Uruguay stalwarts Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez are fighting for their World Cup survival while Ghana will have revenge on their minds over one of the World Cup’s most infamous acts.
With Portugal already qualified from Group H, Uruguay, Ghana and South Korea are battling for the other last 16 place in Qatar.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal face South Korea in the other match at 2am AEDT.
Then, in Group G, Cameroon face already-qualified Brazil while Serbia face Switzerland (both at 6am AEDT).
Follow the action from all four games in our live blogs below!
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‘HE WILL CRY’: GHANA OUT FOR URUGUAY REVENGE (2am AEDT)
The key match will be a repeat of the infamous 2010 quarter-final in South Africa where Suarez broke Ghanaian hearts in one of the World Cup’s most notorious moments.
Suarez prevented a certain goal with a deliberate handball on the goal line to deny Ghana an extra-time winner.
He was sent off but Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting spot kick and Uruguay then won the penalty shootout to prevent Ghana becoming the first ever African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final.
Suarez said Thursday he had no regrets.
“I don’t say I apologise about that because I take the handball but the Ghana player missed the penalty, not me. It’s not my fault because I did not miss the penalty,” he said.
Ghanaian fans have not forgiven or forgotten.
“They gave us a very powerful defeat. We have never forgiven Suarez,” Ghanaian ruling-party politician Collins Adomako-Mensah told AFP in Accra.
“Just as we cried 12 years ago, he will cry on Friday.”
And ex-captain Stephen Appiah recently told Al Jazeera: “I get goosebumps when I hear about the 2010 World Cup. It will haunt me for the rest of my life.”
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But Ghana coach Otto Addo has played down talk of revenge, saying his players would have acted in the same way — and he would want them to.
“This is what I wish from every player, to do all he can to help his team qualify, sacrificing himself with a red card,” Addo said.
The permutations are simple for Uruguay — they must win to have any chance of progressing, while Ghana know a draw could be enough, depending on the result between Portugal and South Korea.
MATCH CENTRE: Line-ups, live stats, and more
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KOREA VS PORTUGAL (2am AEDT)
Like Uruguay, the Koreans must win and then hope for a favour in the other match.
They will be without Portuguese coach Paulo Bento after his red card in the 3-2 defeat to Ghana when he raged at the referee.
MATCH CENTRE: Line-ups, live stats, and more
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BRAZIL VS CAMEROON (6am)
In Group G, already-qualified Brazil play Cameroon, who must win to stand a chance of progressing.
Brazil coach Tite is set to make a raft of changes to rest his first-choice players as he eyes the next round.
“It is a risk, yes, but it is an opportunity for (other players) to show their quality,” he said.
The World Cup favourites need just a draw to secure top spot in Group G after starting their campaign with wins over Serbia and Switzerland.
Even a defeat would not stop them topping the section so long as the Swiss fail to win at the same time against Serbia.
Brazil will still be without Neymar and right-back Danilo, who both suffered ankle injuries against Cameroon, while left-back Alex Sandro is ruled out too.
But there have been concerns that Neymar’s sprained ankle is more serious than first reported.
The Mirror yesterday claimed Brazil harbour concerns that the superstar suffered ligament damage and might not recover in time to play any further part in the tournament. Brazil has repeatedly stated that Neymar is targeting a return in time for the Round of 16.
Tite is expected to rest the likes of goalkeeper Alisson Becker, centre-back duo Thiago Silva and Marquinhos, Casemiro, Lucas Paqueta, Vinicius Junior and Richarlison against a Cameroon side who have to win to stand a chance of progressing.
Among the players set to come into the side are Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson, Liverpool midfielder Fabinho, and 39-year-old right-back Dani Alves.
MATCH CENTRE: Line-ups, live stats, and more
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SERBIA VS SWITZERLAND (6am)
Serbia must also beat Switzerland — who could qualify with a draw — to reach the last 16.
MATCH CENTRE: Line-ups, live stats, and more
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