Day nine of the World Cup is here and with it comes a host of new intriguing games, finishing off with a blockbuster meeting between Uruguay and Portugal.
That game is scheduled to kick off at 6am, with Cameroon and Serbia getting the action underway on Monday night when they face off at 9pm.
South Korea and Ghana are then up at midnight, with Tottenham star Son Heung-min tipped to make a statement.
The 3am slot then sees Brazil look to overcome Switzerland without injured superstar Neymar.
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FULL FIXTURES: All the key games, times and every Socceroos match in Qatar
Croatia eliminate Canada from World Cup | 00:50
SERBIA LOOK TO PUT FLAG CONTROVERSY BEHIND THEM
Cameroon lost to Switzerland in their first game so will attempt to bounce back against Serbia, who are being investigated by FIFA after the team hung a controversial flag depicting Kosovo in their changing room before their loss to Brazil.
Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic refused to comment on FIFA’s investigation into a flag controversy as his side prepare for a crucial World Cup clash with Cameroon.
Football’s world governing body launched the probe following a complaint from Kosovo’s football federation over a version of the Serbian flag hung in their dressing room in Qatar before their opening defeat to Brazil.
It featured a map including Kosovo as part of Serbia and the slogan “there will be no surrender”.
Asked about the controversy by AFP during Serbia’s press conference for Monday’s Group G match, Stojkovic said “Next question. No comment”.
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SOUTH KOREA COACH TIPS EPL STAR TO MAKE STATEMENT
South Korea coach Paulo Bento says the team will see a “different” Son Heung-min against Ghana after the forward got used to his protective face mask during their 0-0 draw with Uruguay.
Before coming to Qatar, Son had surgery to repair a fracture around his left eye he suffered while playing for Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month.
“First he needed to feel at ease with his teammates and afterwards with the opponents. The second game will be different,” said Bento.
Meanwhile, Ghana will be looking to pick up their first win, although coach Otto Addo said the odds are stacked against any African team reaching the latter stages of the tournament.
No African side has ever gone beyond the quarter-finals at a World Cup, although Ghana were a missed penalty away from reaching the last four at South Africa in 2010.
Addo, speaking on the eve of his team’s Group H match against South Korea, said Africa, with 54 teams, deserved more slots.
“There was never a point where everybody had an equal chance at the start. Never in FIFA history,” Addo said in Doha.
“It’s very, very difficult if you have five slots to get far. If you have 12 or 14 slots — I don’t know how many Europe get — the probability that a team will get further is much, much higher.”
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BRAZIL’S BIG CHALLENGE WITHOUT NEYMAR
Brazil must do without injured star forward Neymar against Switzerland at the World Cup as they look to build on an opening victory against Serbia.
Five-time world champions Brazil could secure a spot in the knockout phase with a win over the Swiss depending on the outcome of the day’s early game between Serbia and Cameroon.
Brazil kicked off their campaign in Qatar with a 2-0 victory over Serbia in Group G but Neymar limped off with a sprained ankle.
“At the time it was difficult for him and after the game he was sad which I think is normal given how much he has dreamt of this,” said Brazil centre-back Marquinhos.
“Now, after the tests and the treatment, he is doing physiotherapy 24 hours a day which shows how much he wants to be back with us.
“We don’t know when, but we hope it’s as soon as possible.”
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URUGUAY EMBRACE ‘UNDERDOG’ STATUS AGAINST RONALDO’S PORTUGAL
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first man to score in five World Cups after converting a disputed penalty in Portugal’s opening 3-2 victory over Ghana in Group H.
The Portuguese will qualify for the second round if they beat Uruguay at the Lusail Stadium, which will host the final on December 18.
Danilo Pereira has been ruled out of the rest of the group stage after fracturing three ribs in training, meaning 39-year-old Pepe is likely to start in defence.
Meanwhile, midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur said that twice former winners Uruguay are relishing their status as underdogs ahead of facing Ronaldo’s Portugal.
It was a similar scenario four years ago when an Edinson Cavani brace helped the South Americans stun the then-European champions 2-1 in the last 16.
And following their drab 0-0 draw with South Korea on Thursday, the Celeste are looking forward to tyring to overturn the odds once again in their Group H clash at the Lusail Stadium.
“We respect everyone, but the less you know about Uruguay the better it turns out for us,” said Tottenham player Bentancur.
“It’s better not to attract attention, to be humble, respect our opponents, and play all the same.
“At the last World Cup we did it really well, starting from behind.”
Much attention will be focused on Portugal’s impressive array of attacking talent that includes Joao Felix, Rafael Leao, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, as well as Ronaldo.
But in veteran centre-back Pepe they have one of the most experienced players in the tournament.
Ronaldo scores as Portugal survive Ghana | 01:15
Portugal have identified Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde as Uruguay’s danger man.
“He’s a tough player to stop. He is a good team player, a strong player,” said Bernardo.
“He’s one of the best midfielders in the world, not just with the ball but without the ball too. He does a lot to create space for his teammates.”
Valverde, 24, was named man of the match against South Korea in his first ever World Cup match and has already won the Champions League and La Liga with Real Madrid.
He has really kicked on this season, scoring more goals in 20 Real matches this season than in his previous 148 games for the club across four campaigns.
“He’s still the same lad, humble, a companion, always participating very naturally,” said Uruguay coach Diego Aonso.
“His performance is stupendous, extraordinary, we’re very happy to have him.”
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