Croatia Coach Dalic Slams ‘Bad Refereeing’ in 2

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan remains uncertain whether forward Mohamed Salah will start Friday's World Cup last-32 clash against Australia at Dallas Stadium, as the 34-year-old continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.

Salah returned to partial training on Wednesday after sustaining the strain in the 1-1 draw with Iran last Friday as the Egyptians picked up the point they needed to progress to the knockout rounds for the first time.

"Salah is a passionate ‌player and ‌he is very much looking forward to making ‌his ⁠own contribution," Hassan ⁠said.

"I'm not going to run any risk unless I'm 100 percent sure he is fit and raring to go tomorrow.

"We look forward to him playing tomorrow, but we're not sure if he's going to be in the starting lineup."

Salah has scored once at the tournament so far, netting his side's second goal as the Egyptians battled back to ⁠hand New Zealand a 3-1 defeat in the group ‌phase.

He asked to be substituted with ‌33 minutes remaining against the Iranians and his battle to be fit has ‌overshadowed his team's preparations for one of the biggest games in ‌their history.

"He is one of the best players globally and I'm very lucky to work with him and I'm very happy with our work together so far," said Hassan.

"I have managed to deploy him tactically and technically ‌speaking and he has surpassed the capabilities that people had expected of him so far."

Tony Popovic's Australia ⁠side are ⁠expected to present the Egyptians with a physical challenge, but Hassan is confident his team will be well prepared to deal with that test.

"On the African continent we have vast experience with tall players, comparable to the Australia side we're going to face tomorrow," he said.

"It's the same as New Zealand, Belgium and Iran. We have dealt so far with such conditions...

"Every team has its weaknesses and strengths and we're well prepared to deal with whatever we're going to face.

"(Diego) Maradona wasn't the tallest of players, (Lionel) Messi isn't either. It's not about tall or short. We're not playing rugby here, we're playing football. Not American football, but football and we're fit and raring to go."

A classic David versus Goliath encounter will take center stage at the World Cup on Friday as tiny Cape Verde face Lionel Messi and Argentina with a place in the last 16 at stake.

Cape Verde, the smallest nation ever to reach the knockout rounds, face the defending champions in Miami dreaming of pulling off what would be the greatest upset in World Cup history.

The Atlantic archipelago have become one of the fairytale stories of this year's expanded 48-team tournament, confounding expectations by earning a draw with Spain before squeezing into the last 32 ahead of Group H rivals Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.

Argentina, who breezed into the knockout rounds with the help of six goals from captain Messi, will be expected to swat aside the African qualifiers to move one step closer to their dream of back-to-back World Cup titles.

But Cape Verde insist they will not be overawed by the occasion and the prospect of sharing a field with the reigning world champions and eight-time Ballon D'Or winner Messi.

"We are calm because we earned our place here on merit and there is nothing to fear or worry too much about," Cape Verde coach Bubista said.

"We know the importance of the match ahead. It is the match of our lives, but we are going to enjoy it and give our best. There is no other thought in our minds than trying to advance past this round."

Netherlands-born Cape Verde midfielder Deroy Duarte was similarly nonplussed, saying the minnows would relish the chance to make history.

"Everything is an honor and a reward, and we see Argentina as a game like this -- another chance to make history," Duarte said.

"So why not? We will give everything and then at the end of the game we will see."

- 'Not here by accident' -

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, who will mark his 100th game in charge of the South American giants in Friday's encounter, insists his team will not be taking their opponents lightly, pointing to their unbeaten record in the group stage.

"This is a team that hasn't lost," said Scaloni.

"They aren't here by accident. We have to respect them, and that is what we will do."

A win for Argentina will see them into a last 16 game against either Australia or Egypt, who meet in Dallas on Friday.

Australia coach Tony Popovic has challenged the Socceroos to make history by winning their first ever World Cup knockout game.

"It will be a special match and we want to show Australian football on the world stage," Popovic said on Thursday, adding that "if we perform well, we have a chance to make history."

Egypt enter the game with fitness concerns swirling around talismanic former Liverpool Mohamed Salah, who is nursing a hamstring problem.

Coach Hossam Hassan said Salah would not be risked unless "I am 100 percent sure he is fit and raring to go."

In Friday's other game, Ghana, like Egypt, are hoping to buck what has been a disappointing start to the knockout rounds for African teams when they face Colombia in Kansas City.

So far, five of the nine African teams in the last 32 have been eliminated, with South Africa, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Democratic Republic of Congo and Algeria all heading for the exit. Only Morocco have made it through to the last 16.

Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz said he hopes to buck that trend against a dangerous Colombian team.

"We have to make it better," Queiroz said of the African exodus. "So it is on our shoulders to be sure that we add another African team to the next round. That's our duty."

Algeria were eliminated in a 2-0 loss to Switzerland on Thursday as Portugal and Spain advanced to the last 16.

Portugal defeated Croatia 2-1 in a drama-filled game in Toronto, while Spain swatted aside Austria 3-0 to extend their incredible unbeaten streak to 35 matches.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic and Portugal's Roberto Martinez paid tribute on Thursday to Luka Modric, who almost certainly played his last World Cup match.

After a gut-wrenching 2-1 loss to Portugal in Toronto, Croatia midfielder Modric, 40, shared a long exchange with 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo -- two football greats nearing the end of their international playing careers.

"This was probably his last World Cup, and I'm sorry that it ended this way," said an emotional Dalic. "He has shown his quality and his character and of course he was leading Croatia until the very end."

Martinez lauded the Croatian great for having "inspired millions of kids."

"His example is going to stay in the folklore of football forever," Portugal's coach told reporters, highlighting Modric's in-match thinking.

It's not often that "we talk about that player that can put his foot on the ball and make a decision. I think Modric is the beautiful example of that.

"Depending on how the game goes, he finds the space, he makes the right call. It's incredible to see him play," Martinez said, praising Modric for playing "the game like a young man."

Modric was the driving force behind Croatia's runner-up finish at the 2018 World Cup and their third-place finish in Qatar four years ago.

Ronaldo and Modric, who won four Champions Leagues in six seasons together at Real Madrid, have long defied Father Time but have shown their age in the 2026 tournament.

Ronaldo, who group stage performance was criticized, played his role in Thursday's victory, stroking home an equalizing second-half penalty.

Dalic said Modric was one of Croatia's "key players" on Thursday.

The AC Milan midfielder marked his 200th international appearance in a group-stage match last month, and was hoisted in the air by his teammates following that June 23 victory over Panama.

Click here to read article