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What to watch for today

Yesterday saw the favored team in each match squeak by 1-0. Expect matches to be close again today.

Denmark v. Australia | Group C
Denmark were lucky to escape their first match against Peru with a win, while Australia were unlucky to come away from a solid performance against France with nothing. A Denmark win, and France win against Peru, would ensure they are the two teams to go through to the knockouts. With that, you’d expect Australia to be a bit more aggressive going forward. They’ve shown they can be a difficult squad to break down, but with just a single shot on goal in the match against France, expect winger Matthew Leckie to have a bigger influence in this match.

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France v. Peru | Group C
Peru were rampant against Denmark, but a missed penalty, great goalkeeping from Kasper Schmiechel, and poor luck saw them come away with nothing. They played some of the most exciting football of the tournament so far and will have no reason to be shy against France with survival on the line. France only just managed to beat Australia and could benefit from a more open-ended match with a bit more space to operate in. Expect goals in this one.

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Argentina v. Croatia | Group D
Argentina were held to a draw against a swarming Iceland side that barely gave Messi an inch to operate. He did miss what could have been a winning penalty however, and will need to take his chances against a Croatia side that dispatched Nigeria 2-0. But, that scoreline was a bit flattering, and their well-stocked midfield will need to create more clear-cut chances to get three points against Argentina.

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What to watch for today

Every team has now played their first match at the World Cup and there have been no shortage of surprises. As the second round starts, we’ll begin to know who is miraculously going through to the knockout rounds – and who is disastrously going out.

Portugal v. Morocco | Group B
Ronaldo’s heroics single-handedly gave Portugal a result against Spain that set them up well to get out of the group. Morocco’s late loss to Iran will force them to open up and take a few more chances than maybe they’d like to, especially with Ronaldo waiting to counter. Ajax attacker Hakim Ziyech will be Morocco’s main threat as they look for their first goal of the tournament. Morocco will be looking to repeat history; the only previous meeting between these two sides was also in the group stage as Morocco beat Portugal 3-1 in the 1986 World Cup.

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Uruguay v. Saudi Arabia | Group A
Uruguay benefited from a late winner against Egypt in their first match, although wasted multiple chances before they finally got their goal. With Saudi Arabia conceding five against Russia, you fear that a more lethal Uruguay this time around could hand Saudi Arabia another lopsided loss. The decision for Saudi Arabia manager Juan Antonio Pizzi is whether he again sets his team up to attack or if they instead patiently defend and wait for their chance.

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Iran v. Spain | Group B
Iran are the group leaders after the first round of matches, and any result against Spain would be historic. With three points in hand, they can afford to sit deep and wait for opportunities. That puts the onus on Spain to tiki-taka with purpose and open up an Iranian defense expertly organized by former longtime Manchester United assistant and Real Madrid boss Carlos Queiroz.

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What to watch for today

Colombia v. Japan | Group H
Group H may be the most unpredictable in the tournament. Four nations from four continents that could realistically finish in any order. Japan is probably the weakest of the four, but it wouldn’t be a shock were they to get the results to make it to the knockout round. The unknown is whether manager Akira Nishino, who only took the reins in April, has been able to organize the squad to his liking, or simply create more confusion. Colombia striker Radamel Falcao will make his World Cup debut and James Rodriguez should recover from a muscle injury to at least make an appearance.

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Poland v. Senegal | Group H
Poland qualified confidently with Robert Lewandowski scoring 16 goals in 10 matches to lead Europe. Much of the core of the squad will look familiar from recent tournaments, although 24 year old Napoli midfielder Piotr Zieliński is an emerging name to keep an eye on. His club teammate Kalidou Koulibaly will anchor Senegal’s defence, with Saido Mané leading the attack alongside Monaco’s Keita Balde with Idrissa Gueye providing support. Senegal will be bolstered by Poland’s best defender Kamil Glik likely missing out, after injuring himself attempting a bicycle kick in training.

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Russia v. Egypt | Group A
It’s less than a week into the World Cup and already we could have our first nation qualify for the knockout rounds. A win for Russia would likely be enough to get out of Group A. Mo Salah looks set to feature for Egypt who must get a result after their late heartbreak against Uruguay. Russia will be content to force Egypt to create something from possession, which could prove frustrating for the Pharoahs, who would much rather counterattack.

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What to watch for today

Sweden v. South Korea | Group F
With Germany losing to Mexico yesterday, plans to get out of Group F will have to be revised. For Sweden, South Korea, and Mexico, the likeliest scenario was that Germany would control the group, meaning you take care of your own results and finish second. After Mexico’s win, there’s even more pressure to for Sweden and South Korea to get a result in this match. Sweden scored 26 goals in 10 group games in qualifying with Al-Ain striker Marcus Berg the top-scorer in a group that included France. As shown in their playoff victory against Italy however, they’re more likely to rely on team structure than individual brilliance. South Korea didn’t have the best qualifying campaign (4W, 3D, 3L). But, as we’ve seen so far in this World Cup, there is plenty of room for surprise.

8am EST / 1pm BST / 10pm AEST

Belgium v. Panama | Group G
In their first matches, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, and Germany all dropped points, while France weren’t dominant. That gives Belgium an opportunity to make a statement with the main favorites in the tournament off to a slow start. Kevin De Bruyne is coming off his most successful season in the EPL and has ample talent surrounding him in Romelu Lukaku, Dries Mertens, and Eden Hazard, to make good use of his distribution. Panama qualified for their first-ever World Cup through an 88th minute Roman Torres winner and a US loss to Trinidad and Tobago. They’re a defense-first squad, conceding only 10 goals (while scoring just 9) in 10 qualifying matches, and could be a frustrating opening test for Belgium.

11am EST / 4pm BST / 1am AEST

Tunisia v. England | Group G
Tunisia begin their World Cup without their top scorer Youssef Msakni, which has put a shadow over their first World Cup since 2006. Sunderland’s Wahbi Khazri is now their primary threat – scoring 9 goals in 24 matches on loan to Rennes this season. You’d expect most of the action to be at the other end of the pitch, however, as England look to begin their World Cup with a strong start. They have the most exciting and direct squad they’ve had in years, featuring young, level-headed talent. A fast start to this match and Tunisia could be in serious trouble.

2pm EST / 7pm BST / 4am AEST