The 2022 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 will commence this afternoon with Netherlands and the USA clashing at the Khalifa International Stadium in the first of the two games scheduled for today.
Louis van Gaal’s side topped Group A with seven points to secure their passage into the knockout stages, while the North Americans finished second in Group B.
Competition: 2022 FIFA World Cup Round of 16.
Date, Kick-off Time & Venue: 3 December 2022, 5 pm CAT at Khalifa International Stadium.
FIFA ranking: Netherlands (8), USA (16).
USA Team News:
Christian Pulic will be available for selection after recovering from a pelvic contusionin sustained against Iran.
However, Josh Sargent remains a doubt ahead of the match following an ankle injury.
USA Predicted XI: Turner; Dest, Carter-Vickers, Ream, Robinson; McKennie, Adams, Musah; Weah, Sargent, Pulisic.
Netherlands Team News
Netherlands defender Jeremie Frimpong suffered an injury scare with his ankle on Wednesday before making a return to full training on Thursday, but Denzel Dumfries was always expected to line up on the right anyway.
However, coach Louis van Gaal has revealed that there are several players in his squad suffering with “flu symptoms” .
Netherlands Predicted XI:
Noppert; Timber, Van Dijk, Ake; Dumfries, De Roon, F. De Jong, Blind; Klaassen; Gakpo, Depay.
What The Coaches Said:
Gregg Berhalter (USA): “We deserve to be in the position we’re in. And we want to keep going. We don’t want to be going home on Saturday.
“And from here anything can happen. All we need to do is play one game at a time. There’s no need to even project how far this team can go.”
Louis van Gaal (Netherlands): “The USA has an excellent ‘team’. I would say one of the best ‘teams’, fine-tuned. It’s going to be a very tough match.”
“But it’s nothing we can’t overcome. We also have a good team, that’s my view. We’ll have to wait and see in this match which of the two squads is the best.”
Netherlands Form:
Despite still unbeaten at the 2022 World Cup, the Netherlands’ three performances so far left plenty to be desired with a number of key players yet to fully fire and the side heavily reliant on goals from the in-form Cody Gakpo.
Netherlands World Cup form:
WDW
Netherlands form (all competitions):
WWWWD
USA Form
The USA are winless in their last 11 FIFA World Cup games against European nations, with their previous such victory coming by a 3-2 scoreline against Portugal in 2002.
USA World Cup form:
DDW
USA form (all competitions):
DLDDD
Head-to-Head Stats:
Netherlands have an impressive record against the USA and have won four out of the five matches that have been played between the two teams.
TV Info:
ZBC TV (Zimbabwe)
State broadcaster ZBC TV will bring a live coverage of selected games. Other matches will be shown as delayed.
SABC (South Africa)
South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) will broadcast the games live.
SABC Sport Channel will be the primary broadcast platform for the live presentation of the matches, with SABC 1, SABC 2 and SABC 3 also carrying the games live simultaneously.
DStv SuperSport TV
(Entire Sub Saharan Africa).