[Croatia vs. Brazil]
Race preview: December 9 (Friday) 23:00 Taiwan time
History: Croatia 0 wins, 1 draw, 3 losses to Brazil (goal ratio 2-7)
Players in Focus: Luka Modric v Neymar
Match Analysis: Croatia and Brazil both showed a distinctive style of play in the Round of 16. Croatia's solid tactics saw them battle with Japan until the penalty shootout, while Brazil's big game was a 4-1 win over South Korea. The two teams have very different styles, each with their own strengths, and this head-to-head clash will undoubtedly be a feast for the eyes. With Brazilian star Neymar back from injury, the team's morale has been boosted and their attacking power has been enriched, with the in-form Vinicius Junior posing a huge threat to Croatia. Neymar is not only able to break through the defense on the side, but also able to organize the attack in front of the field, Brazil will certainly take him as the core, relying on the powerful attacking force frontal attack. Brazil's lineup is not only luxurious in front of the field, the combination of Casemiro and Lucas Paqueta in the midfield is also top-notch, and is expected to compete with Croatia's three big kings in the midfield: Modric, Kovacic (Mateo Kovacic), Brozovic (Marcelo Brozovic). Croatia as the most "stable" team, will still slow down the Brazilian attack rhythm is the main, the core of the team Modric can effectively control the rhythm, and when necessary to assist the defense to block the Brazilian attack, will be the key to the Croatian game. However, Croatia's striker ability still needs to be improved, face Japan's eye-catching performance of Perisic (Ivan Perisic) on the Brazilian defense challenge is still doubtful, the team may still need to extend the game, patiently looking for a breakthrough point. Overall, as long as Brazil is focused and avoids too much individualism, the possibility of beating Croatia is relatively high.
[Netherlands vs. Argentina]
Race Preview: December 10th (Saturday) 03:00 Taiwan Time
History: Netherlands 4 wins, 2 draws, 3 losses to Argentina (goal ratio 13-6)
Player in Focus: Virgil van Dijk vs Lionel Messi
Match Analysis: In the final eight, the European team Netherlands will face the South American team Argentina. Both teams finished first in the group stage, but their paths were very different. Holland went all the way to the last 16 undefeated, while Argentina won their first match against Mexico and Poland after an unexpected loss. In the Round of Sixteen, both teams had easy passage through opponents who were not favorites to win the tournament. The Netherlands defeated the United States 3-1 in the Round of Sixteen, while Argentina beat Australia 2-1. This last eight match is expected to be a "battle of contradictions". The Netherlands, while maintaining its "top-heavy" lineup, has adopted a more conservative tactic in this tournament, and even chose to give up possession in the round of sixteen against the weaker United States to play on the counterattack. Argentina, with attackers such as Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria and Julian Alvarez, is expected to take the initiative. However, with Di Maria's injury doubtful and his ability to play alone on the wings weakened, Argentina will probably continue to play a "4-3-1-2" formation. Holland's "5-3-2" formation will be much tighter, with a backline that features individual players such as van Dijk, Nathan Ake and Jurrien Timber that are far superior to Australia's. The Netherlands' "5-3-2" will be much tighter, with a backline that features individual players such as van Dijk, Nathan Ake and Jurrien Timber. In addition, cutting off passes from Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong will be key, and it will be a test to see if Argentina's "counterpart" Lionel Messi can put enough energy into his defense. Despite Argentina's slight advantage, they will need to work hard to advance.
