World Cup warm-up: The permutations ahead of Group A’s conclusion on Monday
The final round of group matches at the 2018 World Cup kick off on Monday and some countries will have the luxury of looking ahead and planning their potential round of 16 opponents.
Hosts Russia and Uruguay already secured qualification to the knockout phase of the competition, eliminating Egypt and Saudi Arabia in the process, and both will face off on Monday afternoon in a straight shootout for top spot in Group A.
Uruguay were expected to breeze through their group but have laboured to successive 1-0 wins over Saudi Arabia and Egypt, handing Russia the chance to finish the group as winners.
The hosts have already surpassed expectations and head into Monday’s clash with Uruguay top of the group on goal difference after scoring eight goals in their opening two matches.
Team news and odds in our match preview
A draw would be good enough to secure top spot for Russia but they will more than likely be handed a very tough game in the round of 16 regardless of their top-two finish.
Portugal and Spain are on course to finish first and second respectively in Group B, which means the winner of Group A could end up facing Spain in the next round.
Iran still have a chance of upsetting the apple cart in Group B, but that would require Carlos Queiroz’s side pulling off a shock result over Euro 2016 winners Portugal on Monday night to have any chance of finishing second.
What no body expected from Russia this summer was free-flowing football, but only England and Belgium have scored as many as the 2018 World Cup hosts (8).
Russia scored five unanswered goals against Saudi Arabia and put three past Egypt in their second match, but are unlikely to get their own way against Uruguay’s rear-guard.
The South American side are one of only two nations that are yet to concede at the 2018 World Cup and arguably have the best defensive pairing in the competition in Atletico Madrid duo Jose Gimenez and Diego Godin.
Team news and odds in our match preview
The aforementioned duo have been far and away Uruguay’s top performers this summer, as Oscar Tabarez’s side are really struggling to get anything going in attack.
Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani are two of the best strikers in the world but neither have got going this summer, while the former turned in one of the worst 45-minute performances at the tournament in the first half of their group opener against Egypt.
Uruguay have the better squad and should be favourites on paper, but they have really underwhelmed this summer and are on the back foot heading into Monday’s encounter, as they need to beat Russia to finish top.
