Wales face the prospect of crashing out of the 2022 World Cup in the group stage. So, HITC Football looks at the last nations to make the last 16 after failing to win their first two ties.
Cymru got their campaign off to a frustrating start as Gareth Bale’s penalty rescued a point against the United States. But Robert Page could not build on the come-from-behind draw to beat Iran. Instead, two late stoppage-time goals secured Team Melli a deserved 2-0 win.
Iran needed until the 98th minute to break the deadlock through Roozbeh Cheshmi. A red card for Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey had given Team Melli the encouragement to keep pushing for a winner. Ramin Rezaeian eventually settled the tie in the 101st minute.
Wales face missing the last 16 on their World Cup return after failing to win yet
Whilst Wales made Iran wait until additional time to score, Team Melli fully deserved their win. Carlos Queiroz’s side started ferociously in Doha and took the lead in the 16th minute through Ali Gholizadeh. But the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) ruled the hit out for offside.
The post would deny Iran the opener early in the second half, as well, and throughout the second period. Sardar Azmoun and Gholizadeh hit the woodwork within seconds of each other as Wales chased shadows. Hennessey’s 88th-minute red only made the issues worse.
Now, Wales will face England on November 29 in a must-win match to stand any chance of making the knockouts. The Three Lions only need to avoid losing by four goals to reach the last 16 after drawing 0-0 with the USA. Iran sit second in Group B going into their final ties.
The cards are stacked firmly against Wales reaching the last 16 on their World Cup return after failing to win their first two games at Qatar 2022. After qualifying for the first time in 64 years, Cymru must beat England by any margin and hope the USA can hold Iran to a draw.
So, with Wales needing to beat England after taking one point so far, HITC Football takes a look at the last nations to reach the World Cup last 16 without winning their first two ties…
Argentina failed to win either of their first two games at the 2018 World Cup
Argentina made the last 16 at the 2018 World Cup after failing to win either of their first two games. La Albiceleste started their campaign in Russia with a 1-1 draw against Iceland. Alfred Finnbogason struck out Sergio Aguero’s opener in Moscow in just the 23rd minute.
Aguero’s goal had only broken the deadlock four minutes earlier. Yet Argentina would not respond to claim an opening Group D win. And their campaign only got worse in game two as Croatia won 3-0. Ante Rebic, Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic hit home in Nizhny Novgorod.
So, Argentina met Nigeria in Saint Petersburg having to win to reach the knockouts. Lionel Messi got them off to the ideal start when the Albiceleste legend scored after 14 minutes. Yet they needed an 86th-minute Marcos Rojo goal after Victor Moses’ 51st-minute penalty.
The 2-1 result secured Argentina second place behind Croatia in Group D and a last 16 tie with France. But Les Bleus came through a frantic affair to win 4-3 en route to lifting their second title. Aguero’s 93rd-minute goal to get them back within one proved to be too late.
Greece made the last 16 at the 2014 World Cup after one point from two games
Greece made the last 16 at the 2014 World Cup after only taking one point over their first two games. Group C winners Colombia beat Piratiko 3-0 in their opening match en route to taking a perfect nine points. Greece could then only draw 0-0 with Japan – their only point.
A boom-or-bust clash with Ivory Coast followed for Greece in Brazil after Les Elephants had beaten Japan 2-1 before losing 2-1 to Colombia. Andreas Samaris secured Piratiko an early lead in Fortaleza. But they needed a 93rd-minute penalty by Georgios Samaras to win 2-1.
Wilfried Bony had brought Ivory Coast level with 16 minutes left to nearly seal a knockout spot. A draw would have been enough for Les Elephants to advance. Yet referee Christian Lescano gave Greece a late and controversial penalty as Samaras fell after kicking the turf.
Naturally, then, penalties decided Greece’s last 16 affair at the 2014 World Cup, as well. A 1-1 draw after extra time against Costa Rica necessitated a shootout in Recife. Greece also needed a 91st-minute equaliser from Sokratis Papastathopoulos to force it into extra time.
Theofanis Gekas missing from 12 yards out with Greece’s fourth spot-kick would mark the end of their World Cup campaign. Keylor Navas saved the striker’s attempt before Michael Umana stepped up and converted high to Orestis Karnezis’ right-hand side for a 5-3 win.
The USA and England both advanced from Group C in 2010 at the last chance
The USA and England met in Group C at the 2010 World Cup and played out a 1-1 draw in the opening fixture. Rob Green’s butter finger moment as the goalkeeper spilt a tame shot by Clint Dempsey gifted the Stars and Stripes the point following Steven Gerrard’s opener.
Michael Bradley also had to score in the 82nd minute to secure the USA a 2-2 draw against Slovenia. Valter Birsa and Zlatan Ljubijankic had put Slovenia clear at the break but Landon Donovan replied on 48 minutes. England, meanwhile, played a dire 0-0 draw with Algeria.
All was to play for in game three for all four sides, then. And it would be the USA followed by England who advanced from Group C. Jermain Defoe scored the only goal as the Three Lions beat Slovenia in the 23rd minute. Donovan secured the USA’s win in the 91st minute.
Neither the USA or England would go further than the last 16 at the 2010 World Cup after failing to win their first two games, though. Both nations crashed out in the first knockout stage tie. Germany humbled England 4-1 while Ghana edged the USA 2-1 after extra time.
France made the 2006 World Cup final after a very slow start in Germany
France made the World Cup final in 2006 before losing on penalties to Italy. Even though Les Bleus endured a very slow start in Germany and emerged from Group G as runners-up to Switzerland. The two advancing nations could only draw 0-0 in their opening encounter.
South Korea also held France to a 1-1 draw in their second match as Park Ji-Sung hit home in stoppage time. Thierry Henry had broken the deadlock for Les Bleus just nine minutes into their meeting in Leipzig. Yet Raymond Domenech’s side failed to build on his attempt.
Park took full advantage of the narrow scoreline to secure South Korea a point in the 91st minute. Yet a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland marked the end of the Taegeuk Warriors’ Group G efforts. France also beat Togo 2-0 with Patrick Vieira (55’) and Henry (61’) firing the goals.
But finishing as the runners-up left France with a tough draw to make the final. Les Bleus had to beat Spain in the Round of 16, Brazil in the quarters and Portugal in the semi-final. They also only edged Brazil through Henry and Portugal via a Zinedine Zidane penalty 1-0.
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