After last night’s fixtures, a total of ten teams have their hard work bore fruits by earning a ticket to the last 16 stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The Round of 16 finalists now include Netherlands and Senegal from Group A, England and the United States of America from Group B, Argentina and Poland from Group C, France and Australia from Group D, Brazil from Group G and Portugal from Group H. While these teams celebrated their successes in the quadrennial tournament, many others were left devastated after they were sent packing home, with the biggest disappointment so far being Wales and Denmark.
First Top Ten Team in the World to Be Knocked Out
Denmark is currently ranked at 10th in the FIFA ranking and Da Rod-Hvide was making a lot of noise prior to the World Cup after their kit sponsor decided to release monochromatic jerseys for them as a method to oppose the 2022 FIFA World Cup host nation, Qatar’s management over its labours and human rights record. Despite being blessed with the return of Christian Eriksen to a major tournament after him collapsing during a UEFA European Championship game last year, Denmark’s efforts on field were not as amazing as their off-field actions and bowed out from the tournament without a single win.
With Italy shockingly eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup Finals, the rest of the top ten teams in the world made it into the tournament, but Denmark became the first from those eight teams to be denied a chance of making it into the Round of 16 after a 0-0 draw against Tunisia, a 2-1 defeat against defending world champion France and a 1-0 loss against Australia.
Tunisia Won but Denmark Did Not Deliver
Eagles of Carthage earned only its third, and probably the biggest victory it has on football’s biggest stage, with a 1-0 win over the 2018 FIFA World Cup champion France after the latter fielded a weakened side since qualification to the knockout stage has already been secured last round. But as the margin of victory was low and Denmark did not beat Australia, the Socceroos became the runner up of Group D with two wins and will join group leader France in the last 16 stage. If anything the Eagles of Carthage can hold their heads high and celebrate their huge upset against the world no. 4 football nation.
Argentina and Poland Await for Australia and France
Since Argentina came out of their tricky Group C as the winner, La Albiceleste avoided a repeat of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash with Les Bleus, a match that saw the Messi-led Argentina losing out with a 4-3 score line. La Albiceleste will face the Socceroos while Les Bleus is staged to meet Robert Lewandowski’s Poland next.
Bruno Fernandes was the star man who helped Portugal beat Uruguay 2-0: https://www.watchworldcup.org/bruno-fernandes-brace-sent-portugal-to-the-round-of-16-of-the-2022-fifa-world-cup-in-qatar/
(Photo Credits: Flipboard)
