Preview for day six of 2023 FIFA World Cup which sees the opening round of group matches conclude, alongside Group A’s second pair of fixtures.
Colombia and South Korea bring the opening round of group stage matches to a close before attention quickly switches to Group A, where Switzerland and New Zealand will be both looking to become the first teams to secure their knockout spots with a game to spare.
Group H – Colombia vs South Korea
After finding themselves in two difficult groups in 2011 & 15 respectively and scraped through the latter by virtue of being one of four best third-placed teams, Colombia can come into this game smelling a strong chance to qualify for the knockouts given how open this group is aside from Germany.
Nelson Abadia’s Powerpuff Girls will also be boosted by their strong goalscoring form with just one blank in their last 16 matches in all competitions, although they’ve kept just two clean sheets in their last seven games but I do fancy them to correct that weakness here whilst Catalina Usme is their in-form threat up front.
South Korea meanwhile will be eager for a better display than their disastrous campaign in 2019 and should enter this game full of confidence with 14 goals in their last five matches, including against Belgium and Italy at Arnold Clark Cup which will give them belief after facing weaker friendly opposition in recent weeks.
Either way, there will be goals in this game because I can’t see this finishing goalless and my instinct feels like Colombia could have enough if can bring their form into the tournament.
Prediction: Colombia 2-1 South Korea
Result: Colombia 2-0 South Korea
Group A – New Zealand vs Philippines
After entering this tournament off the back of a poor run of form, New Zealand certainly capitalised upon an electric home atmosphere to scrape past Norway with an aggressive display packed with pace and power, which certainly exposed the Norwegians’ defensive fragilities with a clinical winner.
Philippines however know that defeat would realistically all but end their dreams of reaching the knockout stages but can take heart from how they started against Switzerland, because they have to just take the game to the Football Ferns from the get-go and try to get the opening goal to give themselves any hope of a result.
I sadly just can’t see that happening if the hosts roll up with the same quality as seen in their opening game and this could well be a routine result.
Prediction: New Zealand 2-0 Philippines
Result: New Zealand 0-1 Philippines
Group A – Switzerland vs Norway
Having comfortably defeated the Philippines with a strong opening performance despite weathering early pressure, Switzerland can come into this game full of confidence with a win on the board but they will be aware that they can’t be as wasteful as they were last time out if want to secure their Last 16 spot here with victory.
Norway meanwhile were a sloppy defensive mess against New Zealand in a nervy opening match of the tournament so it is imperative that they’re more settled here, whilst their attack also needs a serious improvement in intensity and tidier end product.
With this match taking place taking after New Zealand face Philippines, I seriously can see this game being must-win for Norway if they want to qualify, but the Swiss do look the more comfortable team and I do fancy them to edge this if can trouble Norway’s defence like New Zealand did.
Prediction: Switzerland 1-0 Norway
Result: Switzerland 0-0 Norway