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World Cup 2022: What to expect on Day 17

Updated / Tuesday, 6 Dec 2022 09:57
The Ronaldo show rolls back into town on Tuesday
The Ronaldo show rolls back into town on Tuesday

Match 55 and 56 of the Qatar World Cup will see the quarter-final line-up confirmed as Spain meet Morocco before Portugal clash with Switzerland.

Two games on the harder end of the scale to call given how this tournament has progressed with three of the four inside the top 20 in the world rankings and Morocco [22] just outside.

Spain have hit seven goals in this tournament, Morocco have topped a group also containing the world's second highest ranked team Belgium and Switzerland have performed their flying under the radar trick to perfection. As for Portugal? The Cristiano Ronaldo show continues to generate brilliant viewing figures.

It was a thrilling conclusion to Group E last Wednesday, so discombobulating at times that Spanish manager Luis Enrique admitted that he hadn’t realised his side were facing elimination for a brief period as they trailed Japan and Costa Rica led Germany.

The 2010 World Cup winners still lost, but they progressed anyway as Germany turned things around – albeit the latter still made a group exit for the second time in succession.

Like most major names at the tournament, Spain’s group stage contained a bit of everything, including a 7-0 win over Costa Rica in their opener. That had people salivating about their chances, but an entertaining draw with Germany and that loss to Japan has tempered expectations a bit.

Indeed, for many people, Morocco have a real opportunity to claim what would be the biggest win in their history.

Spain hit nine goals in the group stages

The north African side created a shock in the group phase of the tournament in Qatar with their 2-0 victory over Belgium, having already held 2018 finalists Croatia to a goalless draw.

A win over Canada ensured top spot was theirs although goalkeeper Yassine Bono was called on a couple of times as red shirts buzzed around looking to get back into the game.

Manager Walid Regragui has said that they will bring the noise – figuratively and literally as the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan will be like a home game given how much they’ll dominate the support.

"We will come in with a winner’s attitude, we will come out swinging," he said.

"We want to hoist our Moroccan flag way up high, first and foremost for us and our country and yes, for all Arabs and Africans – we want to make them happy. We want their prayers and we want their support."

It should be an interesting assignment for PSG’s Achraf Hakimi who was born in Madrid. Spain had tried to get him to join their under-19 squad at one stage, but he opted for the Atlas Lions.

Morocco have only qualified from the group stage once previously, in 1986, and they exited at the round of 16 thanks to an 88th minute Lothar Matthäus winner for West Germany.

This match might be decided even later if Enrique is to be believed.

Spain lost a shootout to eventual champions Italy in the Euro 2020 semi-final and their manager is taking no chances.

"Over a year ago, in one of the Spain camps, I told them they had to get here with at least 1,000 penalties taken," Enrique said.

"If you wait until getting here to practise penalties [it won't be enough].

"It's a moment of maximum tension, a time to show your nerve and that you can shoot the penalty in the way you have decided, if you have trained it a thousand times."

Expect drama one way or another.

Another game, another raft of Cristiano Ronaldo headlines.

Between his outburst that ended in the mutual termination of his Manchester United contract to the 'Hair of God’ debate as he tried to claim Bruno Fernandes' goal against Uruguay [it was officially awarded to the current Old Trafford player, not the former] drama has not been far away.

That’s been the case ahead of their last 16 clash with Switzerland too.

Coach Fernando Santos says he "really didn't like" how Ronaldo reacted to being substituted in the round three group defeat to South Korea, and when asked if he could be dropped, he said "I am not worried if information is right or wrong."

On Monday it was reported that Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr had made a mega offer to sign the free agent on a deal in the vicinity of €200million a year.

Bruno Fernandes eventually ended up with two goals against Uruguay

"We are focused on the World Cup. I don't know anything about this other issue," Santos added about that potential move.

It begs the question whether Portugal are better off with or without the circus. A tally of 118 goals in 194 games for his country suggests that he may have plenty to offer yet.

Switzerland, as they often do, have flown under the radar in Qatar, reaching the knockout stages for the third straight time by finishing second in their group behind Brazil with victories over Cameroon and Serbia.

At this stage of Euro 2020 they knocked France out on penalties before exiting via the same method at the hands of Spain in the next round.

"We've seen this in the past, a few games were decided by penalty kicks," coach Murat Yakin told reporters on Monday. "Players, after every practice, they do practise penalty kicks.

"Whether a coach really focuses on that, it's not really me," he added. "I'd like to really make a difference before it comes to penalty kicks.

"There are many things before it gets to penalty kicks that are important and we want to make sure we can decide this game in regular time.

"But if it gets to penalty kicks, my team is familiar with that situation."

In the recent Nations League, the Swiss suffered a 4-0 away loss to Portugal but beat them 1-0 at home.

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Niall McCoy

RTÉ Sport journalist