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As fans are excited about who will win the FIFA World Cup 2022, there is just as much excitement over who is going to bag the golden boot award. The Golden Boot is awarded to the top goal scorer of the tournament. The award was first presented in 1982 and has been awarded at every World Cup since then. This year the excitement of the golden boot will remain until the last day of the World Cup as four players, Messi (5 goals), Mbappe (5 goals), Alvarez (4 goals) and Giroud (4 goals), are running in this race. It is not possible to say who will win the award as they all have equal opportunities in the final. However, Messi and Mbappe have more chances to win the golden boot. Let’s see what the possibilities are for them. Performance of Messi in The FIFA World Cup 2022 So Far After 2014, Messi is once again a big contender for the golden boot. Lionel Messi played a leading role in reaching his team to the final by scoring 5 goals and three assists. Lionel Messi is in great form in this World Cup, and he has one final game. So, Messi has a great chance to win if he can score more goals in the next match. However, in this World Cup, Messi has seen his highest goal in one tournament and also became the highest goal scorer in Argentina’s World Cup history. Messi scored against Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Australia, Netherlands, and Croatia. Read More: Argentina vs France Final Match Preview: FIFA World Cup 2022 Other records Messi has so far in this World Cup are 27 shots, 1.75 expected goals, 14 shots on target, created 18 chances, 20 fouls drawn, 14 open play chances created, and 36 take on. Messi is the leading man of the match winner among footballers. This great footballer has won the 'man of the match' title four times so far in the Qatar World Cup.  Performance of Mbappe in The Football World Cup 2022 So Far Last time in the 2018 World Cup, Kylian Mbappé Lottin got 4 goals, this time, he scored 5 goals in just three matches. However, he could not score in three matches. So, Messi has overtaken him in the race for the golden boot. But what Mbappe did in the final game of the last World Cup is not easy to forget. If he gets a goal in the final this time, maybe the golden boot will go to his feet. In other records, Mbappe has 24 shots, 10 shots on target, and suffered 7 fouls. Mbappes’ fight in the final will be a fight to win the title as well as snatch the Golden Boot from Messi. Read More: Will Messi's last performance in World Cup help Argentina win the trophy in Qatar? Who will Win the Gold Boot Award in FIFA World Cup 2022: Messi or Mbappe? Since both have scored 5 goals, and if they don’t score any goals in the final, other golden boot rules will be applied. That said, if the number of goals scored by more footballers is equal, then it is seen who has more assists. That is, who assisted in how many goals? If it is equal, it is seen who was on the field for less time. So, if both Messi and Mbappes’ scores remain the same, FIFA will look at the assist number. In that case, Messi will win the golden boot as he has three assists. On the other hand, Mbappe has 2 assists. However, if Mbappe assists one goal in the next match and Messi’s assist remains the same, Mbappe will win the golden boot as he has played less time than Messi. Mbappe played 477 minutes on the field, while Messi played 570 minutes. Read More: FIFA World Cup Final 2022 Argentina vs France LIVE Streaming: Where and How to watch online and TV Channel, Predicted XI Final Words Both Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé Lottin have enthralled sports enthusiasts with their magical performances in this year's Football world cup. Not to mention, both players are deserving candidates for the Gold Boot award. However, we have to wait one more day to know who wins the FIFA Qatar World Cup 2022 Golden Boot. Apparently, both Messi and Mbappe will give their best for sure to win the game as well as enrich their personal record.

France has never beaten England in a head-to-head match in the history of the World Cup. The English are far ahead in the overall fight between the two teams in the World Cup. But as of recent years, French has been ruling the football world. With such an atmosphere and context, the current world champion France will face England, who played in the last season’s semi-finals in the high-voltage quarter-finals of the ongoing FIFA Qatar World Cup 2022. Let’s take a look at the England vs France match preview to get to know more. England vs France: Head-to-Head records so far A total of 31 fights took place between England and France’s 100+ years old rivalry, of which England led with 17 wins, while France won nine. Five matches have been drawn. The two teams have met 11 times in the last three decades, with the French leading the way. However, England has won twice in the World Cup. England defeated France 2-0 on the way to the World Cup title in 1966 and 3-1 in the group stage of the 1982 World Cup. France won three in the last five matches, England won one, and the remaining match was drawn. The French are hot favorites in this World Cup and will start today’s match as a favorite. England’s performance so far in the 2022 World Cup England has scored 12 goals in 4 matches so far in this World Cup. Which is their joint highest in any major tournament. In 2018, they scored 12 goals on their way to the semi-finals of the Russia tournament. England is advancing with power; in the round of 16, they beat Senegal by 3-0 goals. However, history tells us that England’s departure from the quarter-finals has become a rule. Previously, the English had to leave the last eight in the World Cup in 1954, 1962, 1970, 2002, and 2006. They left the tournament after losing to a European team in six of the last eight World Cups. Nevertheless, it is certainly admirable for England to go through three World Cup matches without conceding a goal. Coach Gareth Southgate now has another chance. As the first coach of the Three Lions, he can be the pioneer of England reaching more than one semi-final. Among the English players, Harry Kane is now the highest goal scorer for England in a major tournament. The English captain surpassed Gary Lineker when he scored a goal against Senegal. Kane has 7 goals in total, compiling the 2018 and 2022 World Cup. He also assisted 3 goals in this tournament. So, all eyes will be on him. There is no potential injury update for the England team. Hence, England will start the match with all the major players.  England’s players to watch:  Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Marcus Rashford. England’s players carrying yellow cards:  None. Read More: Morocco vs Portugal Quarter-final Preview: FIFA World Cup 2022 France’s performance so far in the 2022 World Cup On the other hand, France has played in the quarter-finals in five of the last seven seasons, including the last three World Cups. Coach Didier Deschamps’ side has won eight of their last ten knockout rounds against European teams. Despite such success, they have some aspects of criticism. Because France has conceded goals in all four matches played so far in this World Cup. The champions will have to think more about this matter. Before this, France played twice against England in the 1966 and 1982 World Cup and lost each time. But they are ahead in recent performance. Kylian Mbappe will be France’s trump card. He has scored five goals in 4 matches so far. The forward surpassed his 4 goals scored in the last World Cup. Mbappe showed his class at the World Cup in Russia. Statistics show that France has won all nine World Cup matches where Mbappe played in the starting XI. France is playing in the quarter-finals as the first title defender after Brazil in 2006. As the defending champion, Italy went into the 2010 tournament and left on the group stage. Spain, the champion of the tournament, was eliminated from the group stage in 2014. Germany, which won the title in 2014, had a similar situation in the last edition. Like England, France does not have any injury report. However, there were rumors that Mbappe did not come to the last training of the French because he felt some discomfort in his ankle. However, the matter was later denied. France’s players to watch: Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud, and Hugo Lloris. France’s players carrying yellow cards: Jules Kounde, Aurelien Tchouameni. Probable squad in the England vs France Quarter-final match England's probable starting squad Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw, Henderson, Rice, Bellingham, Saka, Kane, Foden. Probable starting squad of France Lloris, Kounde, Varane, Upamecano, T. Hernandez, Tchouameni, Rabiot, Dembele, Greizmann, Mbappe, Giroud. Quarter-final's England vs France Match Result Prediction England has won just one of their last eight matches against the reigning champions. According to The Analyst’s supercomputer’s prediction, France has a 40.3% chance to win the game in 90 minutes, while England has 32.4%. However, there is a 27.3% of chance that the game will proceed to a penalty shootout. Venue of World Cup 2022 Quarter-final England vs France match? France and England will fight on the field next Saturday (local time) to get a place in the semi-finals. The matchup between the title holders and former champions will start at 1 am Bangladesh time at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor. Read More: FIFA World Cup 2022: Quarter Final Overview Final Words The England vs France Quarter-final match is sure to be a thrilling one, with both teams having strong players and impressive recent performances. Ultimately, the result of this match is unpredictable and could go either way, but no matter who reaches the semi-final of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the fans of both teams can expect an entertaining match.

Morocco is spending the World Cup like a dream. For the first time, the African team is playing in the quarterfinals at the World Cup stage. Portugal, who have never been able to play a final in a global tournament, are also in great form. These two teams are going to meet in the last eight of FIFA Qatar World Cup 2022. The whole world is waiting for a very enjoyable match between Portugal and Morocco in the quarter-finals. Let’s take a look at the Morocco vs Portugal Quarter-final match preview and where they are standing. Morocco vs Portugal: Head-to-Head Record So Far Before this, Morocco and Portugal met twice in the World Cup. The country of Arab heritage beat Portugal 3-1 in the 1986 World Cup. And in the last 2018 Russia World Cup, Portugal defeated Morocco by 1-0. Cristiano Ronaldo's only goal gave Portugal a win in that match. This time Portugal and Morocco are meeting in the quarterfinal!  Where is the Venue of Morocco vs Portugal Match? Portugal and Morocco will meet in the fight to reach the semi-finals. The match starts at 9 pm Bangladesh time at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha. Read More: FIFA World Cup 2022: Quarter Final Overview Morocco's performance So Far in the 2022 World Cup Morocco debuted in the 1970 World Cup. In 1986, they became the first African country to pass the group stage of the World Cup. Morocco's last win in the World Cup was in 1998 against Scotland, and after that, they got their win in this World Cup against Belgium in the group stage. In the round of sixteen, Morocco defeated the former world champion Spain in a tiebreaker and made it to the quarter-finals. They are the first Arab country to reach the last eight of the World Cup.  Walid Regragui is the first Arab coach to take a team to the knockout stages. He took charge of Morocco last September. The undefeated African team has played seven matches so far under his coaching. After drawing with Croatia in the group stage, they defeated Belgium and Canada, who were among the favorites of the tournament. That is why they are also called the dark horse of this World Cup. They have only conceded one goal so far, which was against Canada in the last match of the World Cup group stage.  So far, the opposition has not been able to send the ball into the Moroccan net. Their only goal in four matches was a 2–1 loss against Canada in the group stage. The own goal was scored by defender Nayef Aguerd. Morocco's players to watch: Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Sofyan Amrabat. Morocco's players carrying yellow cards: Abdelhamid Sabiri, Romain Saiss, Sofyan Amrabat. Read More: England vs France Quarter-final Preview: FIFA World Cup 2022 Portugal's Performance So Far in the 2022 World Cup 2016 Euro champions Portugal have never reached a World Cup final so far. Their debut on the world stage was in 1966. The team gave a great performance in the first season itself. They beat champions Brazil 3-1 and eliminated them from the group stage. They won all three matches and qualified for the next round. Portugal played in the semi-final in the same event. However, their journey ended with a 2-1 loss against England. After defeating the Soviet Union 2-1, the Portuguese finished third in the tournament. Which is their best success in the World Cup so far. They played in the semi-final in 2006 as well. On the other hand, Portugal started their World Cup journey by defeating Ghana 3-2 in the first match of the group stage. Then they beat the former world champion Uruguay 2-0. However, despite losing 2-1 to South Korea in the last match, the Portuguese reached the knockout stage as group champions. And Portugal showed world-class football in the round of 16 games against Switzerland. Portugal's 21-year-old forward Gonzalo Ramos scored the first hat-trick in the current season. He achieved this in a knockout stage match, in which Portugal beat Switzerland by 6-1. The Benfica forward became the first player since Germany's Miroslav Klose in 2002 to score a hat-trick in the starting XI for the first time in the World Cup. Scoring a goal will make Cristiano Ronaldo the all-time leading scorer for Portugal on the world stage. Currently, this record is held by Eusebio, he scored 9 goals in the World Cup, and he scored all in the 1966 tournament. It was his only World Cup appearance. Pepe scored a goal in an easy win over Switzerland. This Portuguese defender made history by scoring the goal at the age of 39 years and 283 days. He now holds the record for the oldest goal scorer in the knockout stages of the World Cup. Portugal has no injury report for the quarter-final game. It means the Portuguese will begin the game with full force. Portugal's players to watch:  Gonzalo Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruben Dias. Portugal's players carrying yellow cards:  Danilo Pereira, Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Neves, Joao Felix, Ruben Dias. Read More: Ronaldo did not threaten to leave World Cup: Portugal coach Squad of Morocco and Portugal in the Quarter-final Match Probable starting squad of Morocco Bounou, Hakimi, Aguerd, Saiss, Mazraoui, Amrabat, Amallah, Ounahi, Ziyech, En-Nesyri, Boufal Probable starting squad of Portugal Costa, Dalot, Pepe, Dias, Guerreiro, Neves, Otavio, Silva, Fernandes, Felix, Ramos Quarterfinal Morocco vs Portugal match Result Prediction Although Portugal is the favorite in this match, Morocco's goalkeeper Yassine Bounou will be an obstacle to them. According to Opta Analyst's data, Portugal has a 55.8% chance to win in the 90 minutes, while Morocco has an 18.8% chance. If the game reaches a penalty shootout, Morocco has a 25.4% chance of winning.  Final Words Both sides have the technical ability and quality to make it an exciting and unpredictable game. Morocco has a consistent recent record in this World Cup. However, with Ramos on the side, Portugal will be tough to beat. Hence, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 quarterfinal’s Morocco vs Portugal match will be a close game.

Here you can get all the details as to When, Where, and How you can watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 between Argentina vs Poland Live Streaming. The standings in Group C right now really signify that anything can happen as far as which teams will qualify for the Round of 16. It’s pretty complicated. France, Portugal and Brazil are already through, who will join them in the knockout stage of the tournament? This match will define which of the two teams advances to the Round of 16. World Cup's Group C comes to a close Thursday, and the day sees Poland face Argentina with nothing yet decided. The Polish are in first place with four points while Argentina are second with three. Saudi Arabia are third with a worse goal differential, and Mexico are in last place with one. If Poland win or draw, they are through to the next round. They could also lose and advance as long as Saudi Arabia or Mexico don't surpass them on goal differential. Argentina are through with a win, while a draw will be enough as long as Saudi Arabia and Mexico also draw. Read More: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: Argentina vs Poland Match Preview, Schedule, Probable Line-ups, Prediction Where and how to watch FIFA World Cup 2022 Argentina vs Poland live? Watch FIFA World Cup 2022 Argentina vs Poland live in Bangladesh Bangladesh viewers can watch the match live on all of these channels: BTV, T Sports, PTE LTD and Viacom 18. Argentina vs Poland match on Toffee apps live-The digital platform powered by Banglalink Bangladesh viewers can also enjoy live stream online the World Cup games on Toffee, the digital platform powered by Banglalink. Argentina vs Poland Match Live on Facebook and Youtube Many Facebook pages and YouTube channels also live the match How to watch Argentina vs Poland live stream in India In India, the World Cup is being televised on Sports18, but every game is being shown for free and in 4K via the JioCinema app. You can live stream Argentina vs Poland on Thursday night.Coverage is available in Hindi, English, Malayalam, Bengali and Tamil, and the JioCinema app is compatible with Chromecast, so you can get a big-screen experience. Anyone outside of India who wants to watch their home World Cup coverage can just pick up a good VPN and follow the instructions above to safely live stream the action.How to watch Argentina vs Poland live stream in Australia. Read More: Argentina riding emotional rollercoaster at World Cup Football fans in Australia can watch Argentina vs Poland, along with every World Cup 2022 game, on free-to-air SBS. You can tune in on TV or live stream Argentina vs Poland using SBS On Demand. SBS on Demand is free to use and works on a range of smart devices including mobile phones, smart TVs and web browsers. How to watch Argentina vs Poland live stream World Cup 2022 soccer in the US without cableSoccer fans in the US can watch Argentina vs Poland on FS1 and Peacock TV, with kick-off set for 11am ET / 8am PT on Sunday morning. FS1 shares TV rights to the 2022 World Cup group stage with Fox, but Fox will be showing every game of the knockouts. Read More: ‘Have some common sense’: Argentina coach calls for calm after beating Mexico in Qatar World Cup Argentina vs Poland live stream without cable If you don't have cable TV, a cord-cutting service is what you need for instant access to Fox and FS1. Sling Blue is the cheapest option. It's $40 per month but you can get your first month half-price with this discount. FuboTV is another good option. It carries both Fox and FS1, and over 100 channels besides, and allows you to watch the World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR. It's more expensive at $69.99 a month, but first there's a FREE FuboTV trial. Every game of the World Cup is also being shown on Peacock TV, but the catch is that commentary will be in Spanish. To make up for that, Argentina vs Poland and a few other games are being shown for FREE. The Peacock price comes in at $4.99 a month and the service also offers live coverage of the NFL, EPL and WWE. If you subscribe to Sling, Peacock or any other US streaming service, and find yourself unable to access coverage because you're out of the country, consider using a VPN – we rate ExpressVPN as the best of the best. Read More: FIFA World Cup 2022: Mystery behind Saudi Arabia’s Win Against Argentina How to watch Argentina vs Poland live stream in UK Football fans in the UK can watch Argentina vs Poland live stream for free on BBC iPlayer, along with many more World Cup 2022 games, as coverage of the tournament is split evenly between the BBC and ITV. Every BBC game will be on BBC TV channels in HD and also live streamed on BBC iPlayer in glorious 4K HDR. Just make sure you possess a valid TV license and that your device is 4K-compatible with iPlayer. Away from home in the UK right now? No worries: Use ExpressVPN to watch BBC iPlayer from abroad. BBC iPlayer is free to use and works across a wide range of devices including smart TVs, laptops, games consoles, mobile phones, tablets and streaming sticks. You can watch all the other World Cup 2022 live streams for free on ITV Hub. Read more: Argentina Squad analysis for 2022 World Cup in Qatar How to watch Argentina vs Poland live stream in Canada TSN is the place to watch every 2022 World Cup soccer game in Canada. If you get the channel as part of your cable deal, you'll be able to log in with the details of your provider for access Argentina vs Poland live stream. If you don't have cable, you can subscribe to TSN on a streaming-only basis for $19.99 a month or $199.90 per year. If you decide to subscribe, or already have, remember you can take your favorite sports streaming service with you wherever you go – just try our No. 1 overall rated VPN 100% risk-free for 30-days and follow the instructions How to watch live Argentina vs Poland Match live from Iran and others country? If you're abroad during World Cup 2022, and want to tune into your usual home coverage, you'll most likely find yourself geo-blocked and will need to use a VPN to unlock your access. A VPN is a piece of software that allows you to change your apparent location and World 2022 live streams from any country and streaming service you need. They're easy to use and super-secure. We rate ExpressVPN as the best VPN for streaming. Read More: Poland beat Saudis 2-0 at World Cup Argentina vs Poland Match live on TV Channels Bangladesh: BTV, Gazi TV, T-SportsIndia: Sports18, Sports18 HD, Sony TV NetworksPakistan: ARY Digital NetworkNepal: Media Hub Private LimitedMalaysia: Astro GOSingapore: Singtel TV GO, CAST, StarHub TV+, MeWatchNew Zealand: Sky Go, Sky Sport NOWIndian Subcontinent: Sony NetworkWhere is Argentina vs Poland Match? Argentina vs Poland: The Argentina vs Poland match will be held at the Stadium 974 -- Doha, Qatar What time and date will the FIFA World Cup 2022 Argentina vs Poland match are played? Argentina vs Poland match will be played on Thursday, Dec 1 | Time: 1. AM IST Also read: Christian Pulisic’s lone goal fires USA to last 16 with a win vs Iran Argentina vs Poland lineups: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Argentina squad vs Poland Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez, Geronimo Rulli, Franco Armani. Defenders: Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, German Pezzella, Nicolas Otamendi, Lisandro Martinez, Marcos Acuna, Nicolas Tagliafico, Juan Foyth. Midfielders: Rodrigo De Paul, Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister, Guido Rodriguez, Alejandro Gomez, Enzo Fernandez, Exequiel Palacios. Forwards: Angel Di Maria, Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, Nicolas Gonzalez, Joaquin Correa, Paulo Dybala, Lionel Messi. Poland squad vs Argentina Goalkeepers: Wojciech Szczesny, Bartlomiej Dragowski, Lukasz Skorupski. Defenders: Jan Bednarek, Kamil Glik, Robert Gumny, Artur Jedrzejczyk, Jakub Kiwior, Mateusz Wieteska, Bartosz Bereszynski, Matty Cash, Nicola Zalewski. Midfielders: Krystian Bielik, Przemyslaw Frankowski, Kamil Grosicki, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Jakub Kaminski, Michal Skoras, Damian Szymanski, Sebastian Szymanski, Piotr Zielinski, Szymon Zurkowski. Forwards: Robert Lewandowski, Arkadiusz Milik, Krzysztof Piatek, Karol Swiderski. Argentina vs Poland Head-to-head recordThe teams have 11 times previously and twice in World Cup history. Poland won the first finals meeting 3-2 back in a group stage match from 1974, but Argentina got revenge four years later with a 2-0 triumph on their way to winning the tournament on home soil.Argentina last beat Poland 30 years ago but they have only played once since, with Poland winning a friendly 2-1 in 2011. Also read; FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: England comfortably beat Wales 3-0

There’s no Neymar facing Switzerland at the World Cup on Monday. Just Richarlison. And Vinicius Junior. And Raphinha. And Rodrygo. And all the rest of the star-laden options in a deep and talented Brazilian squad lacking its most famous player. “Each and every one is super skilled, even the center backs and goalkeeper,” Switzerland coach Murat Yakin said Sunday, describing the Brazil players. “They are here to get the title. That’s almost a must for them.” Neymar’s ankle injury, suffered in a 2-0 win over hard-tackling Serbia on Thursday, is likely to keep the Brazil No. 10 out of action for the rest of the Group G games. The spotlight was already shining brightly on No. 9 Richarlison after a stellar, scissor-kick shot for his second goal against the Serbs. Yakin certainly appreciated what was perhaps the standout individual moment of the first week in Qatar. “Absolutely, that’s why we love football, why we watch it, to see such goals,” he said in comments translated from German. ADVERTISEMENTBrazil coach Tite spoke of the different routes to goal his team has without Neymar. “Maybe we’ll see a feint or dribble from Vini, maybe we’ll see creativity when finishing a play from Richarlison or a header from Pedro,” he said. “This will come up because they have that creativity,” Tite said. “It’s impressive how calm they can be to do things even under all this pressure.” Still, Switzerland knew how to stop the Brazil attack when Neymar was playing at the 2018 World Cup, which the teams opened by playing to a 1-1 draw. “They are very difficult to win against,” said Marquinhos, now a starter in central defense who watched the 2018 draw from the bench in Russia. Some of Europe’s best teams have also found the Swiss a tough out in the past 18 months. Switzerland beat Portugal and Spain in the Nations League this year. Last year, the Swiss eliminated world champion France in the European Championship and advanced to Qatar by finishing above Euro 2020 winner Italy in their World Cup qualifying group. “We’ve been challenged by great teams and we’ve been able to score,” said forward Xherdan Shaqiri, who is playing in his fourth World Cup, a Swiss record. “If we score a goal I think we can completely change the game.” Shaqiri laid on the pass for Breel Embolo to score the only goal in a 1-0 win against Cameroon that opened the group on Thursday. The Swiss did just enough to take the three points against its expected weakest opponent. Top-ranked Brazil must make a second enforced change with Éder Militão or Dani Alves available to replace Danilo, who like Neymar was injured against Serbia. Tite said he had decided on his lineup but would not share it ahead of Monday evening. Serbia faces Cameroon earlier in the day. Switzerland will be without Noah Okafor, the Salzburg forward who has been a favored speedy option from the bench late in games.

Inspired by captain Énner Valencia, Ecuador impressed again at the World Cup on Friday in a 1-1 draw with favored Netherlands in a game La Tri deserved to win. Valencia has become a talisman on the biggest stage and his 49th-minute leveler against the Dutch made him the top scorer at this World Cup with his third goal in Qatar. It also extended the 33-year-old veteran’s streak to scoring all six Ecuador goals at World Cups since the 2014 tournament. The result eliminated host nation Qatar just five days after the start of its home World Cup that cost about $200 billion to prepare. READ: FIFA World Cup: Neymar in tears after injury against Serbia The draw gave both the Dutch and Ecuador one point apiece to move them to four points in Group A. It left Qatar with zero points after losing 3-1 to Senegal hours earlier. Ecuador dominated much of the game after Cody Gakpo fired the Dutch into a sixth-minute lead with a rising shot from the edge of the penalty area. It was the fastest goal scored so far in Qatar. Ecuador leveled when Valencia passed the ball into an empty net after Pervis Estupiñán’s shot was pushed away by goalkeeper Andries Noppert Almost the entire Ecuador squad joined their inspirational captain in a collective goal celebration. It created a powerful image of unity by kneeling together in a circle pointing to the night sky at Khalifa International Stadium. Ecuador almost got a deserved winning goal minutes later when the Netherlands crossbar was rattled by a rising left-foot shot from Gonzalo Plata. Ecuador plays Senegal on Tuesday, needing just a draw to advance, and the Netherlands will play Qatar. Ecuador may have to do it without Valencia. He was stretchered off the field in the 90th minute. He was able to get up and walk the bench, where a bag of ice was taped to his right leg. The Dutch managed their first-half lead efficiently without having another attempt on goal before Ecuador players were angered by a possible leveler being disallowed in stoppage time. READ: FIFA World Cup: Richarlison's second-half brace give Brazil 2-0 win over Serbia When Estupiñán deflected the ball into the net swept through a crowded goalmouth, the judgment was goalkeeper Noppert’s view of the original shot was blocked by Jackson Porozo standing offside. Estupiñán was involved again in the valid goal that capitalized on ragged play throughout the Netherlands defense, after Noppert was almost caught in possession clearing the ball weakly. SHUTOUT STREAK Until Gakpo’s goal, Ecuador had not conceded a goal in more than 11 hours’ play, including seven clean sheets, since March when Argentina scored in a World Cup qualifying game that ended 1-1. WINNING STREAK Netherlands had its seven-game win streak in group-stage play at World Cups ended. The Dutch through the first three games in 2010 and 2014 then opened in Qatar by beating Senegal 2-0.

Rouzbeh Cheshmi scored in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time to break a scoreless stalemate and Iran went on to defeat Wales 2-0 at the World Cup on Friday. Cheshmi’s strike from outside the box was just beyond the diving reach of Wales backup goalkeeper Danny Ward, who was pressed into duty when starter Wayne Hennessey was sent off in the 86th minute. Ramin Rezaeian added a second goal moments later and Iran wildly celebrated while some of the Welsh players dropped in disbelief to the field. Hennessy was ejected in the 86th minute for a high challenge on Mehdi Taremi. Gareth Bale made his 110th appearance for Wales, the most all-time for the national team, but the Welsh appeared sluggish early after a 1-1 draw with the United States in their Group B opener. Iran, which fell 6-2 to England in its opener to fall to last place in the group, fared better against Wales. But outside Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, the ongoing protests in Iran spilled over to the World Cup with pro-government fans harassing anti-government national team supporters. Wales was making just its second overall appearance at the World Cup and first since 1958. Bale, who played for Major League Soccer’s LAFC this past season, remained stuck on 41 goals for the national team, despite surpassing teammate Chris Gunter (109) for most all-time appearances. Iran goalkeeper Ali Beiranvand was ruled out of the game after he sustained a concussion in the opener. Hossein Hosseini started in his place. Iran, which qualified for the last two World Cups, has never advanced to the knockout round. The Iranian team has been peppered since its arrival in Qatar with questions about unrest back home. The players, who did not sing the country’s national anthem in their opener in an apparent show of solidarity with protestors, linked arms and sang on Friday. The two teams had never played each other at a World Cup. Wales won their only friendly match 1-0 in 1978.

Joy for the Williams family of Spain on Wednesday at the World Cup. Then despair for the same Williams family, who are also of Ghana, on Thursday. Williams brothers Iñaki and Nico have managed to mark both sides of their family's heritage in a remarkable way at this World Cup in Qatar by playing for two different countries. They were both born in Spain but their parents are from Ghana. Nico was part of the young Spain team that beat Costa Rica 7-0 on Wednesday in the tournament's most compelling performance so far. He came on as a second-half substitute to make his World Cup debut in Spain's record win at the tournament. Read more: Ronaldo makes history, becomes first male player to score at five World Cups A day later, big brother Iñaki played his first World Cup game for Ghana, a 3-2 loss to Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal. That meant a complicated 24 hours in the family home back in Spain with celebrations for 20-year-old Nico no doubt swiftly followed by commiserations for 28-year-old Iñaki. The same for the two brothers, who Ghana coach Otto Addo said both feel as Spanish as they do Ghanaian. “I know that they both have a good strong relationship with their mother and their fatherland,” was how Addo put it. Because of his love for his parents' country, Iñaki's integration into the Ghana team has been very easy, Addo added, even if he was born in Bilbao and raised in the Basque region. Read more: Iranian soccer player arrested amid World Cup scrutiny Iñaki, a forward just like Nico, played the whole game for Ghana against Portugal and stood in the center circle at Stadium 974 in Doha at the end with his hands on his head and looking bitterly disappointed with the loss. “Maybe for some it’s difficult to understand but I think it’s really possible to have two countries in your heart,” Addo said of Iñaki. “And surely he has Ghana in his heart from day one. But also Spain.” The story behind the situation involves their parents' decision to leave Ghana nearly 30 years ago to find a better life in Europe. Never could Felix and Maria Williams have thought they would end up with two sons playing at the World Cup when they trekked barefoot through parts of a desert and climbed a fence to get into Spain in the early 1990s. Maria was pregnant with Iñaki at the time. They settled in Bilbao and both boys grew up to be soccer players. They still play club soccer together for hometown team Athletic Bilbao. Read more: Wales fans can wear rainbow hats in stadiums The brothers' careers have always been connected, even after Iñaki decided this year to switch allegiance to Ghana and go back to his roots. Them playing for two different countries in the space of 24 hours was not the first time it has happened. Iñaki made his debut for Ghana on Sept. 23 this year against Brazil. Nico made his first appearance for Spain against Switzerland a day later.

Cristiano Ronaldo has left Manchester United with immediate effect. Where will he turn up next? The Portugal star has put himself on the market with his explosive pre-World Cup interview that led to the termination of his contract on Tuesday. As a free agent, the 37-year-old forward now has the chance to impress potential suitors and prove he can still perform on the highest level for his country in Qatar. His future may well depend on it after failing to secure a transfer to a Champions League club in the summer. Midway through the season, his options look even more limited if he is set on playing in the knockout stages of European club soccer’s top competition when he returns from the World Cup. The Champions League is now down to the last 16 teams, with only a tiny number of those able to come close to offering Ronaldo anything like the reported 500,000 pounds (594,000 dollars) a week salary he earned at United. And there has been little evidence that they would be interested in signing him. Ronaldo’s interview with Piers Morgan, in which he criticized United manager Erik ten Hag and the club’s owners, made it clear he still believes he is one of the top soccer players on the planet. But where in the world will his career take him next? A CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CLUB There are only 16 to choose from if Ronaldo harbors ambitions of playing in the competition when it resumes in February. Then it is a question of who would could afford him. A dream scenario would be to have one last fling with a truly elite club. But perhaps his best chance of that would be as a short-term fix until the end of the season. Read more: Ronaldo begins fifth, probably final World Cup with match against Ghana Thursday Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has been ruled out of the World Cup with injury and so has Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane. Perhaps Ronaldo would be an attractive emergency option if either of those clubs feared being left short in the second half of the campaign. A PREMIER LEAGUE CLUB   Chelsea considered a move in the summer, but that never materialized. Ronaldo would not appear to fit in with the long-term planning of new manager Graham Potter, who is already having to deal with one ageing striker in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Arsenal fan Piers Morgan is pushing for a move to his club, but the Premier League leader has invested in building a young team under manager Mikel Arteta and Ronaldo would be a departure from that. Could Saudi-backed Newcastle be tempted to make a first truly statement signing under its new ownership? A RETURN HOME To finish his career where it started at Sporting Lisbon would provide a romantic bookend for Ronaldo, while the Portuguese club could provide him with a route back to the Champions League next season. He would have to take a considerable pay cut if he were to take up this option. SAUDI ARABIA The only serious interest in Ronaldo in the summer came from Saudi Arabia. While a move there would likely present the most lucrative option for him, it would be a marked step down in terms of his remaining sporting ambition. Read more: Ronaldo's career at Manchester United may be over It would deny him the chance to further extend his record as the all-time leading scorer in the Champions League, with 140 goals, and hand his great rival Lionel Messi, who has 129, the chance to overtake him. MLS Perhaps it is time to take his brand to the United States and become the biggest star ever to play in MLS. He could not hope to match his salary and he would have to accept his days playing in the Champions League are over. But for a man who has more than half a billion followers on Instagram this would be the chance to move to the biggest market in the world off the field - and a new adventure.

Following a devastating injury during their first match in Qatar World Cup, against Lionel Messi’s Argentina, Saudi footballer Yasser al-Shahrani has given fans assurance that he is “doing ok”. The Saudi football player, speaking from a hospital bed where he was receiving treatment, said: “I wanted to assure you that I am okay. Pray for me. And congratulations to our Saudi fans on the win. You deserve it.” Read More: World Cup 2022: Iran goalkeeper clashes heads with teammate Yasser al-Shahrani collided with Saudi goalie Mohammed al-Owais, and suffered a fractured jaw, damaged facial bones, and internal bleeding, Al Arabiya reported. The defender was taken off the field and placed on a stretcher before being taken to a hospital in Doha’s Hamad Medical City. Read More: Qatar World Cup: Saudi Arabia's stunning victory end Argentina's 36-match winning streak The footballer is stable, according to a statement from the Saudi National Team, and he is now being monitored. Tuesday’s historic 2-1 victory by Saudi Arabia over Argentina in a group-phase match of the World Cup put a stop to the South American powerhouse’s 36-game winning streak at the Lusail Stadium. It was one of the major headlines of yesterday's match. However, the entire stadium felt uneasy when Saudi Arabian player Al-Shahrani collided with goalkeeper Mohammed al-Owais and injured his jaw. It was another major moment in the Argentina vs Saudi Arabia match.