Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The World Cup round of 16 concludes on Tuesday with two marquee matchups that will shape the tournament's second half.
- Argentina faces Egypt as holders aim to avoid another upset after their narrow escape against Cape Verde, while Switzerland and Colombia battle for a historic quarter-final berth.
- Both games carry high stakes with one side looking to defend a title and the other aiming to reach uncharted territory in the competition.
The World Cup round of 16 concludes on Tuesday with two intriguing ties. First up, record seven-time African champions Egypt are the latest team attempting to defeat title holders Argentina in Atlanta. Lionel Scaloni's side are firm favorites to prevail at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with la Albiceleste aiming to reach a 12th World Cup quarterfinal.
The winners of that tie will take on whoever prevails in Vancouver later on in the evening, and this fixture is a lot tougher to call. Both Switzerland and Colombia have looked strong this summer — though without sufficiently being tested, one could argue — so their first World Cup meeting since '94 could go either way.
Ahead of these two matches, check out our complete guide to the action, featuring kickoff times, TV info, previews and predictions.
World Cup games and predictions for Tuesday, July 7
Match | Predictions | Time | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
Argentina vs. Egypt | Argentina to win | Midday ET | FOX |
Switzerland vs. Colombia | Colombia to win | 4 p.m. ET | FOX |
Argentina vs. Egypt
- Prediction:Â Argentina 2-0 Egypt; Lionel Messi to score and 3+ total cards
- Watchability rating:Â 4/5 (worth your time)
After avoiding an historic World Cup defeat in the round of 32, will Argentina enjoy a more comfortable victory this time? Last Friday night, the defending champions were expected to swat Cape Verde aside in South Florida, but that is not what transpired. Lionel Messi broke the deadlock, but the Blue Sharks hit back, with Lisandro MartÃnez lashing home at the start of extra time only for Sidny Lopes Cabral to equalize later on with one of the best goals you're ever likely to see. When Cristian Romero headed home in the 111th minute, the African side had no reply, and Argentina had done enough to sneak through in Miami.
The defending world champions have now won four out of four at this tournament, with Lionel Messi scoring seven of their 11 goals and taking his World Cup tally to 20 overall. Thus, la Albiceleste are still highly fancied to reach the final, and potentially even retain the trophy, but they will need to improve.
As for Egypt, they have already made history at this World Cup, but can they now claim an historic victory? Amazingly, the Pharaohs had never won a World Cup match before, ending that 92-year wait by defeating New Zealand during the group phase. Then, on Friday, after taking the lead through Emam Ashour's header, the North African side ousted Australia on penalties. Mohamed Salah's poorly executed Panenka found the net before Hossam Abdelmaguid converted the winning kick.
Thus, Hossam Hassan's side have already broken new ground this summer, rewarded with this glamour tie even if they are massive underdogs. The only previous competitive meeting between these two nations came in the semifinals of the Olympics in 1928, a 6-0 win for Argentina. A similar scoreline seems unlikely, but any other outcome than an Argentina victory would be a major shock.
Switzerland vs. Colombia
- Prediction:Â Switzerland 1-2 Colombia; James RodrÃguez 2+ chances created and Johan Manzambi 4+ attempted dribbles
- Watchability rating:Â 4/5 (worth your time)
Over in Vancouver, it will be an historic achievement for whichever team is victorious, and both will believe this match is winnable. Colombia kick off as slight favorites, having been very impressive so far in the tournament. On Friday night, Jhon Arias slammed home the night's only goal as los Cafeteros beat Ghana 1-0 in Kansas City, a match substantially more one-sided than the scoreline suggests. Néstor Lorenzo's side also topped their group, the better side in a goalless draw with Portugal when they only needed a draw.
Now, can Colombia reach only a second quarterfinal in their history? Back in 2014, they beat Uruguay 2-0 at this same stage, with James RodrÃguez scoring that goal at the Maracanã that made him a household name. This summer, based on how they're playing, some are fancying that los Cafeteros could break new ground.
Switzerland, meanwhile, are seeking to reach a first World Cup quarterfinal since 1954. The Rossocrociati have fallen at this hurdle five times since '94, including at each of the last three tournaments, ousted by Argentina, Sweden and Portugal respectively. Can Murat Yakın's team make history? In the previous round, the Swiss ousted Algeria 2-0, with Breel Embolo breaking the deadlock before Dan Ndoye added a second.
As a result, Switzerland have lost just one of their last 18 matches, and thus will be difficult to beat. This clash is tough to call, but we give Colombia the slight edge at BC Place.
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