World Cup: Germany meet Ivory Coast in high-stakes clash, Sweden face Dutch

n n

High-scoring Germany face a powerful Ivory Coast side at the World Cup on Saturday, with the winner guaranteed a place in the last 32, while Sweden can also book their ticket.

n

Those three nations can join co-hosts the United States and Mexico, who are already through.

n

Germany thrashed debutants Curacao 7-1 in their opener and would be confirmed as Group E winners if they defeat Ivory Coast in Toronto and Ecuador fails to beat Curacao in Kansas City.

n

Progressing to the knockout round would be a relief for the Germans who astonishingly have failed to reach that stage since they won their fourth World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

n

So tight are the margins that Ivory Coast could lock up their place in the next round too, if they beat the Germans.

n

Nagelsmann said his team had to be prepared for Ivory Coast’s athleticism.

n

“Their speed is one of their biggest strengths and that’s what I think they do best,” he told reporters, highlighting the French-born Ivorian winger Nicolas Pepe.

n

“During the last game, he was everywhere,” Nagelsmann said of Pepe.

n

Sweden face the Netherlands in Houston knowing that a win will secure a place in the knockout round — an extraordinary turnaround for the Scandinavians who only qualified for the World Cup through the Nations League, essentially the back door.

n

Coach Graham Potter warned that Sweden striker Alexander Isak will get “stronger and stronger” as the tournament goes on.

n

Isak had a poor season by his standards, interrupted by frequent injuries, after Liverpool paid Newcastle United a British record £125 million ($165 million) for him.

n

He made a strong start to the World Cup, though, as the 26-year-old scored one goal and set up two in the 5-1 thrashing of Tunisia.

n

“Alex has had a season that has been interrupted,” Potter said. “Most football players would say they need a certain amount of time and games to get up to top, top level, so we’ve had to try to build Alex up. I think there’s more to come from him.”

n

– 1,000th game –

n

History will be made in another of Saturday’s games as Japan face Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico for the 1,000th game at a World Cup.

n

Hajime Moriyasu warned his Japan side they will need to match the intensity of a Tunisia team fired up by the introduction of coach Herve Renard after Sabri Lamouchi became the first coach in World Cup history to be sacked after one game.

n

On Friday, the United States marched into the knockout round with a 2-0 victory over Australia in Seattle.

n

A day of raucous celebrations for the co-hosts got even better when Paraguay’s 1-0 win against Turkey confirmed that the US would clinch top spot in Group D, ensuring a theoretically easier draw in the last 32.

n

A Cameron Burgess own goal in the 11th minute and a headed effort from Alex Freeman two minutes before half-time sealed a comfortable three points for Mauricio Pochettino’s USA side, who have won the group with a game to spare.

n

After an unconvincing build-up to the World Cup, the Americans have made a dream start to the tournament with Friday’s victory following a stylish 4-1 demolition of Paraguay in their opener.

n

“It was a fantastic game again, very good first half,” Pochettino said. “I think we dominated the game against a very tough team.

n

“When the draw happened in December, I thought it was going to be a really difficult, a really tough game.”

n

In other games on Friday, Brazil took control of their destiny in Group C with a 3-0 victory over Haiti that ended the Caribbean nation’s chances of progressing. Haiti join Turkey in exiting the tournament.

n

Two goals from Matheus Cunha and a Vinicius Junior strike sealed an easy win for the Brazilians in Philadelphia.

n

Brazil are now level on four points with Morocco, but lead the North Africans on goal difference.

n

Morocco secured their first win of the tournament on Friday with a 1-0 defeat of Scotland at Foxborough.

n

Ismael Saibari scored the game’s only goal, lashing home an angled strike in the second minute.

n

Morocco face Haiti in their final Group C game on June 24, while Brazil take on the Scots in Miami.

n

AFP

n n