Qatar 2022: Shedding winners, profitable losers, and Messi’s missed penalty spotlight chaotic matchday 11

Arguably the largest speaking factors of the day got here from Tunisia’s shock win over a largely second-string France who had already booked their place within the spherical of 16.

The Carthage Eagles entered the sport realizing that they wanted a win and a beneficial consequence within the sport between Denmark and Australia to qualify, and it confirmed of their urgency and strategy to the sport.

Tunisia contained France, who made 10 adjustments to their beginning lineup, and compelled them into sterile possession within the opening half whereas creating probabilities on the counter-attack and threatening to attain on a variety of events because the awkward French defence that had Actual Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga at left-back struggled to take care of Tunisia’s breakaways.

For many of the sport, France performed with the verve and drive of a retirement profit pleasant sport, and it was not completely towards the run of play when Tunisia took the lead after 58 minutes by an outstanding Wahbi Khazri solo aim.

The aim appeared to impress France who responded by bringing on Kylian Mbappe, William Saliba, Adrien Rabiot, and Antoine Griezmann in fast succession in a bid to rescue the sport from the jaws of defeat.

France upped the ante and thought they’d gotten an equaliser with the final kick of the sport, however a VAR overview after the ultimate whistle dominated out Griezmann’s aim to verify France’s first defeat in six World Cup video games. Regardless of the valiant effort, Tunisia’s win was not sufficient to see them by after Denmark fell to Australia within the group’s different match.

Denmark entered the 2022 FIFA World Cup because the darkish horse to say a maiden World Cup title however left with no win in three video games and with performances as jaded because the toned-down emblem on their jerseys.

Their 1-0 loss to minnows Australia summed up a depressing World Cup for them full of poor ending and lacklustre defending. Regardless of needing a win in any respect prices, Denmark have been torpid at each ends of the pitch and paid the worth by struggling a loss that left them backside of the group with just one level.

Matthew Leckie’s profitable aim on the hour mark was sufficient to earn Australia their first World Cup knockout match since 2006, whereas concurrently breaking Tunisian and Danish hearts.

The win which was solely Australia’s second in 12 World Cup matches, has now seen them match the nation’s best-ever efficiency on the World Cup and has arrange a mouth-watering tie towards Argentina within the subsequent spherical.

Mexico have been eerily near getting knocked out of the World Cup group levels by the fourth tie-breaker which considers yellow and purple playing cards however as an alternative conceded to Saudi Arabia in damage time to verify their place on the airplane again residence by way of a worse aim distinction than Poland.

Regardless of a reputable 2-1 win over a Saudi Arabian aspect that beat Argentina, Mexico have been unable to achieve the spherical of 16 for the primary time in eight makes an attempt, as they crashed out after conceding three objectives within the groupstage, whereas Poland survived by the pores and skin of their tooth towards Argentina.

Mexico huffed and puffed and threatened to blow the Saudis out of the water, however sadly for France, as anticipated, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than Henry Martin swept residence a staff aim simply two minutes after the restart. They quickly doubled the lead because of a second of pure magic from Luis Chaves who curled within the first freekick aim of the Qatar 2022 World Cup to make it 2-0 to Mexico.

A 2-0 lead and outcomes from the Poland-Argentina match at the moment created a novel scenario the place each groups have been tied on factors, aim distinction, and objectives scored, and have been to be separated primarily based on their disciplinary document.

As a result of Poland had fewer yellow playing cards than Mexico, EL Tri went into the ultimate levels of the sport realizing they wanted one other aim to advance forward of Poland and pushed ahead in quest of that aim.

Sadly, this backfired, as within the fifth minute of damage time, Salem Al-Dawsari scored for Saudi Arabia after a swift counter-attack to drive a dagger into the hearts of Mexican followers. Like Tunisia earlier than them, Mexico discovered the laborious means that it’s at all times finest to have your future totally in your palms heading into the final group sport.

There shall be a variety of speak about Messi’s missed penalty and the way objectives from Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez spared his blushes, however extra needs to be mentioned about Wojciech Szczesny and the masterclass that he placed on at Stadium 974 to single-handedly hold Poland within the World Cup.

Szczesny saved his second penalty in as many World Cup video games with the rating at 0-0 within the first half to cement what has been the most effective half of goalkeeping thus far on the 2022 World Cup.

Along with turning into solely the third goalkeeper to avoid wasting two penalties on the similar World Cup match, the Juventus man additionally made seven first-half saves, which is one lower than another goalkeeper has made in 90 minutes thus far in Qatar.

His saves and little else stored the rating at 0-0 regardless of Argentina creating three huge probabilities within the first half and accumulating an xG of two.0.

He was finally overwhelmed twice by objectives from Mac Allister and Alvarez, however he continued to indicate up huge for Poland with 5 extra necessary saves within the second half, totalling a tournament-high 12 saves in a single match.

Seeing as Poland solely scraped by on aim distinction, ultimately, the significance of Szczesny’s heroics can’t be overstated and they are going to be hoping he nonetheless has some in retailer for them once they face favourites France within the second spherical.