Although it's only the first round of matches, these clashes promise to be exciting and crucial, potentially turning points that will determine the teams' chances of advancing in their respective groups. Earlier in Group A, South Korea demonstrated their Asian football prowess, and Mexico had a promising start.
Under the guidance of coach Julen Lopetegui, Qatar continues to place its faith in the core squad that helped them win the recent Asian Cup, with Akram Afif as the brightest star, expected to lead the attack. Qatar's strength lies in their cohesion, as most players have played together in the national league. Their weakness is their lack of experience at the highest level of international competition compared to top European teams. Qatar will likely opt for a cautious approach, prioritizing tight defense before seeking opportunities from quick counter-attacks.
On the other side of the pitch, Switzerland is a highly organized, stable team that always knows how to trouble its opponents. Coach Murat Yakin's team possesses a squad that is considered superior to Qatar in most positions. The combination of veteran players and promising young talents helps Switzerland maintain a balance between youthful energy and battlefield experience. It is highly likely that the European representatives will control the game for most of the time and win by a two-goal margin.
★ Brazil arrived in North America as a top contender for the championship under coach Carlo Ancelotti, who was expected to help the "Selecao" end their World Cup drought since 2002. However, the five-time World Cup champions were not at full strength, with striker Neymar still recovering from injury, and several key players missing from both attack and defense. Nevertheless, in the match against Morocco, the depth of their squad remained a formidable strength for the South American team, while their attack would be led by the in-form Vinicius Junior and Raphinha, who had just had a breakout season in Europe.
Morocco arrives at the 2026 World Cup with the confidence of a team that reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup and continues to maintain the core that created the miracle in Qatar four years earlier. Despite the absence of two key players due to injury, Morocco still possesses many stars capable of making a difference, such as captain Achraf Hakimi – the "soul" of the team's playing style – and Yassine Bounou – one of the best goalkeepers in the world. The North African team is a highly combative and extremely dangerous counter-attacking force, but the superior squad and the ability of the Brazilian players to create breakthroughs will ensure their victory.
★ With their disciplined style of play, powerful attack, and quick transitions, Haiti's journey to the 2026 World Cup is well-deserved after more than 50 years of waiting. Notably, they possess a solid defense with impenetrable "shields" such as Jean-Kevin, Ricardo, Carlens, and Markhus. On the Scottish side, Steve Clarke's team, full of European football stars, is confident of victory. They also have a solid defensive style and quick counter-attacks, with the midfield duo of Scott McTominay and Andy Robertson performing exceptionally well.
It's worth noting that Scotland are extremely dangerous in set-piece situations, especially from corner kicks, and without a proper strategy, Haiti could very well fall behind. This is the first time these two national teams have met. According to experts, based on experience and strength, Scotland will have a favorable start.
★ The final match tomorrow morning is the clash between Australia and Türkiye in Group D. After a 24-year wait, Türkiye is finally returning to the World Cup. Coach Montella's team currently boasts a talented generation of young players, with two young strikers, Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz, combined with seasoned veterans such as Calhanoglu, Soyuncu, and Demiral…
With technically skilled players and a modern playing style, Türkiye is in fairly stable form and high spirits after a recent five-match unbeaten streak. They will attack from the start, putting strong pressure on the opponent's half. However, Australia is not an easy opponent to bully, and even has more World Cup experience than their opponent over the past 20 years. Although they don't have world-class stars, their discipline, adherence to tactics, and close coordination between the lines have helped coach Tony Popovic build a solid defensive system along with direct counter-attacks.
The weakness lies in Australia's poor finishing ability and their tendency to struggle against teams with good ball control and solid defense. The Australian team has the potential to spring surprises, but if the Turkish players perform to their full potential, they could easily secure all three points.
★ On the morning of June 12th, demonstrating their composure at the right moment, the South Korean team brilliantly came from behind to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 in their second match of Group A. These three valuable points give coach Hong Myung-Bo's team a huge advantage in the race to qualify for the next round. The highlight of the Asian representatives lies in their extremely disciplined playing style, based on excellent physical fitness and strong defensive organization.
Following the Czech Republic's lead in the second half, scored by Ladislav Krejci, the Asian side's attacking efforts were rewarded with an equalizer from Hwang In-beom. Then, Hong Myung-Bo made a bold decision, replacing Son Heung-min with young striker Oh Hyeon-gyu. The change paid off, with the player scoring in the 80th minute to seal an emotional 2-1 victory.
★ Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup on the morning of June 12th, but their performance was not very impressive, missing too many opportunities and failing to demonstrate superior strength, especially despite having a two-man advantage for most of the second half. According to experts, the weak finishing ability of the Mexican players was the reason they couldn't score more goals despite having a significant advantage in this match. This will be a problem to overcome, as they will struggle to score against stronger opponents, such as in their match against South Korea on June 19th.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/nhung-tran-dau-buoc-ngoat-post968895.html
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