongside Lionel Messi, to diagnostic successful six World Cups, but helium was incapable to find the nett contempt respective chances successful the 2nd half. His missed opportunities were particularly notable aft stars including Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane each scored successful their opening matches.

Portugal dropped points successful their Group K opener, leaving Ronaldo and his teammates looking for a bounce-back show successful their adjacent radical fixture.

Hydration breaks spark debate

FIFA’s caller hydration breaks, introduced to assistance players header with summertime vigor successful the US, Canada and Mexico, are drafting disapproval from pundits and fans who accidental they disrupt the travel of the matches and tin displacement momentum.

The statement intensified aft Curacao scored against Germany earlier a hydration interruption successful Houston, lone to concede doubly earlier half-time successful an eventual 7-1 defeat. Former England striker Alan Shearer said the stoppage “killed their momentum” portion erstwhile Ireland skipper Roy Keane compared the breaks to timeouts, arguing they interrupt the gait that makes shot unique.

FIFA says the breaks are designed to support subordinate welfare, but critics reason they besides make opportunities for tactical adjustments and further broadcast advertising.

In a peculiar report, Al Jazeera’s Marthe van der Wolf looks astatine the grounds fig of sub-Saharan African teams competing astatine the World Cup and the challenges and opportunities they face:

A grounds six sub-Saharan African nations are competing astatine the 2026 World Cup, much than ever before. South Africa’s Bafana Bafana were the archetypal of them to instrumentality the field, losing 2-0 to Mexico successful the tourney opener. However, respective of the continent’s accepted powers are besides backmost connected the biggest stage.

Ghana’s Black Stars reached the quarterfinals successful 2010, matching the achievements of Cameroon successful 1990 and Senegal successful 2002. Senegal returned to the tourney this twelvemonth portion Ivory Coast are competing astatine their archetypal World Cup since 2014 aft winning 2 Africa Cup of Nations titles successful the years since.

Among the continent’s astir intriguing stories are DR Congo and Cape Verde. The Leopards are backmost astatine the World Cup for the archetypal clip since 1974 erstwhile the state was known arsenic Zaire. Many members of the squad were calved successful Europe, a inclination besides seen successful the Cape Verde team. The Blue Sharks person already made past successful their World Cup debut, earning a astonishment gully against Spain.

The roadworthy to the tourney has not been without challenges. Some teams, officials and supporters person faced question and visa-related issues. Many fans holding African passports were initially required to station $15,000 bonds to participate the United States, a argumentation that was aboriginal dropped but, critics said, excessively precocious for immoderate supporters to marque question plans.

The tourney is besides missing 1 of the astir recognisable symbols of the 2010 World Cup successful South Africa: the vuvuzela. The integrative horn, whose changeless buzz became synonymous with the tournament, has been banned astatine this year’s event.

Yet with an African-born diaspora of much than 3 cardinal radical crossed the US and Canada, the continent’s six representatives are expected to bask beardown enactment arsenic they question to marque their people connected football’s biggest signifier and transportation the hopes of an full continent.