Brazil vs Switzerland and other World Cup news and highlights

Brazil’s opening round 2-0 win over Serbia was far from pretty at times, though Tite’s iteration of the Seleção is known more for its pragmatism and efficiency than its aesthetics.

As the second half wore on and Richarlison scored his and Brazil’s second to seal the victory, the players in those famous canary yellow shirts began to show flashes of the flair that World Cup fans have become used to seeing over the years.

But Neymar’s absence due to injury will be a huge blow, with the Paris Saint-Germain forward’s creativity so crucial to this team breaking defenses down.

Despite being just two goals away from equaling Pele’s all-time Brazil record of 77 goals, Neymar has never quite received the same adoration as the Brazilian greats of old, but victory in Qatar would go a long way toward changing that.

Switzerland goes into the game off the back of a hard-fought win over Cameroon, with Cameroon-born Breel Embolo scoring the second-half winner.

Embolo’s pace, movement and finishing will certainly be enough to give Brazil’s defense trouble, in particular in the absence of the injured Danilo, while Xherdan Shaqiri is still capable of producing an individual moment of brilliance.

New Manchester City signing Manuel Akanji has proven himself to be one of the world’s best defenders, with left-back Ricardo Rodriguez always a threat with his deliveries from crosses and set pieces.

The opening win over Cameroon will have given this Switzerland team a huge boost of confidence as it looks to qualify from one of the tournament’s most competitive groups, with the aim of reaching a first World Cup quarterfinal since 1954.

Iran coach Carlos Queiroz told a press conference on Monday that his team "have solidarity with all humanitarian causes" and that the United States is the best team in their World Cup group.

"We have solidarity with all humanitarian causes all over the world, whatever they are," Queiroz said.

"Either if you talk about human rights, racism, kids that die in schools with shootings, we have solidarity with all those causes. But here our mission is to bring smiles to all people for at least for 90 minutes, that’s our mission," he said.

The starting 11 who played in Iran’s first World Cup game against England on November 21 did not sing the national anthem ahead of the kick-off as the players appeared to make a powerful statement, in what seemed to be a show of solidarity with those protesting in Iran.

The players stood silent as the Iranian national anthem played out around the Khalifa International Stadium and the match ended in a 6-2 victory for England.

As anti-government protests entered a third month back in their home country just on the other side of the Persian Gulf, speculation had been mounting about how the players would handle the situation. In recent weeks, many other athletes have spoken out in support of the demonstrators, and several sports teams had refrained from singing the anthem.

Iran’s players, though, joined in the singing of the national anthem ahead of last Friday’s World Cup match against Wales, which the team won 2-0.

Speaking about the final game of Group B, Queiroz said: "The team that produced the best two performances in our group was without a doubt the United States."

"They played two fantastic games, no doubt about that," he said.

Queiroz said he had no comment when asked to explain the culture of Iranian football in response to former World Cup winner and BBC Sport pundit Jurgen Klinsmann's critique that has put him at odds with the Iran football federation.

Iran state media on Sunday called for the US to be kicked out of the World Cup after the United States Soccer Federation changed Iran’s flag on its social media platforms to show support for protesters in Iran.

What a day of football! Ghana and Korea have just played out another thrilling World Cup game, but it is the Black Stars who come away with all three points.

Ghana opened the scoring against the run of play in the 24th minute after Mohammed Salisu tapped home from an indirect free kick. Ten minutes later, the Ghanaians doubled their lead, Mohammed Kudus glancing home a header.

But Korea was not down and out. Cho Gue-sung scored two goals in the space of three minutes to draw the Taegeuk Warriors level on the hour mark from two headers. Just as the Koreans thought they could go onto win it, Kudus popped up with a second goal to win the game for the West Africans.

Ghana survived a late Korean onslaught to take the three points and leave the group wide open ahead of Portugal and Uruguay's clash later.

The Koreans were devastated as manager Paulo Bento was sent off after the final whistle for protesting to referee Anthony Taylor. He will now miss Korea's final match of the group against Portugal.

The drama never ends!

Just as South Korea looked like it was running away with the game, Ghana is back in front! Mohammed Kudus grabs his second of the match as the Black Stars hit back.

It's a marauding run from left-back Gideon Mensah who crosses low. Iñaki Williams takes a swing but misses the ball which rolls to Kudus who buries it.

What a game!

South Korea is back in it and it is a carbon copy of the first. This time, Kim Jin-su gets to the byline and floats in a cross and Cho rises highest again to power it home.

Korea is flying!

South Korea is back in it!

This game is all about crossing and now Korea is in on the action. Substitute Lee Kang-in puts in a terrific cross from the wing and center forward Cho Gue-sung heads it home.

Game on!

Ghana kicks off the second half with a two-goal lead.

We've already seen Cameroon come back from a two-goal deficit. Can South Korea replicate those heroics?

Let's find out!

Mexican boxer Saul 'Canelo' Álvarez has sent a warning to Lionel Messi, who he accused of disrespecting Mexico.

"Did you see Messi cleaning the floor with our shirt and flag????" Álvarez tweeted, apparently referencing a video in which Messi appears to kick a Mexico shirt that is on the floor during Argentina’s celebrations in the changing room.

There is no indication that Messi kicked the shirt intentionally, instead appearing to do it accidentally as he took off his football boots.

"He better pray to God that I don’t find him!!" Álvarez added in another tweet, with a series of angry emojis. "Just like I respect Argentina, he has to respect Mexico! I’m not talking about the country as a whole, just about the bulls**t that Messi pulled."

Argentina beat Mexico 2-0 on Saturday in a tense game in Group C at the Qatar World Cup. Messi scored the opening goal, before Enzo Fernández sealed the win late on to keep Argentina’s World Cup dream alive following its stunning opening round defeat to Saudi Arabia.

Álvarez, who is widely considered one of the best pound-for-pound boxers ever after winning world championships in four weight classes, added in one reply to a journalist: "It’s one thing them being better than us (in football), it’s another thing to have respect."

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After struggling in the opening phase, Ghana has taken command of this game.

Mohammed Salisu opened the scoring in the 24th minute with a sharp finish following a free kick that Korea did not deal with.

Golden boy Mohammed Kudus doubled the lead 10 minutes later with a glancing header from a Jordan Ayew cross.

South Korea has to change things up if it wants to keep its World Cup hopes alive.