Qatar World Cup last-16: Knockout stages leave no more room for manoeuvre

"There are two World Cups in one World Cup," said Belgium boss Roberto Martinez 10 days ago just after his team had scraped past Canada 1-0 in their opening game in Group F. "The first is the group phase and that needs to get you to the best level and then from that point on, it's the second World Cup."

The 49-year-old Spaniard will not be at the latter competition which starts on Saturday evening at the Khalifa International Stadium with the match between the Netherlands and the United States.

Belgium were eliminated following a 0-0 draw with Croatia on Thursday night at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.

Martinez promptly departed. His reign as coach had lasted six years in which he had led the likes of Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois - Belgium's much vaunted "Golden Generation" - to the top of the world rankings but no international baubles.

The Dutch know of such phases. They reached consecutive World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978 but lost both. But they fulfilled their promise in 1988 with the likes of Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard.

More than three decades on from that success, the Dutch enter the last-16 after a relative breeze through Group A in which they saw off Senegal and hosts Qatar and drew with Ecuador.

Chance
The US emerged as runners-up from Group B following wins over Wales and Iran. Theirs was the moral victory in a 0-0 draw with England.

"It's great to be in the knockout phase," said US boss Gregg Berhalter. "We relish this. It's an opportunity for our guys to stay together and enjoy this experience."

There will be no inferiority complex, however.
"It's a great opportunity," Berhalter added. "But it's not something that we're going into it thinking: 'This is an honour.'"

The Australians, who are in the last-16 for the first time since their "Golden Generation" achieved the feat in 2006, enter their tie on Saturday night against Argentina expected to be cannon fodder.

Resilience
But gritty victories over Tunisia and Denmark - the first time an Australian side has enjoyed successive wins at a World Cup - will serve notice to Lionel Scaloni's team even if they do boast star names such as Angel Di Maria, Paulo Dybala and a certain Lionel Messi.

Australia coach Graham Arnold was an assistant to then boss Guus Hiddink during that surge 16 years ago in Germany. His perspective has been one of the salient factors in their success.

"In 2006 we had that individual quality that could win us games," Arnold recalled.

"This campaign has been more about the team and the camaraderie within that team and the fight for each other because we don't have that individual quality that can change things.

"We've got 26 players on one page," added Arnold. "All ready to do whatever it is for each other to make this work and I don't think every other nation has that."

Needs
But does every other nation need that? Especially when the ball can be given to the likes of Messi or in France's case Kylian Mbappé?

The defending champions take on Poland on Sunday at the Al Thumama Stadium and should - on the basis of Poland's pallid display against Argentina in their final Group C game - blow the Poles apart.

France boss Didier Deschamps came under fire following a 1-0 loss to Tunisia for resting a host of players who featured in the 4-1 romp past Australia and the 2-1 defeat of Denmark.

"I think we'll be better off for it in the last-16," said Deschamps of his changes.

Duties
"I've had to manage the squad because some players need to be handled carefully and we've got more intense games coming up.

"For the ones who were involved in the first two matches, it allowed them to experience on the field what a World Cup game is like," added Deschamps.

"We're where we want to be. Another competition is starting."

And in that second World Cup tournament, England's players boast more experience than their Senegalese counterparts.

They play on Sunday night at the Al Bayt Stadium in what should be an intriguing encounter.

Achievements
England reached the semi-final in 2018 in Russia where skipper Harry Kane won the Golden Boot award for his six goals.

Barren so far, Kane will be seeking to open his account against the African champions who are without their star striker Sadio Mané.

"Senegal are used to playing in knockout matches," said Senegal coach Aliou Cissé, who skippered the national team to the last eight in 2002.

"We've got a good collective awareness of what is needed to prepare for these kind of games. 

"For us to reach the last-16 isn't down to individuals, it's because of the team and to see the Senegal flag in the last-16  ... the whole team has to be congratulated."

While Senegal savour their first appearance in the knockout stages since 2002, Brazil's football mad public assume their Selecao will arrive there with minimum of fuss.

Star player
Much ado has been made of the absence of Neymar with an ankle injury from the games against Switzerland and Cameroon.

The 30-year-old Paris Saint-Germain star could feature from the bench against South Korea on Monday night at the 974 Stadium.

Their opponents reached the knockout stages by the skin of their teeth. Hee-chan Hwang's injury-time winner against Portugal elevated them above Uruguay.

Brazil - even without Neymar - will be expected to advance.

And for the sake of the tournament from a neutral point of view, Japan simply ought to advance. 

Hajime Moriyasu's mavericks have served up wonders. Beating Germany, losing to Costa Rica and then blitzing the Spanish to claim Group E from the point of elimination has been a white knuckle ride. 

If they take the high octane into the Al Janoub Stadium against Croatia, they could upset to 2018 runners-up who rode their luck against Belgium.

Tuesday's last-16 matches feature Portugal and Switzerland as well as Morocco and Spain. 

Portugal, who will be led by Cristiano Ronaldo, have flown under the radar somewhat despite harbouring a wealth of talent operating at top European clubs. 

Tom Kundert, editor-in-chief of the Portuguese football website portugoal.net suggested a last eight line-up featuring Portugal as well as Senegal.

The next four days will bear out the accuracy of such soothsaying.