2 hours ago
Every World Cup needs a acheronian horse: nan squad nary cipher rather planned for that disrupts nan earthy bid and is remembered much vividly than nan finalists. Morocco did it successful 2022, beating Spain and Portugal connected their measurement to becoming nan first African broadside to scope nan semi-finals. Croatia produced a fairytale run to nan last successful 2018. Costa Rica topped a group that featured 3 erstwhile champions – England, Italy and Uruguay – successful 2014 earlier yet losing to nan Netherlands connected penalties successful nan quarter-finals. And South Korea, who had ne'er won a lucifer astatine a World Cup, went all nan measurement to nan semi-finals successful 2002. With 48 teams astatine this year’s tournament, location are a fewer candidates to make an unexpected tally to nan second stages.
Ecuador
A defence featuring 2 Champions League finalists, a 15-game unbeaten streak, and 2nd spot successful South American qualifying. You would deliberation we are talking astir 1 of nan favourites. Instead, we are talking astir Ecuador, who person a awesome chance to spell further than ever earlier astatine nan World Cup – their last-16 exit astatine nan 2006 tourney successful Germany.
Ecuador did not play successful nan World Cup until 2002 but they person only missed 2 tournaments since then: successful 2010 and 2018. While information has agelong been their goal, location is simply a increasing consciousness that thing greater is yet wrong reach.
A caller procreation of players – led by Moisés Caicedo, Piero Hincapié and Willian Pacho, nether nan guidance of head Sebastián Beccacece – person turned Ecuador into 1 of nan hardest teams to break down successful world football. If you are expecting nan flair and risk-taking sometimes associated pinch South American football, this is not it. Beccacece has drilled a broadside built connected building and control, pinch Ecuador conceding conscionable 5 goals successful 18 qualifying matches and keeping 13 cleanable sheets. They were down for conscionable 97 minutes crossed nan full campaign.
They seldom let opponents to dictate terms, but nan mobility is whether they tin people capable goals to move draws into wins. No broadside that qualified from South America scored less than Ecuador’s 14 goals, pinch nan load falling heavy connected nan shoulders of 34-year-old seasoned Enner Valencia, who contributed six of them during qualifying. Nevertheless, arsenic Beccacece himself has argued: “All you person to do is people 1 much than nan opposition.” In knockout football, wherever margins are often fine, Ecuador’s protect solidity intends they do not needfully request to people goals successful nan masses.
Japan
The information of 16 has haunted Japan astatine World Cups. Four times they person reached nan knockout stages and 4 times their travel has ended there. Japan clasp nan grounds for astir World Cup matches played without ever reaching nan quarter-finals (25).
They are getting closer, though, only missing retired successful 2018 aft a precocious illness against Belgium and missing retired successful 2022 aft a punishment shootout conclusion to Croatia. This is Japan’s eighth consecutive World Cup quality and location is simply a increasing consciousness that they will make a breakthrough.
Perhaps nan biggest quality this clip is nan genuine belief successful nan campy they tin do thing special. “We purpose to triumph nan World Cup, truthful nan nationalist squad is fresh to play each lucifer for illustration it’s their last,” said head Hajime Moriyasu successful a caller interview. And his optimism isn’t unfounded; Japan hit Germany and Spain successful nan past World Cup, and they person beaten England and Brazil successful nan past 12 months. They were nan first state to suffice aft a adjacent flawless campaign.
This squad has been refined complete years. Thirteen players from nan squad that topped a group featuring Spain, Germany and Costa Rica successful 2022 are back, bringing acquisition and a shared knowing of what it takes to compete connected nan large stage. While injuries to Kaoru Mitoma and Takumi Minamino are important setbacks, Moriyasu – who has been successful complaint since 2018 – tin still telephone upon Takefusa Kubo, Daichi Kamada, Daizen Maeda and Ayase Ueda, who won nan Golden Boot successful nan Eredivisie this season.
Japan are successful a reliable group alongside nan Netherlands, Sweden and Tunisia but their precocious tempo, relentless pressing and togetherness could return them far.
Norway
When Norway past played astatine a World Cup, successful 1998, only 9 of nan 26 players successful this squad had been born. The existent procreation person ended nan country’s agelong hold and they are not conscionable making up nan numbers.
Headlined by Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, Norway get successful North America pinch upwind successful their sails. Ståle Solbakken’s broadside stormed done qualifying, becoming 1 of only 2 European teams – alongside England – to triumph each match. They scored 37 goals and conceded conscionable 5 successful their 8 matches, pinch their monolithic 11-1 triumph complete Moldova opinionated out.
Norway’s onslaught should beryllium 1 of nan astir feared successful nan tournament. Solbakken has built a squad that tin wounded opponents successful aggregate ways, whether done diligent buildup, speedy transitions, aliases wide crosses into nan container to make usage of their aerial power – Norway are nan joint-tallest squad alongside Bosnia and Herzegovina.
At nan bosom of it each is Haaland, whose 16 goals successful qualifying matched nan grounds for a European qualifying campaign. Behind him, Ødegaard’s imagination and productivity supply nan ammunition, pinch nan Arsenal skipper finishing arsenic Europe’s starring assist-maker during qualification. But nan broadside is acold from a two-man show. The Atlético Madrid guardant Alexander Sørloth, opinionated gangly astatine 6ft 5in, provides a cleanable onslaught partner for Haaland. And nan gait and invention of Antonio Nusa, Oscar Bobb and Andreas Schjelderup guarantee Norway are not reliant connected a azygous root of inspiration.
There are immoderate reasons for caution. They deficiency acquisition – their past quality astatine a awesome tourney was successful Euro 2000 – and they are successful 1 of nan toughest groups successful nan competition, featuring reigning champions France and Afcon finalists Senegal. Norway’s onslaught has rightfully stolen nan headlines truthful acold but their defence – featuring Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjørn Heggem, Julian Ryerson and David Møller Wolfe – will request to guidelines up against elite opposition. If Norway tin reply those questions, they person nan value to spell acold successful this World Cup.
This is an article by WhoScored
