World Cup Qatar 2022 Group H Final Standings: Who Qualified And Who Is Out?

World Cup Qatar 2022 Group H Final Standings: Who Qualified For The Round Of 16 And Who Is Out?

Portugal (group winner) and South Korea (group runner-up) were the two teams to advance from Group H into the 2022 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 where they will cross paths with the teams that advance from Group G.

The Koreans needed a stoppage-time goal on the final day from Wolves forward Hwang Hee-chan to beat Portugal and move into second place. They were level with Uruguay on four points, but the Asian side advanced ahead of La Celeste on the goals-scored tiebreaker (4 goals vs. 2 goals for Uruguay).

It was a cruel elimination for a squad led by veteran forward Luis Suarez, who was in tears following the match. They managed to win on the final day against Ghana 2-0, but they could’ve used a few more goals as things shook out.

Uruguay were unhappy not to have been given a late penalty for an alleged foul in the Ghana box suffered by Edinson Cavani, and they already had gripes about a penalty kick they feel was gifted to Portugal in the second matchday for a hand ball that according to the Laws of the Game should not have been deemed an infraction.

Summary

With Portugal already qualified, there was a nail-biting finale in the battle for second place as Group H got flipped on its head right at death.

There was more drama as the group stage at Qatar 2022 came to an end on Friday. Portugal had already done enough to ensure their passage from Group H but any of their three group rivals could have joined them going into the final game.

Before kick-off, Portugal topped the standings on six points with Ghana second on three, and South Korea, third and Uruguay, fourth – both on one point. Over the course of the next 90 minutes, the standings would shift twice, changing definitively, just as both games entered stoppage-time.

Ricardo Horta gave Portugal an early lead in their meeting with South Korea, scoring after five minutes but that had no effect on the positions in the group. Ghana missed a golden chance to take the lead on 21 minutes when they were awarded a penalty, only for skipper André Ayew to hit his effort straight at keeper Sergio Rochet. Moments later, the table was flipped on its head when Uruguay’s Giorgian de Arrascaeta scored twice within six minutes – lifting the South Americans off the bottom of the group and into second place. In the meantime, Young-Gwon Kim had leveled for South Korea but it made no difference.

There were few incidents of note in the second half and it seemed that Group H’s fate was decided – until Hwang Hee-Chan popped up to slot past Portugal keeper Diogo Costa on 91 minutes… You can only imagine the scenes in Seoul! With that decisive goal, South Korea went from bottom of the group to second and a place in the next round – level on points with Uruguay (4), level on goal difference (0), but with more goals scored (four to Uruguay’s two). Elation for South Korea, heartbreak for Uruguay.

Group H: how it ended

Portugal ended top of Group H on seven points (two wins and a draw), South Korea snatched second place on four points (W1 D1 L1) – Uruguay finished with almost the same figures (four points, W1 D1 L1, GD 0) – but crucially, scored two goals less… Their 0-2 win over Ghana was just not enough – by one goal… West Africans Ghana meanwhile bring up the rear in fourth place on three points.

Who has qualified for the round of 16 from Group H?

• Portugal (Group H winners)
• South Korea (Group H runners-up)
• Uruguay- eliminated
• Ghana – eliminated

Who will Portugal and Uruguay play in the round of 16?

• As winners of Group H, Portugal will face the runners-up from Group G (TBC – Switzerland, Cameroon or Serbia) at Lusail Iconic Stadium on Tuesday 6 December (kick-off at 10 pm Local Time / 11:00 am PT).
• For finishing second in Group H, South Korea will face Group G winners Brazil in an all-South American showdown at Doha’s Stadium 974 on Monday 5 December at (kick-off at 10 pm Local Time / 11:00 am PT).

Standings

Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers

In the round of 16:

• The winners of Group H, Portugal, advanced to play the runners-up of Group G, Switzerland.
• The runners-up of Group H, South Korea, advanced to play the winners of Group G, Brazil.

Matches

Group H of the 2022 FIFA World Cup took place from 24 November to 2 December 2022. The group consisted of Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea. The top two teams, Portugal and South Korea, advanced to the round of 16.

Uruguay 0-0 South Korea

The teams had met eight times including twice in the World Cup, both matches ending in victories for Uruguay; 1–0 in the group stage in 1990 and 2–1 in the round of 16 in 2010.

In the first half Uruguay’s Diego Godín had a header hit off the left post with Federico Valverde also shooting against the post in the 89th minute. There was the only shot on target during the game which eventually ended in a 0–0 draw.

Portugal 3-2 Ghana

The teams had met once, in Portugal’s 2–1 group stage victory in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

In the 65th minute, Portugal were awarded a penalty when Cristiano Ronaldo was fouled in the penalty area by Mohammed Salisu. Ronaldo took the penalty and scored, shooting high to the left of the goal to put Portugal into the lead. With this goal, Ronaldo became the first male player to score at five different FIFA World Cup tournaments. André Ayew equalized for Ghana in the 73rd minute with a close range finish after a low cross from Mohammed Kudus on the left. Portugal responded with two goals, the first coming from João Félix five minutes later with a clipped finish from the right over the advancing goalkeeper, and the second from Rafael Leão two minutes later with a low finish from the left to the right corner after a pass from Bruno Fernandes. In the 89th minute, Osman Bukari scored for Ghana to make it 3–2 with a header from six yards out after a cross from the left. Then, in stoppage time, Ghana almost equliased when Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa put the ball on the floor, preparing to kick it upfield; Ghana’s Iñaki Williams came from behind him to take the ball but slipped as he was about to shoot, with the ball subsequently cleared from danger by Portugal.

South Korea 2-3 Ghana

The two teams had faced each other eight times, most recently in 2014, a friendly which Ghana won 4–0.

When referee Anthony Taylor ended the game instead of allowing a South Korean player to kick off a corner, South Korea’s head coach Paulo Bento ran onto the field and screamed at the referee, for which he was shown a red card, making it the first time in World Cup history that a coach was sent off after the conclusion of the match. Counting players’ Leandro Cufré’s and Josip Šimunić’s red cards (both in 2006), this was the third time a sending-off occurred after the match had ended.

Portugal 2-0 Uruguay

The teams had met three times including once in the World Cup, in Uruguay’s 2–1 round of 16 victory in 2018.

Bruno Fernandes put Portugal into the lead when his cross from the left deceived Uruguay keeper Sergio Rochet after Cristiano Ronaldo had tried to glance it past him. Ronaldo was initially ruled as the goalscorer before FIFA determined that he hadn’t connected with the ball and instead awarded the goal to Fernandes. Fernandes scored a second in the 93rd minute, a penalty awarded by the VAR for handball by José Giménez, which he rolled into the left side of the net. With this victory, Portugal secured a place in the round of 16.

Ghana 0-2 Uruguay

The teams had met once in the 2010 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals, won 4-2 by Uruguay on penalties after a controversial 1-1 draw.

Uruguay became the second South American team after Ecuador to be eliminated from the Group Stage in the World Cup. Additionally, Uruguay were eliminated in the group stage for the first time since 2002. South Korea sent them out on goals scored.

South Korea 2-1 Portugal

Prior to this match, the two teams had met once, in South Korea’s 1–0 group stage victory in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

With South Korea’s win against Portugal, they advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time since 2010, beating Uruguay on goals scored.

WORLD CUP GROUPS:
Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D
Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H

World Cup Group H final table

Q = Qualified to Round of 16

E = Eliminated

NOTE: South Korea claim goals scored tiebreaker (second tiebreaker) over Uruguay

Group H schedule, results

The four teams selected into the group are playing a round-robin format with each nation facing the other three. Group standings are based on points from those three group-stage matches — three points for a win, one for a draw, none for a loss.

The top two teams from each group based on total points advance to the single-game knockouts. If teams are tied on points, goal difference is the first tiebreaker followed by goals scored. If teams are also tied in those categories another set of tiebreakers is applied.

World Cup Group H teams

Portugal

Portugal, as expected, managed to qualify for Qatar 2022 through the playoff path, defeating North Macedonia to ensure an appearance at the finals for the eighth time. Despite being regular competitors on this stage, though, they have yet to win it.

In all likelihood, this will be Cristiano Ronaldo’s final appearance at the World Cup. All eyes will be on the 37-year-old talisman and he will be the key player in Qatar — desperate to add a first team world crown to his already bursting trophy cabinet. Manchester United teammate Bruno Fernandes will also be pivotal for the Euro 2016 winners.

For all their attacking talent, defensively is where Portugal have been most convincing, having conceded just seven times in qualifying.

• Current FIFA world ranking: 9 (November 2022)
• Regional ranking: 7th (UEFA)
• World Cup titles:—
• World Cup appearances (last): 7 (Russia 2018)
• How qualified: UEFA playoff winners: (2-0 vs. North Macedonia)
• Coach: Fernando Santos (Portugal) since September, 2014
• Key players: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United / England), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United / England), Joao Cancelo (Manchester City / England)

Ghana

Ghana will be present in Qatar following a valiant effort in the qualifying rounds, cementing a place in the tournament for the first time since 2014 by beating Nigeria on away goals in the African playoffs. The Black Stars went so close to reaching the semifinals of the World Cup in 2010, losing on penalties to Uruguay in the last eight.

Despite not having as many household names in the current squad compared to the 2010 and 2014 editions, players such as Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey and young Ajax talent Mohammed Kudus will both be stars to keep an eye on as the tournament gets underway.

Grit and determination are two qualities that are instilled into the fabric of this Ghana side, who lost just two of their 10 fixtures in 2021, but a poor Africa Cup of Nations campaign — in which they exited at the group stage without a win — means there is a point to prove back on the major stage.

• Current FIFA world ranking: 61 (November 2022)
• Regional ranking: 11th (CAF)
• World Cup titles:—
• World Cup appearances (last): 4 (Brazil 2014)
• How qualified: CAF Third Round winners: (agg 1-1 vs. Nigeria, Ghana win on away goals)
• Coach: Otto Addo (Germany) since January 2022 — interim
• Key players: Thomas Partey (Arsenal / England), Mohammed Kudus (Ajax / Netherlands), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace / England)

Uruguay

Although Uruguay’s squad is a talented one, recent times have been inconsistent for La Celeste, who were eliminated at the quarterfinals of the Copa America last year having hoped for much more.

Uruguay also got to the last eight at the 2018 World Cup, where eventual winners France edged them out.

The South Americans do consistently produce players capable of individual brilliance, and that will be no different in Qatar. Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez and veterans Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez are at opposite ends of their careers, but all are more than able to pose a major threat in front of goal.

How to balance them remains the question, along with the fitness of talismanic defender Diego Godin, whose injury problems ruled him out of the September friendlies.

• Current FIFA world ranking: 14 (November 2022)
• Regional ranking: 3rd (CONMEBOL)
• World Cup titles: 2
• World Cup appearances (last): 14 (Russia 2018)
• How qualified:(CONMEBOL third place: 8W-6L-4D)
• Coach: Diego Alonso (Uruguay) since December 2021
• Key players: Darwin Nunez (Liverpool/ England), Luis Suarez (Nacional / Uruguay), Diego Godin (Velez Sarsfield / Argentina)

South Korea

Not since 1982 have South Korea failed to appear at a World Cup and that streak will continue with Paulo Bento’s team competing in Qatar.

South Korea finished second in a tough third-round qualification group, beaten only in the final fixture with a place at the finals already assured. Prior to that, Bento’s side went on a seven-match winning run, and they will be hoping for similar momentum at the World Cup, where they will be looking to make it out of the group stage for the first time since 2010.

Son Heung-min is South Korea’s most obvious difference-maker, with the Tottenham forward a prolific goalscorer for club and country. Wolves’ Hwang Hee-chan is also an important figure for the Tigers of Asia. South Korea’s best World Cup performance saw them reach the semifinals on home soil in 2002 — can they match that result in the Middle East?

• Current FIFA world ranking: 28 (November 2022)
• Regional ranking: 3rd (AFC)
• World Cup titles:—
• World Cup appearances (last): 10 (Russia 2018)
• How qualified: AFC Third Round Group A runners-up 7W-L1-D2
• Coach: Paulo Bento (Portugal) since August 2018
• Key players: Son Heung-min (Tottenham / England), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolves / England), Kim Min-jae (Napoli / Italy)

World Cup Group H odds and predictions

Here are the odds for each team to win and qualify from the group, with odds provided by Sports Interaction (correct as of November 2022).

Minus odds is what must be wagered to win $100 on that specific bet, while plus odds represent the winnings from a successful $100 wager.

The first-place and second-place finishers in Group H will move on to the Round of 16 and will face off against the two teams to advance from Group G on Monday, Dec. 5, and Tuesday, Dec. 6.

The official FIFA 2022 World Cup match schedule outlines the following knockout pairings for the Round of 16 through to the final:

World Cup Round of 16

World Cup Quarterfinals

World Cup Semifinals

World Cup 3rd Place

World Cup Final