It will be another full day of FIFA World Cup action as perennial contenders Netherlands and Germany look to take a major step in qualification for the Round of 32.
Here’s a rundown of Saturday’s games with teams in Group E and Group F featured in group-stage play.
Netherlands, Sweden battle for top spot in Group F
Netherlands vs. Sweden – 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT on TSN1/4, TSN.ca and TSN App
Ronald Koeman’s Dutch side open Saturday’s action with an important Group F clash with Sweden from Houston Stadium.
Netherlands, ranked eighth, began their World Cup journey with an exciting 2-2 draw against Japan last weekend at Dallas Stadium while the Swedes, ranked 34th, picked up a dominating 5-1 victory over Tunisia in Guadalupe, Mexico.
Sweden enters this match sitting atop Group F with three points and a hefty plus-four goal differential.
Group F Standings
The Netherlands, one of the best teams never to win a World Cup, will be a far greater challenge compared to Tunisia, however.
The Dutch have had their fair share of World Cup heartbreak. They were runners-up in back-to-back World Cups in the 1970s as well as in 2010 when they fell to Spain.
Netherlands finished third in 2014 and fifth in 2022 when they were eliminated by eventual champion Argentina on dramatic penalties in the quarter-final.
Veteran Virgil van Dijk, 34, is the defensive rock and captain of this squad. The Liverpool star has scored 13 goals in 93 appearances for the national team, including in last week’s opener against Japan, the first World Cup goal of his career.
Forward Memphis Depay, 32, has scored the most goals for Netherlands with 52 in 103 matches.
Sweden, meanwhile, are coming in confident after scoring five times against Tunisia, highlighted by a brace from midfielder Yasin Ayari.
Star player Alexander Isak, the 26-year-old Liverpool striker, also scored, as did Arsenal forward Viktor Gyokeres.
Sweden, who didn’t qualify for the 2022 World Cup, have also made some deep runs at the tournament, including finishing second on home soil in 1958 as well as a pair of third-place finishes in 1950 and 1994. They made the quarters in 2018 in their last appearance.
Both nations are looking to right past wrongs at this year’s World Cup. A win here will go a long way in securing first place in Group F moving forward.
Tunisia vs. Japan – 12 a.m. ET/9 p.m. PT across the TSN Network, TSN.ca and TSN App
Japan also has a chance to make an impact in Group F on Saturday from Monterrey Stadium in Mexico.
Ranked 17th in the world, Japan will be heavy favourites against Tunisia, ranked 54th.
Japan has one point and an even goal differential heading into this matchup while Tunisia has plenty of work to do with a minus-four goal differential.
Daichi Kamada scored in the 89th minute to salvage a draw against Netherlands.
This year’s tournament marks Japan’s eighth straight appearance at the World Cup as they look to reach the quarter-final round or better for the first time in program history. Japan has been eliminated the Round of 16 in each of the previous two World Cups, falling to Croatia in penalties in 2022.
Dubbed the “Japanese Messi,” Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo, 25, is considered one of the nation’s top players while Feyenoord striker Ayase Ueda, 27, is counted on to lead the offence. Ageless Yuto Nagatomo, 39, captains Japan and is playing in his fifth World Cup.
Tunisia hasn’t advanced to the knockout stage in their six previous appearances at the World Cup, and are already up against it here, needing results against Japan and Netherlands to have a chance at moving on.
The 5-1 thrashing by Sweden was so bad it led to the firing of Tunisia’s head coach Sabri Lamouchi. He was replaced by Hervé Renard.
Ellyes Skhiri is Tunisia’s captain while midfielder Hannibal Mejbri is their star player.
Toronto Stadium host four-time World Cup champion Germany
Germany vs. Cote D’Ivoire – 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT on TSN1/4, TSN.ca and TSN App
Toronto Stadium will be front and centre once again Saturday afternoon when the Canadian venue hosts its third match of the FIFA World Cup.
Germany, fresh off a 7-1 thrashing of Curacao in their opener, will take on African contender Cote D’Ivoire, who also own three points after defeating Ecuador, 1-0.
Group E Standings
No. 9 Germany are looking to make a run for their fifth World Cup title after failing to get out of the group stage in each of the last two tournaments.
Despite allowing a goal, the European powerhouse was an offensive juggernaut against Curacao with six different scorers finding the back of the net.
Bundesliga forward Deniz Undav has seven goals in just 10 appearances for Germany, while 23-year-old Liverpool attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz is considered one of the best players in his position in all of soccer.
On the other side, Cote D’Ivoire, ranked 31st, eked out a win in their opener thanks to a late goal in the 90th minute by Amad Diallo.
This year’s World Cup could be Cote D’Ivoire’s best chance at advancing to the knockout stage for the first time in the program’s history after falling in the group stage in each of their previous three appearances in 2006, 2010 and 2014.
A draw or keeping the goal differential to a minimum at the very least would be very favourable with a date against overmatched Curacao set to conclude their Group E schedule.
Toronto Stadium may have the smallest capacity at this year’s FIFA World Cup, but it has proven to be a lively atmosphere – even if Canada isn’t playing.
Ecuador vs. Curacao – 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on TSN1/4/5, TSN.ca and TSN App
Kansas City Stadium will host a Group E contest between Ecuador and Curacao on Saturday night.
No. 29 Ecuador will be the heavy favourites against 83rd-ranked Curacao and will look to win by as wide of a margin as possible.
Ecuador failed to record a point in their opener after giving up a late winner to Cote D’Ivoire in their first match last week, a result that puts the South America nation behind the eight ball in Group E with Germany still on deck in the finale.
Ecuador haven’t reached the knockout stage since 2006.
Chelsea midfielder Moisés Caicedo is the squad’s top player while 36-year-old captain Enner Valencia is the nation’s all-time leading scorer with 49 goals in 106 matches.
Ecuador will take on a proud Curacao, who is making their World Cup debut as the smallest nation to ever compete in the prestigious event.
Curacao’s population is just 156,000, a smaller number than Canadian cities like Halifax, Regina and Oshawa, Ont., just to name a few.
Despite their small presence, Curacao – a Caribbean island near Venezuela – were able to qualify and score a goal at the FIFA World Cup.
Zürich right-back Livano Comenencia become a national hero when he scored an improbable equalizer in the 21st minute against powerhouse Germany in their World Cup opener last weekend, sending the country’s strong contingent at Houston Stadium into a frenzy.
That might turn out to be the only highlight of their time at the World Cup but shouldn’t be feeling any pressure when they take on an Ecuador side desperate for three points and plenty of goals.
