World Cup 2022 Group H Preview

Europeans Portugal come into the World Cup in mixed form. They did win their two World Cup play-off matches in March, beating Turkey 3-1 and then North Macedonia 2-0. However, their UEFA Nations League Campaign was a bit of a damp squib. It started well, with a 1-1 draw away in Spain and victories at home to Switzerland and the Czech Republic, scoring six and conceding none over the two matches. However, a loss in Switzerland followed. Portugal recovered from this to win emphatically 4-0 in the Czech Republic. However, a loss at home to Spain stung in the final match, particularly when they only needed to draw to progress to the Nations League Finals. They have a warm-up match lined up with Nigeria in Lisbon a week before they play Ghana. Indeed, they come into the tournament with questions and doubts over their heads. However, the Portuguese will expect to beat Ghana in the first match. They will look to overload the flanks and play through a Ghana side which does not score many goals. If Portugal can win that, they then go into the Uruguay match, knowing that it represents their stiffest test of the group on paper. They must beware of Uruguay’s industry, tenacity, and goal threat. Portugal will want to win the contest, but presumably, they would settle for a point. Suppose they go into the final match against South Korea with four points. In that case, they will know that a victory might see them top of the group and potentially avoiding Brazil in the round of 16.

Uruguay fly to Qatar in excellent form, winning seven of their previous nine matches, including four consecutive wins to end the CONMEBOL qualification phase, ensuring qualification. Indeed, throughout these nine matches, they have kept seven clean sheets, highlighting how their team is predicated on a rock-solid foundation. In scoring 18 goals across these nine games, they have also proved they know where the net is. The only blips in this run were a goalless draw in a friendly against the United States in June and a 1-0 defeat by Iran in September. Still, they come to the tournament feeling very confident. Uruguay will probably play in a 4-2-2-2 system to accommodate their forwards and get the most out of their creative midfielders. They open their tournament against South Korea and will look to impose their aggressive playing style on the Asians. They will expect to win, and if they get off to a good start, they will go into the Portugal match, knowing it is the most enticing match on paper in this section. Portugal have had their struggles of late, so Uruguay may well smell blood. It promises to be a feisty, hot-blooded match between two talented Latin nations. If Uruguay can attain a point or better, they will go into the last match against Ghana with confidence. Ghana are not big scorers. Coupled with Uruguay’s mean defence, Uruguay’s likelihood of keeping a clean sheet is very high. They will expect to win the encounter and hope to finish top of the group too. If the first two matches have not gone well, they will at least have this final match as potential insurance to still qualify.

African nation Ghana come to Qatar in pretty poor form, having won two, drawn two, and lost three of their seven matches since June. Two of the defeats were comprehensive, 4-1 to Japan and 3-0 to Brazil. However, the latter was a friendly and did come against the number 1 ranked side in the world and pre-tournament favourites. Ghana’s wins came against modest opposition in Madagascar and Nicaragua. They only scored seven goals in these seven games, with three coming against Madagascar. Allied with the fact that they only scored eight in their eight qualifying matches, it is clear that Ghana are a fairly goal-shy team. They have only registered an average of one goal per game in their recent outings. They have a warm-up match against Switzerland a week before their first match. In that match against Portugal, they know they will be massive underdogs and expected to lose. However, they will sit in and play on the counter, hoping to nab a point, maybe. If they can do this, they will go into the middle match against South Korea, knowing it represents by far their best opportunity of a win in this group. However, the South Koreans will feel similarly, so you would imagine that both teams will set up more expansively than in their opening matches (if both lose those matches). If Ghana can win, they will go into the final match against Uruguay with three or potentially four points, knowing that a draw or a win would likely see them qualify. The Uruguayans are a stiff test with much firepower, so Ghana would have to play on the counter again.

South Korea come to Qatar in decent form, having won five of their previous nine matches. The first of those matches was a 5-1 destruction by Brazil in Seoul, so like Ghana, they have a recent hammering by arguably the best team in the world on their record. However, recent defeats of Chile, Egypt, and Cameroon in friendlies have pacified concerns slightly, though a loss to Japan in July was far from ideal. They kept four clean sheets through these nine matches, which is respectable. They have a warm-up match with Iceland scheduled two weeks before their tournament kicks off. Concerningly, though, star player Son Heung-min may miss the tournament with a fractured eye socket. Their opening match against Uruguay represents a difficult test. As stated above, Uruguay are very defensively resolute, and South Korea only scored 13 goals in their ten qualification matches in the final group (though they only conceded three). They will hope to hit on the counter with their pace. If they can attain a point, they go into the second match against Ghana, knowing they have to win to have any chance of progressing. It should be a low-scoring contest, as neither team generally registers many goals. However, they will hope to win it narrowly. This would set up a match with Portugal on the final matchday, with the South Koreans hoping to have three or even four points. If they go into that match needing a win, they might be picked apart on the counter by Portugal’s talented forwards and fullbacks. Both the Uruguay and Portugal matches are significant challenges for South Korea (and Ghana). However, South Korea beat Germany at the last World Cup, so they know they can cause an upset in the competition.