The World Cup begins on Tuesday between tournament powerhouses Argentina and France.
2018 World Cup champions France will face Senegal in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in a reenactment of the famous opening game of the 2002 tournament, while reigning champion Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will take on Algeria in Kansas City, Missouri. Other matches on Tuesday will see Norway return to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years to take on Iraq, while Austria face Jordan in the final match of the day.
Away from the match, Cape Verde are still celebrating their historic draw with Spain, while Iraq’s return to the competition has caused both joy and frustration among supporters.
Highlights from Day 6 of the World Cup include:
What is the schedule for Tuesday?
Four more teams will begin their campaigns on Tuesday.
France vs. Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium is scheduled to kick off at 3:00 pm (7:00 pm Japan time).
Norway will then return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998, taking on Iraq at Boston Stadium in Massachusetts, with a 6pm (22:00 GMT) kick-off.
Argentina will also face Algeria at Kansas City Stadium at 8pm (1am Wednesday local time), followed by Austria against Jordan at California’s San Francisco Bay Area Stadium at 9pm (4pm Wednesday local time).
What are your predictions for France vs. Senegal?
France is ranked 3rd in the FIFA world rankings and will enter the tournament as one of the favorites to win the tournament. However, African powerhouse Senegal, ranked 16th in the rankings, is expected to provide a tough test in the first match.
The only previous meeting between the two teams at the World Cup was in the opening game of the 2002 tournament, when Senegal, appearing in the tournament for the first time, defeated defending champion France 1-0. Papa Bouba Diop’s memorable victory sparked celebrations across Dakar, and then-President Abdoulaye Wade declared it a national holiday. Senegal advanced to the quarterfinals, but France was eliminated without a win.
Opta’s supercomputer still gives France a clear advantage at the New Jersey Stadium in New York, giving Les Bleus a 64.8% chance of victory. Senegal has a 14.9 percent chance of pulling off another upset, and a 20.3 percent chance of a draw.
What are your predictions for Iraq vs Norway?
Tuesday’s Group I clash will be the first meeting between Iraq and Norway, and the Nordic nation’s first World Cup match against a team from the Asian Football Confederation.
Norway are happy to be back in the World Cup after a long hiatus. Fans turned heads with a synchronized “Viking Line” celebration, and Erling Haaland shared a Viking-themed team photo on social media, describing the tournament as a “28-year dream”. The Norwegians, led by Haaland and Martin Odegaard, arrive with high expectations.
Opta’s supercomputer predicts Norway will get off to a strong start, giving them a 77.4% chance of victory. The probability of a draw is 14%, and the probability of Iraq pulling off an upset is 8.6%.
What are your predictions for Argentina vs. Algeria?
Argentina and Algeria have never faced each other in a World Cup, but they did meet in a friendly at Barcelona’s Camp Nou in 2007, when Argentina came from behind to win 4-3. A teenager named Lionel Messi scored the first two goals of his international career that day.
History also favors South Americans. Argentina have bounced back from the shock of a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in 1990 and have won each of their last six World Cup matches against African teams. Algeria, on the other hand, had a dismal performance against South American teams in the tournament, defeating Chile in 1982 and losing to Brazil four years later.
Opta’s supercomputer predicts Argentina to get off to a winning start in Group J. After 25,000 simulations, Lionel Scaloni’s team won 68.2% of the time. Algeria had a 13.2% chance of causing an upset, while 18.6% predicted a draw.
What are your predictions for Austria vs. Jordan?
Austria enters the match as the clear favorites on paper. They are ranked 25th in the world, 39 places above Jordan, who is 64th in the FIFA rankings, and it is widely expected that the European side will aim to advance to the knockout stages.
Opta’s supercomputer strongly favors Austria opening the game with a win in San Francisco, giving them a 70.3% chance of taking all three points. Jordan has a 12.9 percent chance of pulling off an upset and a 16.9 percent chance of a tie.
Looking beyond this match, Austria are seen as Argentina’s main challenger in Group J. They have an 18% chance of passing first in their group, compared to just 2.9% for Jordan.
What else is shaping the World Cup?
Cape Verde celebrates historic point
Cape Verde’s 0-0 draw with Spain sparked wild celebrations among fans, including in Boston, which is home to a large Cape Verdean community. Supporters said they were proud to see their country shine on the World Cup stage.
“Everyone thought Spain would beat us,” said one fan. “We are a small country, but we have a big heart.”
Goaltender Bosinha also became an overnight social media sensation after his Instagram shot up after the game, NBC Television Network reported. NBC reported that the goaltender’s Instagram followers have increased from 50,000 to 4.9 million.
Saudi Arabia denies Uruguay victory
Four years after their shock victory over Argentina, Saudi Arabia looked set for another famous World Cup upset after Abdulela Alamli gave the Green Falcons the lead against Uruguay.
However, with 10 minutes remaining, Uruguay’s Maximiliano Araujo scored a goal, resulting in a 1-1 draw for Uruguay. Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Mohamed Alwais then made several important saves to preserve the points and keep Group H balanced after the opening game.
Tunisia coach sacked after heavy defeat
Tunisia sacked Sabri Lamouchi after losing 5-1 to Sweden in their first World Cup match. Monder Kebayer will take over on an interim basis as Tunisia looks to rebuild their team ahead of games against Japan and the Netherlands.
Introducing Mexico’s unlikely mascot, Merlin
A duck named Marlin became one of the World Cup’s first viral stars after appearing at celebrations in Mexico City wearing the national team’s colors. Fans on social media called the two-year-old a “national treasure” and urged him to take part in the match as the tournament’s unofficial mascot.
Norway embraces its Viking roots
FIFA acquits VAR official Shaun Evans
FIFA said it found no “evidence” to support allegations that video assistant referee Shaun Evans breached discipline by making a white supremacist gesture during Germany’s World Cup opener against Curaçao. Mr Evans, an Australian, said the gesture was an unwanted move and denied he intended it to send a racist message.
For many Iraqis, qualifying for the World Cup brought a rare moment of joy after decades of conflict and hardship.
Fans said the team’s return to soccer’s biggest stage for the first time in more than 40 years provides a chance for people to come together and step away, if only temporarily, from regional tensions.
“I haven’t felt this happy in a long time,” Iraq fan Ahmed Salman told Al Jazeera.
“Especially given the tense situation in the region, this is a chance for people to come together and move away from the atmosphere of war.”
But the celebrations are also mixed with frustration over restrictions that some say prevent Iraqi supporters from attending tournaments in the United States.
“Sports has nothing to do with politics, so banning fans is a very negative step,” Salman said. “People are coming to celebrate.”
Another Iraq supporter described the feeling as bittersweet.
“As Iraqis, after more than 40 years, we have qualified for the World Cup,” Taha Mohamed said. “It brings feelings of joy and comfort…but when it comes to the fans, it’s frustrating.”
