Argentina won Group C after losing their opening game.Australia were surprise runners-up in Group D.Szymon Marciniak will officiate the game.
Argentina and Australia come face to face in the last 16 at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, with a place in the quarter-finals against Netherlands or USA the prize for the winners. Argentina topped Group C after bouncing back from a shock defeat to Saudi Arabia in their opening match to beat Mexico and Poland. Australia defied the odds to reach the last 16. Beaten in their first match by France, the Socceroos hit back with 1-0 wins against Tunisia and Denmark to advance to the knockout stage.
Team news:
Angel Di Maria is an injury doubt for Argentina. The Juventus player went off with a strained right quadriceps in the final group match against Poland.
Australia will name the same side as the one that started the win over Denmark.
Possible starting XIs:
Argentina: Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Acuna; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister; Angel Di Maria or Alejandro Gomez, Julian Alvarez, Lionel Messi.
𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 🫡🥹
🇦🇷 @LisandrMartinez speaks from the heart about the Argentina national anthem! #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/OecAb4tF1n
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 3, 2022
Australia: Mathew Ryan; Milos Degenek, Harry Souttar, Kye Rowles, Aziz Behich; Mathew Leckie, Jackson Irvine, Aaron Mooy, Craig Goodwin; Mitchell Duke, Riley McGree.
Head to head:
This is the eighth meeting between the two teams, La Albiceleste having won five of the previous seven, the Socceroos one and the other match ending in a draw.
Back in 1993, the two contested an intercontinental play-off for USA 1994, drawing 1-1 in Sydney, before a Gabriel Batistuta goal gave Alfio Basile’s side a 1-0 win in the return in Buenos Aires.
Australia have never gone further than the round of 16 at a World Cup.
La Albiceleste are hoping to improve on their showing at Russia 2018, when they went out in the last 16.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni “There are no easy teams here. We lost to Saudi Arabia. Modern football is all about taking it one game at a time. You have to do your homework and sometimes you play well and still end up losing. If you ask me, every game’s tough. Anyone who thinks Australia won’t be is wrong.”
Australia coach Graham Arnold “When I say it’s only two days, I’m talking about mindset and momentum. And if there’s one thing we’ve shown not just the country but the world, it’s that we’re connected as a team and as a group. We’re committed to each other.”
Venue:Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.
Bengali