Morocco vs Croatia
Croatia has won its last five matches and lost once in 16 months. The 2018 runner-up, led by midfield conjuror Luka Modric, will begin its World Cup campaign against Morocco in Group F on Wednesday at the Al Bayt stadium.
Croatia recently won four successive UEFA Nations League fixtures, a run which included an away victory over France, to top a group which also included Denmark and Austria. Zlatko Dalic‘s side come into the match as favourite to win it.
Since losing 5-3 to Spain at Euro 2020, Croatia has lost just once in 16 games, a defeat that it avenged by prevailing 3-1 in Austria in its most recent competitive outing.
Morocco meanwhile, head into the tournament on a five-match unbeaten streak.
You can watch the match from 3:30 PM (IST)
Germany vs Japan
Meanwhile in Group E, World Cup giant germany takes on Japan at the Khalifa international stadium.
Hansi Flick’s side has not been in the best of its form, winning just two out of its last six games. Japan too, come into the game with a similar kind of form with two wins and two draws in its last six games.
Germany has suffered a setback even before coming into its opener as it lost winger Leroy Sane to a knee injury. The Bayern Munich player though, is expected to be fit for the second game.
You can watch the match from 6:30 PM (IST)
Spain vs Costa Rica
A new era is about to start for Spain at the World Cup, with a generation of talented young players taking center stage in its quest to win a second world title.
Spain’s revamped squad, led by back-to-back Golden Boy award winners Pedri and Gavi, will begin being put to the test on Wednesday against an experienced Costa Rica team that is bringing back some of the players that helped it make a surprising run to the quarterfinals eight years ago.
The Costa Ricans hope to repeat the success of the World Cup in Brazil and avoid the debacle of four years ago in Russia, when they didn’t win any matches and were eliminated in the group stage.
Spain also wants to avoid a repeat of its campaign in the 2018 tournament, when it was ousted by the hosts in the round of 16 after going through an embarrassing coaching change just days before its debut.
You can watch the match from 9:30 PM (IST)
