On Wednesday, the fates of participants in the 2022 FIFA World Cup were decided as France and Australia moved to the next round while Tunisia and Denmark were eliminated, thesportsbay.com reports.
In the next round, Australia will meet Argentina while France and Poland battle for the win.
Australia 1-0 Denmark
• Australia have won two successive FIFA World Cup matches for the first time.
• Australia have qualified from their group for the second time. The only previous occasion was 2006.
• Australia have only failed to score in two of their last 11 FIFA World Cup matches.
• Australia have kept two successive clean sheets for the first time in World Cup history.
• Mathew Leckie and Mathew Ryan have joined Tim Cahill and Mark Bresciano on nine appearances as Australia’s all-time leading appearance-makers in the FIFA World Cup.
• Christian Eriksen has joined Michael Laudrup and Thomas Helveg on nine appearances in the FIFA World Cup – only Martin Jørgensen has made more appearance for Denmark in the competition with 11.
Tunisia 1-0 France
• Tunisia have won for the third time in 18 World Cup matches (D5 L10).
• Tunisia were without a win in their previous 11 World Cup matches against European teams (D4 L7).
• Tunisia have lost only one of their last four World Cup matches (W2 D1).
• Tunisia’s total of one goal conceded is their best defensive record in a World Cup group beating the previous best of two in 1978.
• Wahbi Khazri has become the second oldest player to score for Tunisia at the FIFA World Cup at the age of 31 years and 295 days – just three days less than Raouf Bouzaiene (31 years and 298 days).
• Wahbi Khazri has scored three of Tunisia’s last four goals at the FIFA World Cup – no other player has scored more than once for the nation.
• Eduardo Camavinga has become the second youngest player to make an appearance for France in the FIFA World Cup at the age of 20 years and 20 days after Kylian Mbappé (19 years and 178 days).
• Steve Mandanda has become the oldest player to represent France in a FIFA World Cup match at the age of 37 years and 247 days surpassing Olivier Giroud (36 years and 57 days against Denmark, 26 November 2022).
Poland 0-2 Argentina
• Poland have progressed from a FIFA World Cup group stage for the first time since 1986.
• Wojciech Szczęsny has become just the third goalkeeper to save two penalties (excluding shootouts) in a FIFA World Cup after American Brad Friedel (2002) and compatriot Jan Tomaszewski (1974).
• Argentina have qualified from the opening round group stage in 13 of their last 14 FIFA World Cup appearances.
• Argentina have lost only one of their last 39 international matches (W27 D11).
• Argentina have kept 15 clean sheets in their last 18 international matches.
• Argentina have lost only two of their last 16 World Cup group stage matches (W11 D3).
• Argentina have lost only three of their last 16 World Cup group stage matches against European teams (W8 D5).
• Lionel Messi has become Argentina’s all-time leading appearance-maker with 22 appearances in FIFA World Cup matches surpassing Diego Maradona’s 21.
Saudi Arabia 1-2 Mexico
• There have now been 97 goals scored in total at the FI FA World Cup Qatar 2022.
• Salem Al Dawsari (2018-2022) has become just the second Saudi Arabian player to score in multiple FIFA World Cups after Sami Al Jaber (1994-1998-2006).
• Salem Al Dawsari has become Saudi Arabia’s joint top goalscorer in FIFA World Cups with three goals – tied with Sami Al Jaber.
• Mexico have now won each of their five World Cup matches against teams from Asia.
• Mexico’s failure to qualify sees them end a run of eight successive qualifications from the group stage.
