Friday 2 December 2022 saw the fourth and last group of eight teams, from Groups G and H, play their third and last group matches in FIFA World Cup 2022.

For half the teams would be their last matches of this year’s tournament; the others would be progressing to the knock-out phase.

Group G

Both matches kicked off simultaneously: Brazil played Cameroon and Switzerland played Serbia.

Permutations: Brazil had qualified and Switzerland would qualify if they won (a draw may be enough). The other two teams were not out of it but they would be relying on other results as well as their own.

Brazil, in their changed strip of blue jerseys and white shorts, rested a number of players for this game with Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus starting in place of Tottenham Hotspur’s Richarlison. The South Americans were the only team in the tournament yet to concede a goal. Brazil had the first opportunity as Antony broke up the right flank, firing the ball across the box, but with nobody on the end of it. In the other match, Switzerland were in their away strip of all white, with Serbia playing in all red (normally Switzerland’s colours). Both teams were On 10 minutes, Serbia almost got through for the opening goal with the post keeping out Zivkovic’s powerful shot from outside the Swiss box. On 19 minutes, against the run of play, Sow could not tee up a shot in Serbia’s box so fed the ball to Shaqiri how powered his shot past Milinkovic-Savic, the Serbian goalkeeper. Switzerland lead 1-0 and cement their 2nd position in the group table. Serbia were not intimidated, though, with Mitrovic finding the back of the Swiss net with a powerful header from Kadic’s pin-point accurate cross. 1-1. Serbia were back in it but were still in 4th place in the table, on goal difference. They needed another goal and went in search of it. On 30 minutes, Switzerland almost retook the lead… Then, 4 minutes later, Vlahovic pounced on a dreadful mistake in the Swiss defence to slot the ball past Kobel in the Swiss goal. 2-1 to Serbia. This now meant that Serbia jumped from 4th to 2nd in the table… Both trams continued to give it their all. Just before the break, on 43 minutes, Switzerland equalised through Embolo slotted home a cross from Widmer. 2-2. Switzerland were giving a masterclass in counter-attacking football as they jumped back into 2nd place in the group table. 3 minutes of added time. HT 2-2 between Switzerland and Serbia, and 0-0 between Brazil and Cameroon who have played the better football in the first half. Just 3 minutes after the restart, Switzerland went ahead through Freuler to cement their 2nd position in the table. 3-2 to Switzerland. In the other match, Cameroon’s defence went awol and had to rely on their goalkeeper, Epassy, to smother the ball and snuff out the threat from Brazil. Still 0-0. Brazil then made 3 substitutions. On 55 minutes, Martinelli almost scored for Brazil, with Militão going close a minute later, with Epassy spilling the ball and saving his blushes on his second attempt. Brazil had been sparked into life even though there was no Neymar (injured) or Richarlison (rested from the starting line-up) on the pitch. Pedro then cane on for Gabriel Jesus who had had a very quiet game by his standards, and Cameroon brought on two substitutions. Approaching full-time in the Serbia-Switzerland game, both side were still trying to add to their goal tallies but the players were visibly tiring. 7 minutes added time. In the other game, 9 minutes added time. 3 minutes later, Cameroon scored out of nothing as Aboubaka powered a header into the back of Brazil’s net following a cross by Ngom Mbekeli. This not change things regarding the table but, if Serbia were to score again in the other match, Cameroon would displace Switzerland into 2nd place. The two final whistles went within seconds of each other. FT Switzerland 3 - Serbia 2; Cameroon 1 - Brazil 0.

So, Brazil go through to the knockout phase as Group G Winners (G1) and Switzerland as Group G Runners-up (G2).

Group H

Both matches kicked off simultaneously: Ghana played Uruguay and Portugal played South Korea.

Permutations: Portugal had qualified and Ghana would also qualify if the won, but a draw may be enough too.

Portugal, win 2 wins from 2 matches, and already qualified, could be forgiven for relaxing in this game. But they came out fighting and took the lead with just 5 minutes on the clock with Ricardo Horta getting his name on the scoresheet. South Korea had changed tactics from their previous two games and pressed high up the pitch. On 16 minutes, Son Heung-Min crossed the ball into Portugal’s penalty box, it was flicked on and Kim Jin-Su managed to get it into the back of the net after Diogo Costa in Portugal’s goal could only parry the shot. However, the referee ruled the goal out for offside. Meanwhile, on 20 minutes in the other game, Andre Ayew missed a penalty for Ghana, with Uruguay’s goalkeeper Sergio Rochet diving to his left to make a comfortable save. Back to the other match and Kim Young-Gwon scored for South Korea following a corner by Son after the ball fell at his feet: there was nothing that Diogo Costa could do. South Korea would get up to 2nd place in the group if they scored again. But just after that, de Arrascaet scored for Uruguay after the goalkeeper could not hold Luis Suarez’ strike, to move them back into 2nd place, behind Portugal. And he got his second on 32 minutes after latching on to a cross from Luis Suarez. 2-0 to Uruguay and Ghana look rattled. In the other match, Son had another chance for South Korea on 40 minutes but Diogo Costa smothered the shot. Just 2 minutes later, Vitinha had a rasping shot saved by Kim Seung-gyu in South Kirea’s goal, with Christiano Ronaldo just wide with a reflex header. HT and Uruguay were leading Ghana 2-0, with South Korea holding Portugal 1-1; if things stayed like this then Portugal and Uruguay would progress. In the 2nd half, Ghana made a couple of substitutions to try to make the team more competitive, and almost scored within a minute of the restart. But a few minutes later, Uruguay appealed for a penalty: despite VAR asking the referee to view a replay, it was not awarded. Ghana were threatening by spreading the ball out wide and sending in crosses around Uruguay’s box, but there were not accurate enough to cause problems for Uruguay. On 64 minutes, Pellistri almost got a 3rd for Uruguay only for the ball to go just wide of the left-hand upright. Over in the other match, meanwhile, South Korea were attempting to end their World Cup finals campaign on a high as they went in search of a winner against Portugal, who were sure to progress, but they were finding it difficult to maintain their first-half intensity in the second half. On 78 minutes, Semenyo had a great opportunity to get a goal back for Ghana: he beat Uruguay’s offside trap but his shot was outside the upright. And 2 minutes later, Kudus was denied by a fingertip save by Rochet in Uruguay’s goal. Suddenly, South Korea scored out of nowhere against Portugal! In the 92nd minute, within the 6 minutes of added time announced, Hwang Hee-Chan timed his run to perfection to latch onto a through ball by Son Heung-Min to put South Kirea ahead 2-1. More importantly, they keap-frogged Uruguay in the table to go 2nd. FT 2-1 to Portugal. The South Korean players fall to their knees, many in tears. But there were 8 minutes left in the other game where Uruguay needed another goal to go back into 2nd in the table. Also, if Ghana got 2 goals and eon, they would go through. So, nail-biting stuff! Going down to the last second of play. On 92 minutes, Uruguay appealed for a penalty, but this was denied. Ghana broke and caused panic in the Uruguay defence with bodies on the line. Zigi in the Ghana goal made a fingertip save from Gómez. Down the other end, Rochet made a flying save to deny Ghana. An absolutely incredible finish to the game! But that was it; the referee blew for full-time. 2-0 to Uruguay, but it was not enough. The referee was surrounded by some of the players from Uruguay who received a number of yellow cards for intimidation.

So, Portugal go through to the knockout phase as Group H Winners (H1) and South Korea as Group H Runners-up (H2).

The last-16 pairings to play on Tuesday 6 December are Brazil v South Korea and Portugal v Cameroon.

Meanwhile, today’s matches will see the first last-16 games being played, with the Netherlands against the USA and Argentina against Australia