FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group H, Cristiano Ronaldo will feature in what might be his final World Cup in Qatar 2022, and he has a good chance of making the knockout stages, as Portugal appears to be the top team in Group H.
Following the draw in Doha on April 1, the famous footballer and his teammates will be joined in the group stage by Ghana, Uruguay, and South Korea.
World Cup champions on two occasions Uruguay is the group’s second-best team, and they’ll be looking to repeat their 2018 performance, when they advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to eventual champions France.
Ghana qualified by defeating Nigeria, while South Korea and talismanic striker Son Heung-min will attempt to upset the perceived footballing powers, as they did in Russia 2018.
In the Round of 16, the two clubs that move forward from Group H would face a team from Group G.
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group H match schedule
|
Date |
Match |
Time (IST) |
Time (BDT) |
Stadium |
|
24 Nov 2022 |
Uruguay vs. South Korea |
17:30 |
18:00 |
Education City Stadium |
|
24 Nov 2022 |
Portugal vs. Ghana |
20:30 |
21:00 |
Stadium 974 |
|
28 Nov 2022 |
South Korea vs. Ghana |
17:30 |
18:00 |
Education City Stadium |
|
27/28 Nov 2022 |
Portugal vs. Uruguay |
23:30 |
00:00 |
Lusail Stadium |
|
2 Dec 2022 |
South Korea vs. Portugal |
19:30 |
20:00 |
Education City Stadium |
|
2 Dec 2022 |
Ghana vs. Uruguay |
19:30 |
20:00 |
Al Janoub Stadium |
Each of the four teams in the group will play the other three nations in a round-robin system. The points from those three group-stage matches are used to determine the group rankings – three points for a victory, one point for a tie, and none for a defeat.
The single-game knockouts are held for the top two clubs in each group based on total points. If two clubs are tied on points, the first tiebreaker is goal differential, followed by goals scored. If teams are tied in those areas as well, a different set of tiebreakers is used.
Portugal
- Current FIFA world ranking: 8th (March 2022)
- Regional ranking: 6th (UEFA)
- World Cup titles: —
- World Cup appearances (last): 7 (Russia 2018)
- Manager: Fernando Santos since September 2014
- Star players: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United / England), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United / England), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City / England)
- How qualified: UEFA playoff winners: 2-0 vs North Macedonia
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: Win-2 / Lose-0 / Draw-0 (Goals: 5 scored / 1 conceded)
- 2021: Win-9 / Lose-3 / Draw-4 (Goals: 34 scored / 15 conceded)
Portugal, as expected, qualified for Qatar 2022 via the playoffs, beating North Macedonia and securing a spot in the finals for the seventh time. Portugal despite being regular contenders in the FIFA World Cup because they have yet to win.
This year’s World Cup will be Cristiano Ronaldo’s last involvement. In Qatar, all eyes will be on the 37-year-old legend, who will be a key player looking to add a first-team global title to his already impressive trophy cabinet. A Manchester United teammate, Bruno Fernandes, will also be key for the Euro 2016 champions.
Despite their offensive prowess, Portugal’s defence has been particularly impressive recently, with only six goals conceded in their previous ten games across all competitions.
Ghana
- Current FIFA world ranking: 60th (March 2022)
- Regional ranking: 11st (CAF)
- World Cup titles: —
- World Cup appearances (last): 4 (Brazil 2014)
- Manager: Otto Addo since January 2022 — interim
- Star players: Thomas Partey (Arsenal / England), Mohammed Kudus (Ajax / Netherlands), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace / England)
- How qualified: CAF Third Round winners: agg 1-1 vs. Nigeria, Ghana win on away goals
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: Win-0 / Lose-3 / Draw-3 (Goals: 4 scored / 9 conceded)
- 2021: Win-5 / Lose-2 / Draw-3 (Goals: 11 scored / 6 conceded)
Ghana will be in Qatar after a brave effort in the qualifying rounds, when they upset Nigeria on away goals in the African playoffs to secure a place in the tournament for the first time since 2014. In 2010, the Black Stars came so close to making the World Cup semifinals, but were defeated on penalties by Uruguay in the last eight.
Despite the fact that there aren’t as many famous names in this year’s roster as there were in the 2010 and 2014 editions, players like Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey and teenage Ajax prodigy Mohammed Kudus will be stars to watch as the event approaches.
Grit and drive are embedded in the fabric of this Ghana team, which lost just two of their ten matches in 2021, but a disastrous Africa Cup of Nations campaign — in which they withdrew at the group stage without a win — means they have a point to prove on the big stage again.
Uruguay
- Current FIFA world ranking: 13rd (March 2022)
- Regional ranking: 3rd (CONMEBOL)
- World Cup titles: 2
- World Cup appearances (last): 14 (Russia 2018)
- Manager : Diego Alonso since December 2021
- Star players: Edinson Cavani (Manchester United / England), Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid / Spain), Diego Godin (Atletico Mineiro / Brazil)
- How qualified: CONMEBOL third place: 8W-6L-4D
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: Win-4 / Lose-0 / Draw-0 (Goals: 8 scored / 1 conceded)
- 2021: Win-4 / Lose-5 / Draw-6 (Goals: 11 scored / 16 conceded)
Although Uruguay’s team is good, the year 2021 Uruguay’s performance was so uncertain, because they were eliminated in the Copa America quarterfinal after having expectations for much more.
Uruguay also advanced to the last eight of the 2018 World Cup, where they were defeated by eventual champions France. Qatar will be no exception to the South American tradition of generating players capable of individual brilliance. Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, both 35, are players who are still capable of posing a serious threat in front of the goal.
Uruguay has had a better start to 2022, winning four straight games, including a morale-boosting 2-0 victory against Chile in late March. Concerns remain, though, about their capacity to adapt against projected tougher opponents given the squad’s top-heavy age.
South Korea
- Current FIFA world ranking: 29th (March 2022)
- Regional ranking: 3rd (AFC)
- World Cup titles: —
- World Cup appearances (last): 10 (Russia 2018)
- Manager: Paulo Bento since August 2018
- Star players: Son Heung-min (Tottenham / England), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolves / England), Kim Min-jae (Fenerbahce / Turkey)
- How qualified: AFC Third Round Group A runners-up 7W-L1-D2
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: Win-5 / Lose-1 / Draw-0 (Goals: 14 scored / 1 conceded)
- 2021: Win-7 / Lose-1 / Draw-2 (Goals: 20 scored / 6 conceded)
South Korea hasn’t missed a World Cup since 1982, and Paulo Bento’s side will compete in Qatar to continue that trend.
South Korea came in second place in a tight third-round qualification group, losing only in the final match and already having qualified for the finals. Bento’s team had been on a seven-match winning streak prior to that, and they will be hoping for a similar run heading into the World Cup, where they will be looking to go past the group stage for the first time since 2010.
Son Heung-min is South Korea’s most well-known difference-maker, having scored a lot of goals for both club and country. Hwang Hee-chan of the Wolves is also a key character for the Tigers of Asia. South Korea’s finest World Cup achievement came in 2002, when they reached the semi-finals on home soil — would they be able to repeat that performance in the Middle East?
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group H to advance
December 5 & 6, the first- and second-place finishers in Group H will proceed to the Round of 16, where they will meet the two teams who advanced from Group G.
