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The FIFA World Cup round of ۱۶ continues on Monday with two heavyweight clashes as Portugal renew their rivalry with Spain before USA take on Belgium for a place in the quarterfinals.
In advance of the action, Opta’s supercomputer has revealed its latest predictions, while Sunday’s results saw England survive a thriller against Mexico, Norway stun Brazil to end Neymar’s international career and FIFA become embroiled in controversy after allowing Folarin Balogun to face Belgium despite his red card.
What is Monday’s schedule?
- Portugal vs Spain: Monday, Dallas Stadium, ۱۹:۰۰ GMT
- USA vs Belgium: Monday, Seattle Stadium, ۰۰:۰۰ GMT going into Tuesday
What are the predictions for Portugal vs Spain?
Portugal and Spain have shared a fiercely competitive rivalry on the major tournament stage, with their five previous meetings producing just one win apiece and three draws.
Two of those contests remain especially memorable. Their group-stage clash at the ۲۰۱۸ World Cup ended in a thrilling ۳-۳ draw, with Cristiano Ronaldo producing a stunning hat-trick, while their UEFA Euro ۲۰۱۲ semifinal finished ۰-۰ before Spain advanced via a penalty shootout.
Opta’s supercomputer makes Spain the favourites for the elimination tie, with Luis de la Fuente’s side emerging victorious in normal time in ۴۹.۲ percent of ۲۵,۰۰۰ pre-match simulations.
Portugal are given a ۲۵.۶ percent chance of claiming the win inside ۹۰ minutes, while the remaining ۲۵.۲ percent of simulations end level after regulation time, meaning the tie would require extra time and potentially penalties to determine the winners.
What are the predictions for USA vs Belgium?
After opening their head-to-head history with a ۳-۰ victory over Belgium at the ۱۹۳۰ World Cup, USA have struggled in this fixture ever since. The Americans have lost each of the last six encounters, conceding an average of ۲.۵ goals per match during that run.
The most recent meeting came in an international friendly in March, when Belgium cruised to a convincing ۵-۲ win on US soil.
According to Opta’s ۲۵,۰۰۰ pre-match simulations, USA have a ۳۷.۲ percent chance of winning in normal time. Belgium are rated only slightly behind with a ۳۶.۵ percent probability of victory, while there is a ۲۶.۳ percent likelihood that the match remains level after ۹۰ minutes and is decided in extra time or a penalty shootout.
Remaining round of ۱۶ schedule:
- Portugal vs Spain: Monday, Dallas Stadium, ۱۹:۰۰ GMT
- USA vs Belgium: Monday, Seattle Stadium, ۰۰:۰۰ GMT going into Tuesday
- Argentina vs Egypt: Tuesday, Atlanta Stadium, ۱۶:۰۰ GMT
- Switzerland vs Colombia: Tuesday, BC Place Vancouver, ۲۰:۰۰ GMT
These are the four teams that have booked their place in the quarterfinals:
- Morocco vs France
- Norway vs England
What else is happening?
England win dramatic Mexico match
Ten-man England weathered a Mexico storm at the Azteca Stadium to reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the third straight time with a rip-roaring ۳-۲ victory over the cohosts on Sunday, thanks to a Jude Bellingham double and Harry Kane penalty.
Thomas Tuchel’s side made it hard for themselves against the cohosts but handed the battling Mexicans their first-ever World Cup defeat at the iconic venue to set up a last-eight clash with Norway, who shocked Brazil ۲-۱ earlier on Sunday.
“It was a crazy game,” Kane said. “We had to fight. We had to find something. I can’t really talk. Yeah, the occasion, the team, everything against us. We found a way.”
Jude Bellingham’s historic Azteca brace
Jude Bellingham described England’s dramatic victory over Mexico as the proudest moment of his international career and joked that supporters back home should tell their employers and teachers they would take the day off to celebrate.
The star midfielder netted twice in the Three Lions’ thrilling ۳-۲ win at the Azteca Stadium on Sunday, capping off a memorable display from Tuchel’s side.
Neymar’s World Cup dream ends
Oft-injured star Neymar says he is done playing for Brazil’s national team, making the announcement after he and his teammates were knocked out of the World Cup with a ۲-۱ loss to Norway in the round of ۱۶.
“I tried,” Neymar said after the match on Sunday. “It started here, at MetLife Stadium, and I finished here. It is now over.”
Neymar, ۳۴, played his first game for Brazil on August ۱۰, ۲۰۱۰ – a friendly against USA at the stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
He finishes his playing career as Brazil’s all-time top scorer.
Erling Haaland leads the Viking Row for Norway
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland inspired Norway to a famous victory at the Meadowlands, denying Brazil an opportunity to win a record sixth World Cup.
The ۲۵-year-old struck twice after the break, opening the scoring with a powerful header after getting the better of Gabriel Magalhaes before adding a second with a low finish that slipped past Alisson Becker to put Norway firmly in control at ۲-۰.
Following the final whistle, Haaland led Norway’s now-famous “Viking Row” celebration, which quickly gained traction on social media after going viral during the tournament.
President lobbies FIFA over red card
The USA’s World Cup campaign was thrown into the spotlight on Sunday after FIFA took the highly unusual step of suspending their player Folarin Balogun’s automatic one-match ban, making him eligible for Monday’s last-۱۶ showdown with Belgium.
The decision came after US President Donald Trump reportedly contacted FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to request that the incident be reviewed, according to a source familiar with the conversation.
The intervention led to immediate controversy, drawing criticism from Belgium and shifting attention away from the match itself towards questions over FIFA’s disciplinary process and the influence of political figures.
The ruling quickly became one of the tournament’s biggest talking points.
