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Round of 16 - Argentina vs Switzerland (17:00 BST) & Belgium vs USA (21:00 BST)

gillsminnow

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gillsminnow

gillsminnow

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Argentina vs Switzerland (17:00 BST)

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TEAM NEWS

Argentina striker Sergio Aguero is ruled out by a thigh problem and is set to be replaced by Ezequiel Lavezzi.

An alternative option for coach Alejandro Sabella is to bring in another central midfielder and switch from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2.

Switzerland are without back-up striker Mario Gavranovic, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament in training.

Granit Xhaka may again start on the right wing, with Xherdan Shaqiri supporting lone striker Josip Drmic.

MATCH PREVIEW

The 2014 World Cup has been lit up by left-footed players such as James Rodriguez and Arjen Robben, and it would be no surprise if the contribution of two lefties proves decisive when Argentina meet the Swiss in Sao Paulo.

Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri became the first player to score a left-footed hat-trick in the World Cup as his side beat Honduras to reach the last 16.

Dubbed "The Lionel Messi of the Alps", the Kosovo-born youngster has one goal fewer in Brazil than the Argentina captain, who is bidding to become the first player to score in four successive World Cup fixtures for La Albiceleste since 1930.

Yet despite four goals in the group stage, some have suggested Messi has not yet hit top form in Brazil - including the player's own grandfather,who has complained he doesn't run enough.

There will be a change to Argentina's attack on Tuesday, with Messi's room-mate Sergio Aguero ruled out.

The Manchester City man has yet to fire in Brazil, and the introduction of Paris St-Germain's Ezequiel Lavezzi could perhaps give Argentina better balance.

The stocky winger replaced Aguero for the final 52 minutes against Nigeria and was far more involved in build-up play. He had 43 touches and attempted 31 passes compared to Aguero's tally of 11 touches and six passes.

The Swiss have already reaped the benefit of a tactical tweak. Shaqiri began the tournament playing on the right flank but has looked more threatening since moving to a roaming central role, with Granit Xhaka shunted wide.

In a tournament where Latin American sides have flourished, the Swiss have bucked the trend, getting the better of both Honduras and Ecuador.

However, the calamitous defensive display in the 5-2 defeat to France will encourage the Argentines, as will Switzerland's lack of tournament pedigree.

The Swiss have never won a game in the latter stages of a World Cup or European Championship finals.

Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, who retires after this tournament, admits: "We are the clear outsiders but we have nothing to lose and much to gain."

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Argentina are unbeaten in their six previous games against Switzerland (W4, D2).

• The most recent encounter was a friendly in Bern in February 2012 which the Argentines won 3-1 thanks to a Lionel Messi hat-trick.

• The only previous World Cup meeting came in the group stage of the 1966 tournament. Argentina won 2-0 in a game staged at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough Stadium.

Argentina

• La Albiceleste have been eliminated in just one of their six previous matches at the last-16 stage. That was their 3-2 defeat by Romania in 1994.

• Lionel Messi has scored 24 times in his last 23 games for Argentina.

• Messi can become the first Argentine to score in four successive World Cup matches since Guillermo Stabile at the inaugural tournament in 1930.

• Argentina are unbeaten in the last 24 games in which Messi has featured (W17, D7).

• Their 3-2 win against Nigeria on 25 June was the first World Cup match in which both teams scored in the opening five minutes.

• It was also just the third game in which both teams scored in the first five minutes of the second half.

Switzerland

• All 11 of Switzerland's previous World Cup wins have come in the opening round. They have never won a match at a later stage of the tournament.

• However, because the format used in earlier tournaments was different, they have twice won knockout matches in the first round - eliminating Germany in 1938 and Italy in 1954.

• The Swiss reached the quarter-finals in three of the first five World Cups. Since then they have advanced to the last 16 twice, failing to score on both occasions - a 3-0 defeat to Spain in 1994 and 0-0 draw with Ukraine in 2006 (followed by defeat on penalties).

• They have only lost two of their last 21 matches (W14, D5).

• Xherdan Shaqiri scored the first left-footed hat-trick in World Cup history in the 3-0 win against Honduras. It was also the 50th hat-trick at a World Cup.

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ARENA CORINTHIANS

Belgium vs USA (21:00 BST)

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TEAM NEWS

Belgium are troubled by defensive injuries, with captain Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen both doubtful.

Laurent Ciman and Anthony Vanden Borre are ruled out, while midfielder Steven Defour is banned for one game after being sent off against South Korea.

The USA have Jozy Altidore available after a two-match absence with a hamstring injury.

He is the only doubt for head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who may opt to name an unchanged side.

MATCH PREVIEW

Seventeen members of the Belgium squad were not born the last time the national side reached the World Cup quarter-finals in 1986. Standing in their way are the USA, who reached the last eight most recently in 2002.

Belgium head coach Marc Wilmots has praised his US counterpart and friend Jurgen Klinsmann for bringing the German mentality to the United States' side, and warned his players: "Physically they are very strong, we are preparing for a war."

Wilmots has plenty of muscle at his disposal and he also believes his side will now play more expansively than they did in the group stage. "I am convinced that our level is going to be better," he said. "We are fresh and now we have reached the second round, we can play freely."

The Red Devils may have failed to entertain so far in the tournament butthey emerged from the group stage with maximum points,something they had previously never done.

Jurgen Klinsmann was accused of being "un-American" by the US press prior to the tournament for saying that winning the tournament was "not realistic". Yet, with the group stage safely negotiated, the 1990 World Cup winner is now talking up his side's chances against Belgium.

"We have enough confidence now going into this game - a very special one, a knockout game. We have absolutely no fear at all. We feel like we are in a position now to challenge. We believe we have built a foundation in our team that we are able to beat them."

Momentum is often a buzz word in sport and, despite losing to Germany in their last group game, the USA believe they have it, both on and off the pitch. Backed by record-breaking numbers both in Brazil and on TV back home, football has caught on in the States.

Klinsmann is now helping to fan those flames. He has told his players and families to change their flights until the day after the final. Only time will tell if his new-found belief or his initial gut instinct were correct.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Belgium and USA have met just once before in the World Cup, at the first tournament in 1930. The US ran out 3-0 winners in Montevideo.

• Belgium have won the four subsequent meetings, keeping a clean sheet in three.

• The Red Devils won 4-2 in Cleveland last year in their most recent encounter. Christian Benteke scored twice for Belgium that night, with Kevin Mirallas and Marouane Fellaini also among the goals. Clint Dempsey and Geoff Cameron replied for the USA.

Belgium

• Belgium won all three of their group matches at a World Cup for the first time. It was also the first time they had won three successive World Cup games.

• Marc Wilmots' side scored four goals during the group stage, the second lowest tally of the 16 teams who qualified for the second round (Greece scored twice).

• The last six Belgium goals at World Cups have come in the closing 20 minutes of games.

• Every outfield player featured during the group stage with the exception of defender Laurent Ciman.

• Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois remains unbeaten at international level.

USA

• The USA have reached the knockout stage in three of the last four World Cups.

• They have kept just one clean sheet in their last 10 World Cup games, but have scored in all but one of their last nine.

• Three of their last five strikes have come from set-piece situations (two corners, one penalty).

• Clint Dempsey has four goals in nine World Cup appearances, scoring in each of his three World Cup tournaments (2006, 2010, 2014).

• He needs one more goal to equal Landon Donovan as the USA's all-time World Cup top scorer with five goals.

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ITAIPAVA ARENA FONTE NOVA

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jep

jep

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The Swiss will get schooled today sadly, something like 3-1 or 4-1.

I can see the other game being pretty dour and going to extra time, maybe even penalties. Belgium to shade it though.

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Animasta

Animasta

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Look at the way France dismantled the Swiss. Argentina will do something similar, I fear. Unless they change their system dramatically.

If they do, 1-0 or 2-1. If they don't, 4-1 or 5-1.

I honesty think the way that game played out was because of the injury to their defender whom I cannot name atm.

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JD nawrat

JD nawrat

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The US are a team. Belgium are a bunch of great players thrown together, struggling to get results.

I think the US will win but if Belgium come through with a victory I will not be surprised. The difference in quality of the two sides isn't that great - on paper it's an easy Belgium win but you just have to look at how crap Belgium have been so far (despite getting 9 points, but all by one goal margins, so...).

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JD nawrat

JD nawrat

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The tentative nature of the L16 is nothing new. You always get matches like this - one side favourites, the other in with a shout but only if they pack defence and counter-attack.

It's the Quarter finals where things get interesting - France/Germany and Brazil/Colombia will be great (just like Brazil/Chile was). Netherlands/Costa Rica will likely be rubbish because it is essentially a L16 tie and Argentina/Switzerland v Belgium/USA will likely be the same.

This WC has produced one bracket full of quality and one bracket devoid of quality, unfortunately. No prizes for guessing which side is full of it.

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Noob21

Noob21

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So you weren't watching last night then?

But yeah, this has been pretty dull so far

Watched the whole thing, it only got interesting in the final stretch. Handful for the small team keepers though

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Pukey

Pukey

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Watched the whole thing, it only got interesting in the final stretch. Handful for the small team keepers though

So you honestly thought Germany vs Algeria wasn't interesting until the "final stretch"? :D

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