Stakes continue to increase as just 9 spots remain to advance in men's World Cup

Chris Jones is in Qatar covering the men's World Cup for CBC Sports.

Wales played England on Tuesday night in Qatar, and for the last time, a gorgeous rendition of Land of My Fathers rang around the stadium. The Welsh sang their anthem as though they knew it was their last chance.

Entering their final group-stage game, they still had a faint hope of reaching the round of 16. But that hope hinged on their beating England by four goals. Having qualified for their first men's World Cup since 1958 — their 64-year absence made Canada's own 36-year wait seem a relative breeze — the Welsh knew it was too much to expect another miracle.

England won, 3-0, and claimed first place in Group B as well.

Officially, the game was World Cup Match No. 33. With 64 total games needed to decide the winner, from the opener to the final, the tournament has made the turn, and the stakes will only continue to be raised.

The last group-stage games will now see four teams confirming their spots in the knockout stage every day, and four unlucky others departing. 

It's already starting to feel a little different in Doha. During the first days of group-stage games, four were played throughout the afternoon and evening, starting at a scorching 1 p.m. local time, and with the bleary-eyed last orders kicking off at 10 p.m. There was always soccer going on somewhere, it seemed, because there almost always was.

To prevent conspiracy and hijinks, the two final games in each group are played at the same time. In testy Group B, for instance, the U.S. and Iran kicked off at Al Thumama Stadium just as Wales and England got underway at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, about 25 kilometres across town.

It was that rare night when a Home Nations matchup felt like the bad ticket. The atmosphere was subdued from the start. Everyone was weirdly sober. At one point, England's Harry Maguire took a shot that was so off-target it went out for a throw in.

The English fans sang God Save the King midway through the first half to liven things up. When the far-outnumbered Welsh whistled in response, it was more out of habit than actual fight.

The eventual second-half goals were pretty enough — Marcus Rashford scored two, including the opener with a perfect free kick, and Phil Foden got his first at a World Cup — but it all felt rote and predetermined.

At pulsing Al Thumama, meanwhile, the air was far more charged. 

On Monday, the U.S held one of the most remarkable press conferences in modern sporting memory. Head coach Gregg Berhalter and captain Tyler Adams were asked, among other things, why they haven't told their government to withdraw its Navy from the Persian Gulf.

A draw was good enough for Iran to advance; the U.S. needed a win. After long stretches of maniacal pressing, Christian Pulisic scored for the Americans in the 38th minute, and they somehow hung on the rest of the way, enduring an excruciating nine minutes of added time to win, 1-0.

Iran is now out. Earlier in the evening, host Qatar, mathematically eliminated after only two games, and Ecuador were also sent home from Group A. [The Qataris didn't have nearly as far to travel.] They joined Canada on the outside looking in, although the Canadians, uncomfortably, still have a game to play on Thursday against still-hopeful Morocco.

Advancing to the round of 16 in their place were the Netherlands and Senegal, who will face the U.S. and England, respectively. With two wins already, France, Brazil, and Portugal are also guaranteed to go through regardless of their third-game results.

So, seven of 16 places are booked. That leaves nine more to be decided over the next frantic three days.

Wales won't find their place among them, that much is certain. At the end of their ouster by England, the Welsh sang one last time — their second anthem, Yma o Hyd, or Still Here.

It sounded beautiful and bittersweet, knowing that tomorrow they won't be, along with four doomed more.

WATCH | Soccer North — Canada vs. Croatia post-match reaction show:

Canada vs. Croatia post-match reaction show

2 years ago

Duration 36:07

Watch as Andi Petrillo and guests take a look at the Canada vs. Croatia game at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Watch Soccer North live immediately following each of Canada's games on CBC Gem, CBCSports.ca and the CBC Sports YouTube channel