Belgium Cautious About Threat from Japan
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FIFA World Cup 2018 Brazil v Mexico Last 16, July 2 Samara HEAD-TO-HEAD All-time meetings FIFA World Cup 2018 MONDAY, JULY 2, 2018 Brazil v Mexico Brazil 23 Mexico 10 Last 16, July 2 18 Coach Samara Coach Tite HEAD-TO-HEAD Juan All-time D7 Carlos Captain meetings TBC Osorio (captaincyBrazil 23 Mexico 10 Captain rotated) Andres Coach RecentCoach meetings Tite Juan Guardado Best finish D7 Captain 2015 Brazil Carlos2-0 Mexico Brazil waryTBC Winner of MexicoOsorio Best finish (captaincy 1958, 62, 2014 Brazil Captain0-0 Mexico Quarter-final rotated) Andres 70, 94, 2002Recent meetings 1970, 1986 Best finish Brazil ROADGuardado TO LAST 16Mexico Reuters | Samara, Russia 2001 Copa America is aWinner case 2015 Brazil 2-0 Mexico Best finish in point. It was a disastrous1958, 62, 2014 Brazil D0-0 SwitzerlandMexico 1-1 Quarter-finalMatch 1 W Germany 1-0 70, 94, 2002 Group E 1970, 1986 Group F here are not many teams tournament for Brazil, who winner ROAD TOW LASTCosta 16 Rica 2-0 Match 2 W S. Korea 2-1 runner-up in world football who were knocked out by Hondu- D Switzerland 1-1 Match 1 W Germany 1-0 Group E W Serbia 2-0 GroupMatch F 3 L Sweden 0-3 Tboast an even moder- ras at the beginning of Luizwinner Fe- W Costa Rica 2-0 Match 2 W S. Korea 2-1 runner-up ately successful record against lipe Scolari’s reign. However, W Serbia 2-0 Match 3 L Sweden 0-3 five-time World Cup winners that team went on to win the BrazilPlayer to watch Mexico Player to watch Player to watch COMPETITIONPlayer to watch STATISTICS Brazil but in recent years Mex- 2002 World Cup in Japan and NeymarCOMPETITION STATISTICS Brazil Hirving Lozano Neymar HirvingBrazil Lozano boss Tite is without Douglas Costa for the last-16 meeting with Mexico. ico have proved they have South Korea just 12 months 5 Goals scored5 3 Goals scored 3 what it takes to upstage the later. Starting full-backs Danilo and Marcelo are both doubts, with the latter 56 Total shots56 44 Totalforced off shots against Serbia with a back complaint,44 with Filipe Luis ready to yellow-shirted powerhouse. Likewise, at the 2007 19 Shots on target 12 Whereas seven of the teams Copa America Mexico deputise if needed. 1678 Passes completed19 1069 Shots on target 12 in the knockout stages of the handed Dunga his first Casemiro, Neymar and Coutinho are all one booking away from suspension. 26 Corners 13 tournament have failed to re- defeat as Brazil coach. 1678 Passes completed 1069 58% Possession 55% Mexico cord a single victory over Bra- Brazil went on to win 26 HectorCorners Moreno is suspended for Mexico13 having received his second book- zil since 2000 – admittedly the tournament, 58% Possessioning of the tournament in the 3-0 loss55% to Sweden. Spain, Denmark and Belgium whilst Mexico Samara Did you know? Hugo SpaceAyala should deputise at the heart of the defence in what could be have only played the South lost in the semis. Arena The only side to feature at Juantheme Carlos is Osorio’s sole change from the side the lost last time out. American giants once each – Capacity: every World Cup, Brazil are tribute to Mexico have won six of their Abysmal record 45,000 region’s Samara also the last side to have contribution Space 14 match-ups with Brazil in Mexico may have successfully defended to aerospace POSSIBLE LINE-UPS the same time period. produced some Arena their title - winning in development theme is Only France, who have beat- fine performances Source: FIFA Capacity: 1958 and 1962 Brazil: Alisson; Fagner, Thiago Silva, Miranda, Filipe Luis;tribute Casemiro, to en Brazil three times in six down the years but Pictures: Getty Images 45,000 ©Paulinho; GRAPHIC NEWSWillian, Philippe Coutinho, Neymar, Gabriel Jesus region’s meetings, have a better record when it comes to the contribution of the remaining teams in the crunch games they Mexico: Guillermo Ochoa; Miguel Layun, Hugo Ayala, Carlos Salcedo, Jesus last 16. often fail to deliver, as Gallardo; Hector Herrera, Jonathan Dos Santos, Andresto aerospace More impressively, Mexico evidenced by their abys- Guardado; Carlos Vela, Javier Hernandez, Hirving development have won six of their last nine mal recent record in the Source: FIFA competitive fixtures against World Cup knockout Pictures: Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS Brazil, losing just twice, and stages. will go into their last 16 clash Their defeat to the in Samara today full of confi- Netherlands in the dence. last 16 in 2014 was the We don’t live We won’t sit A Mexican side also over- sixth successive time by expectations, we live back and wait, Brazil’s came Brazil to win the gold El Tricolor have been by reality. (We live by) a attackers are too good for medal at the 2012 Olympics in knocked out in the team that is balanced, that to be the right plan. London and Mexico held the second round. that has replacement We will stick to our idea of hosts to a goalless draw in the Mexico last reached parts for important having at least four or five World Cup group stages four the quarter-finals moments attacking players years ago. when they hosted the Javier However, on various occa- tournament in 1986 Neymar BRAZIL COACH TITE MEXICO COACH JUAN CARLOS OSORIO Hernandez sions in the past these success- and despite featur- es over their illustrious rivals ing at 15 World Cups from the south have proven they have only ap- PLAYERS TO WATCH false dawns for Mexico and peared in the last Brazil - Paulinho Mexico - Javier Hernandez often a catalyst for Brazil. eight twice, both Much of Mexico’s attention is likely to be focused on Neymar and FIFAPhilippe WorldCoutin- CupThe West 2018 Ham striker has had a relatively quiet tournament thus far, registering Mexico’s 1-0 win at the times as hosts. ho, but Mexico would do well not to forget about Paulinho, whose well-timedBelgium run vjust Japan one shot on target across the three group matches. However, that solitary and prodded finish against Serbia was his eighth goal for his country since TiteLast 16, Julyeffort 2 resulted in a goal against South Korea. Proof, if Brazil needed it, that he Fact box took over as coach. Rostovremains a predatory penalty-box threat. HEAD-TO-HEAD » Hector Herrera, Miguel Layun and Jesus Gallardo are they look to live up to their billing as pre-tournament favourites. All-timeto harbour any hopes of springing an upset against Brazil in Monday’s early all one booking away from suspension After a stuttering start to the World Cup, » Mexico came perilously close to being eliminated at the group stages, meetingsmatch. Brazil ended up as group winners following a 2-0 win over Serbia to book their despite winning their opening two games, as they forfeited top spot in a Belgium 1 » MexicoJapan will 2 trouble Brazil on the counter, with Lozano in particularly one to spot in the last-16. They seem to be clicking into gear at just the right time as disappointing 3-0 defeat to Sweden. El Tri need to up their game now in order be wary of, but the Selecao should win here. Coach Coach Roberto Akira Martinez D2 Nishino Captain Captain Eden Makoto Hazard Hasebe Recent meetings Best finish Best finish Fourth place 2017 Belgium 1-0 Japan Round of 16 Belgium cautious about1986 threat2013 Belgium 2-3fromJapan 2002,Japan 2010 Belgium ROAD TO LAST 16 Japan AFP | Rostov-on-Don, Russia Group G W Panama 3-0 Match 1 W Colombia 2-1 Group H Belgium winner W Tunisia 5-2 Match 2 D Senegal 2-2 runner-up PLAYERS ries Mertens has warned Roberto Martinez is hoping to have Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku back W England 1-0 Match 3 L Poland 0-1 fit in time for the meeting with Japan, with the duo doubts. TO WATCH DBelgium against the perils Player to watch Player to watch of complacency as they prepare Dries Mertens is available, however, having featured from the bench Kevin de Bruyne COMPETITION STATISTICS Yuya Osako Belgium - Romelu Lukaku to face Japan here tomorrow against England, while Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen are both 9 Goals scored 4 The Manchester United centre with one eye on a possible quar- fit after playing a part in the Group G encounter on Thursday. 53 Total shots 31 forward, with four goals to his name, ter-final showdown with Brazil. Jan Vertonghen, Kevin De Bruyne, Thomas Meunier, Youri Tielemans and 22 Shots on target 12 is just one behind Harry Kane and The Belgians have emerged Leander Dendoncker are all one booking away from suspension. 1364 Passes completed 1345 firmly in the race to win the Golden as dark horses at this World 16 Corners 13 Boot. The strength, pace and clinical Cup, with their “Golden Gener- Japan 55% Possession 56% finishing of Lukaku could terrorize ation” of players tipped to mount Akira Nishino rung the changes for Japan’s 1-0 loss to Poland, but he’s Japan’s suspect defence. a deep run into the knockout expected to recall his regular starters for the meeting with Belgium. That would see Shinji Kagawa, Takashi Inui, Yuya Osako and Mateo Hasebe Rostov Designed rounds. Arena to blend into Japan - Takashi Inui Roberto Martinez’s side de- all return to the side. Capacity: landscape, The 30-year-old Eibar attacking feated England 1-0 in their last Inui, Hasebe, Eiji Kawashima and Tomoaki Makino are all one booking 45,000 with roof midfielder lacks the profile of Shinji away from a ban.