Zlatko Dalic stressed that staying disciplined will be crucial if Croatia are to defeat Japan and reach the World Cup quarter-finals.

Croatia, runners-up in Group F behind Morocco, face Japan on Monday in the last 16.

Japan were the shock victors of Group E in Qatar, having claimed 2-1 victories over Germany and Spain either side of a 1-0 loss to Costa Rica.

Runners-up to France in 2018, Croatia have only lost two of their eight knockout stage games at the World Cup (W4 D2), while Japan have never progressed beyond the last 16.

Hajime Moriyasu's team have shown their quality against top sides, however, and Dalic knows his team must stay regimented if they are to avoid an upset.

"Spain might have thought it was going to be easier, but Japan are a team that do not quit, as they showed against Germany as well," Dalic told reporters.

"At some point, when Costa Rica were leading against Germany, Spain were out of the tournament, so they couldn't allow themselves to lose. Japan deserved to win.

"Before the group stage, if we could choose an opponent in the next round, some people may have said Japan, but after seeing them beat Germany and Spain, they are anything but an easier opponent.

"If you are first in a group with Germany and Spain, it shows your quality and that you are playing at a really high level. What I would say about the Japanese team is that they never quit. They conceded goals at the beginning of the match both against Germany and Spain, but they came back.

"They had a lot of faith in themselves, and that is a great virtue of the Japan national team. For us, it will be key that we are also disciplined and patient. We cannot make mistakes, because Japan has the quality to punish those mistakes. We need to be good at falling back if we lose the ball."

Croatia might have progressed from a group that also included Belgium and Canada, but failed to score in two of their matches – they had only drawn a blank in two of 13 matches at the tournament in the 2006, 2014 and 2018 editions combined.

Dalic's side like to control possession, but that could play into Japan's hands. They averaged just 32.3 per cent of the ball across their three group stage games. Indeed, their two wins over Spain and Germany came with 17.7 per cent and 26.1 per cent possession respectively, while the one match they lost came when they had more of the ball against Costa Rica (56.8 per cent).

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Japan – Ritsu Doan

Three of Japan's four goals scored have been scored by substitutes. Ritsu Doan has netted two of these. 

Only three players have ever scored at least three goals as a substitute at a single World Cup – Andre Schurrle in 2014 (three), Roger Milla in 1990 (four), and Laszlo Kiss in 1982 (three).

Croatia – Ivan Perisic

Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic and Luka Modric run the midfield for Croatia, but their attack is not quite as world-class.

That being said, in Ivan Perisic they have a wide player more than capable of chipping in. The 33-year-old has scored nine goals at major tournaments, which is a joint record for Croatia along with Davor Suker.

Perisic has also set up seven goals at either the Euros or the World Cup, a national record, and no Croatia player has had more shots so far in Qatar than his tally of five.

PREDICTION

This will be the third World Cup meeting between Japan and Croatia, with Japan winless and goalless in the previous two – a 1-0 defeat in 1998 and a goalless draw in 2006, both in the group stage. 

Opta's model says the odds are against Japan, who are given a 26 per cent chance of progressing to the last eight. Croatia are the favourites (46.1 per cent).

Do not be surprised to see this one go to extra-time, though – the draw is ranked at a 27.9 per cent chance.

Home favourite Thriston Lawrence fought back to win the South African Open Championship despite surrendering a five-shot lead with two holes remaining in Sunday's final round.

Lawrence began Sunday with a two-shot advantage at 18-under-par, with Clement Sordet hot on his heels after carding consecutive rounds of 66.

The South African looked to be cruising after moving five shots clear of the Frenchman on the 10th hole, but had to wait until the penultimate hole to secure the win after a series of slip-ups.

Sordet drew level with his rival before dropping a shot by missing a short putt on the 17th, allowing Lawrence to seal the title despite missing the green off the tee in a tense finish.

Lawrence's relief was clear when he spoke after the win, saying: "It's not over until the fat lady sings and I got a little conservative over the closing stretch and it cost me. I managed to hang in there. 

"It's what you strive for and play for every day. Being a kid you dream of this moment. I'm just so pleased, words can't describe it."

The victory represents Lawrence's third on the European Tour, with the 26-year-old having followed up 2021's Joburg Open win by claiming the Omega European Masters title in August.

Jens Fahrbring finished one shot behind Sordet in third, with Matti Schmid three shots further back in fourth. 

Criticism of Louis van Gaal as a "conservative coach" is unfair, according to Arsene Wenger, who believes the Netherlands boss will "gamble" when required.

Van Gaal has led the Oranje to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in his third stint in the job, beating the United States 3-1 on Saturday.

The Netherlands also reached the semi-finals under the former Ajax and Barcelona coach in 2014, before missing out on qualification for Russia 2018 in his absence.

Wenger, leading FIFA's technical study group, therefore believes Van Gaal deserves more leeway as his style of play in this tournament is scrutinised.

After finishing top of Group A, Van Gaal told journalists to go home if the Netherlands' football was "terribly boring", as the accusation had been.

"I would not classify Louis van Gaal as a conservative coach," Wenger said on Sunday. "I believe he has done remarkable work in his life and have a big respect for what he has delivered.

"He is a bit more cautious until now in the game. I agree with you because Dutch football, I have to give them credit, historically, they've always been attacking.

"In this competition, the numbers of possession is a bit less. That's it.

"I don't know if he plays deliberately conservatively or whether he does that to be more efficient. But at the moment, it works for him.

"And I wouldn't judge the potential for the Dutch until now. I think he knows. Van Gaal has huge experience.

"And I was thinking last night this guy, he comes back and he's in the quarter-final again. He's in the last eight with Holland, and before he came back, Holland had struggled.

"So, he has something special to carry the belief of a team, always to find the places in the tournament, and I have a huge respect for that.

"Let's see how he develops his capabilities as well to go for a gamble. If the game is tied later on in the match, I'm convinced [he will]."

Mehidy Hasan was the hero as Bangladesh claimed a famous one-wicket victory over India in a dramatic first ODI at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

The tourists were all out for only 186 at the start of a three-match series, KL Rahul top scoring with 73 from 70 balls in Mirpur on Sunday, Shakib Al Hasan taking 5-36 and Ebadot Hossain 4-47.

Bangladesh looked to have blown their chance to take a 1-0 lead when they lost five wickets for just eight runs, slumping to 136-9.

But Mehidy came to the rescue, dominating an unbroken 10th-wicket stand of 51 with Mustafizur Rahman with a brilliant 38 not out to give the Tigers the most unlikely of victories and spark jubilant scenes in Dhaka.

Shakib had earlier played a huge role, dismissing Rohit Sharma (27) and Virat Kohli (nine) in the 11th over after Shikhar Dhawan fell cheaply.

Rahul, coming in at number five, and Shreyas Iyer (24) put on 60 for the fifth wicket before India lost four wickets for as many runs, Shakib and Ebadot doing the damage.

There were four sixes from Rahul, taking over as wicketkeeper-batter with Rishabh Pant ruled out, in an excellent knock that looked to be decisive as the Tigers capitulated in the run chase.

Stand-in captain Litton Das top scored with 41 after Deepak Chahar removed Najmul Hossain Shanto with the first ball of Bangladesh's innings, and Shakib made 29.

Mohammed Siraj took 3-32 and debutant Kuldeep Sen 2-37 as the Tigers wilted, but Mehidy was dropped by Rahul on 15 and made him pay, sealing a sensational victory with four overs to spare with great support from Mustafizur (10no)

Shakib and Ebadot tear through India

Shakib gave yet another demonstration of how he has risen to the top of the ODI and T20I all-rounder rankings, claiming his fourth five-wicket haul in the 50-over format.

He claimed the huge scalps of Rohit and Kohli in the 11th over, bowling his spin with great guile. Ebadot was the pick of the pacemen in his second ODI, sparking a collapse by dismissing Washington Sundar and also claiming the scalp of Rahul.

Magical Mehidy completes great escape

The crowd had been silenced and Bangladesh were on the ropes at 136-9 when Siraj trapped Hasan Mahmud leg before.

Step forward Mehidy, who struck two sixes and another four boundaries in a brilliant 72-ball knock after coming in at number eight, showing nerves of steel as he kept the strike and Mustafizur also remained calm under pressure in the Tigers' second-highest 10th-wicket ODI stand. 

Bangladesh have now won 12 of their past 14 ODIs, ending a run of five consecutive losses to India in this format.

Lionel Messi was liberated by winning last year's Copa America and is relishing his leading role in Argentina's World Cup bid, according to former team-mate Sergio Aguero.

Messi scored his ninth World Cup goal – and his first in a knockout tie – as Argentina claimed a 2-1 victory over Australia on Saturday, teeing up a quarter-final meeting with the Netherlands.

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner's strike, a trademark left-footed finish after cutting inside from the right, also saw him surpass Diego Maradona's tally of eight World Cup goals for Argentina. Only Gabriel Batistuta (10) now has more for the country.

Messi highlighted his "beautiful" bond with Argentina's supporters after the win, but Aguero believes that is a recent development, one which came about as a result of the Albiceleste ending a 28-year wait to win the Copa America last July.

"Leo is going to do everything possible to achieve the goal that we all want," the former Argentina international told ESPN. 

"Leo is happy and content. The Copa America changed his life, it gave him life. After the Copa America, he was happy again in the national team, like when we were in the under-20s.

"He lived with criticism and lost finals for a long time. The Copa America was liberating for him."

Prior to Argentina's triumph over hosts Brazil last year, Messi had suffered the ignominy of losing four major international finals, failing to help his team over the line at the 2014 World Cup or the 2007, 2015 and 2016 editions of the Copa America.

Recalling that victory in Rio de Janeiro, Aguero said Brazil – who could meet Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals – would not relish a rematch.

"If we made it to the quarter-finals, let me be excited," Aguero said. "Do you think that Brazil wants to meet Argentina in the semi-finals? 

"Brazil has just lost the Copa America final, I think they don't want that match."

Brazil coach Tite has slammed the "haters" spreading "evil lies" and "fake news" about Gabriel Jesus' injury.

Arsenal forward Jesus, along with Sevilla defender Alex Telles, will miss the rest of the World Cup with a knee injury sustained in Friday's defeat to Cameroon.

Reports from Brazil are now claiming the 25-year-old – who has been crucial to Arsenal's form this season – could miss up to three months.

There have also been rumours that Jesus initially suffered a problem before playing in the Cameroon game, but Tite strongly denied these claims in a venomous rebuttal in his press conference ahead of Monday's last-16 tie with South Korea.

"I don't like hearing lies, evil lies, those [come from] the people who want to do bad things for others," Tite said.

"At no time whatsoever do we play for victory at the risk of peril for a player, so the liars that are out there, the haters, who keep giving hate, go and do something else and stop giving fake news.

" Arsenal have a great medical department, we have a great medical department. We are responsible, ethical.

"It's a shame, very sorry for Gabriel. [On Saturday] we had Neymar, Thiago [Silva] and Marquinhos chatting with him and then Telles.

"We then added [assistant coach] Cesar [Sampaio] who has also had this experience. It was not to take the pain away but just to make them feel better, strengthen them and for them to be able to participate as much as possible."

Sampaio, who featured at the 1998 World Cup for Brazil, added: "At no moment were we made aware of an injury. We will never put health at risk for a result.

"Injury is difficult in an athlete's career, regardless of when it happens. We feel fragile when we cannot do what we love, especially at a World Cup.

"We spent time to give them support, we do not know what we have ahead of us but regardless of not being with us physically, they are with this team."

On the positive side for Brazil, Neymar will be fit to feature against South Korea should he come through Sunday's training session without any issues, while Danilo is also available.

Arsene Wenger has suggested Germany's early elimination from the World Cup was linked to their decision to carry out "political demonstrations" in Qatar.

Germany slumped to a second consecutive group-stage exit as Japan and Spain progressed from Group E, failing to recover from a surprise 2-1 defeat to the Samurai Blue on matchday one.

Ahead of that fixture, Germany's players covered their mouths during a team photo to protest FIFA's decision to ban captain Manuel Neuer from wearing the OneLove armband – a gesture intended to promote an anti-discriminatory message in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal.

A statement from the team said "denying us the armband is the same as denying us a voice", but some – most notably Belgium winger Eden Hazard – claimed the protest may have distracted Germany's players.

Wenger, the head of FIFA's Technical Study Group for the tournament, agreed with that suggestion, saying: "When you go to a World Cup, you know you can't lose the first game. 

"The teams who have the experience to perform in tournaments like France and England played well in the first game.

"The teams who were mentally ready, with a mindset to focus on competition, and not the political demonstrations."

Speaking after the defeat to Japan, Germany coach Hansi Flick insisted his players were "not at all" distracted by their decision to take a stand on the OneLove debate.

Germany were one of several European teams to initially commit to wearing the armband, but each backed down ahead of the World Cup after facing the apparent threat of sporting sanctions.

Neymar has returned to training ahead of Brazil's World Cup last-16 tie with South Korea and will feature if he gets the green light from the team's medical department.

Brazil's talisman has not featured in Qatar since the Selecao's opening Group G game - a 2-0 win over Serbia.

Neymar went off in that match having sustained an ankle injury and was unavailable for the rest of the group stage.

The 30-year-old posted images from his return to training on social media on Saturday, along with the caption "I feel good, I knew that I would now", and it was confirmed in Brazil's pre-match press conference that Neymar will be available as long as he comes through a session unscathed on Sunday.

"Neymar's going to practice today," Brazil coach Tite said.

"If he practices okay then he will be playing. There's a specific training today. He will practice and if everything is okay, he will play."

Tite insisted, however, the final call will be with Brazil's medical experts.

"We play a price to be the best, we want to be at our most competent but we never put health at risk," Tite added when asked if Neymar would start if he came through the training session without any issues.

"Neymar being in the line-up depends on the medical department clearing it.

"I prefer to use my best from the start. Myself, as a head coach I have to take that responsibility, and that is my preference."

Tite also confirmed Danilo is available for selection, though Alex Sandro is not. Gabriel Jesus and Alex Telles, meanwhile, have been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament.

Yuto Nagatomo wants his Japan team-mates to "fight like samurais" when they face Croatia in the last 16 of the World Cup.

Japan shocked many by winning Group E in Qatar, beating former world champions Germany and Spain to do so.

The Samurai Blue were eliminated in the 2018 tournament by Belgium in the round of 16, losing 3-2 after taking a two-goal lead.

Four years on and Nagatomo, who played in that game in Rostov, thinks the challenge of getting over that blow will only strengthen what he calls the "strongest" Japan team in World Cup history.

"Of course I've never forgotten [the Belgium loss]," Nagatomo told reporters. "It always remained with me, sometimes suddenly I remember things from that game.

"The last four years have been very tough for me, my thoughts were always on the Qatar World Cup, but we overcame those challenging four years and I think we grew mentally and physically.

"Since 2008, I've been participating about 15 years in the World Cup process, but as far as I can see, this team is the strongest in the history of Japan's participation in the World Cup.

"We intend to beat Croatia and enjoy a new landscape and I'm looking forward to shouting 'bravo' out loud."

Hajime Moriyasu's side showed spirit in their wins against Germany and Spain, coming from a goal down to beat both 2-1, and Nagatomo revealed where some of their belief may have come from.

"Before the Germany game, there is a word in Italian, 'couragio', which means 'courage', so I shook hands with each player and we said 'couragio' together," the former Inter man said.

"I think all the players are manifesting this 'couragio' play, sometimes on the field or on the bench, but the atmosphere on the bench is also very good. I can really feel we are united as one and this is Japan's strength. I think we are the most united team at this World Cup.

"I don't need to say 'couragio' anymore, they are passionate enough and I'm sure we're going to show the world very passionate play tomorrow. We will win.

"I mentioned before that we use the analogy of the samurai, before they go to battle they polish their weapons, improve their techniques, but if they are scared during the battle, they will not be able to use them properly. It's the same with football.

"Of course, tactics are important, but no matter how much we improve those, if we are scared on the field, those things are useless. In order for us to maximise all the tactics we've been talking about in the last four years, the first thing we need is courage. Tomorrow, we want to showcase how courageously we are fighting."

When asked to elaborate on his samurai point, Nagatomo said: "Yes, I am the one who of course talks about the samurais very often. In the world, the Japanese samurais are very famous, so we'd like to fight like samurais. I think this is a great opportunity to show how we can fight as the samurai."

Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic also alluded to the "samurai philosophy", but insisted his players will be ready, having played a part in eliminating Japan's 2018 tormentors Belgium in the group stage.

"What I find to be of utmost importance is to demonstrate respect for opponents," Dalic said. "They beat two World Cup winners, they showed their mental strength and quality.

"What I said to my players [is] 'never underestimate'. They will bring samurai philosophy in their game, we'll do our part. We know what they are, who they are, their mentality. We must apply the same attitude. We must do our best and never underestimate, show maximum respect and we'll see who is the best team."

England need eight wickets to win the first Test on the final day and Pakistan require 263 runs to go 1-0 up after a bold declaration from Ben Stokes at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Stokes set Pakistan 343 for victory on a flat pitch when he ended the tourists' innings on 264-7 from 35.5 overs during the tea break on Sunday and they closed on 80-2.

Debutant Will Jacks had earlier taken 6-161 to bowl Pakistan out for 579 before England put their foot down again, with Harry Brook (87), Joe Root (73) and Zak Crawley (50) scoring rapid half-centuries.

Having kept the match alive with such a positive approach on a placid track, England got rid of Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam, with Azhar Ali also departing retired hurt to leave the game well poised heading into the final day.

Agha Salman (53) and Zahid Mahmood (17) held England up with an eighth-wicket stand of 57 after they resumed on 499-7, but the impressive Jacks removed that pair and Haris Rauf to end the innings.

Ben Duckett was taken by Salman at second slip off Naseem Shah for a golden duck in the first over of England's second innings and Ollie Pope made only 15, but Crawley and Root piled on the runs.

They put on 60 before the elegant Crawley, one of the tourists' four first-innings centurions, was removed by Mohammad Ali, with Brook then sharing a rapid stand of 96 with Root.

Former captain Root batted left-handed at one stage as he made a classy half-century, while Brook showed his full repertoire of shots on both sides of the wicket as the runs continued to flow.

Root was caught when sweeping Zahid and Stokes fell without scoring in the same over, before declaring after the brilliant Brook was cleaned up by Naseem on the stroke of tea.

England's short-ball approach paid off when Ollie Robinson dismissed Shafique and Stokes claimed the huge wicket of Babar, caught behind for only four, after Azhar departed having taken blow on his index finger.

Imam-ul-Haq (43 not out) and Saud Shakeel (24no) saw Pakistan through to the close, the debutant getting a late life when he was dropped by Keaton Jennings at short leg. 

The joy of six for Jacks 

Jacks came into the England set-up better known for his explosive batting than his bowling, but the spinning all-rounder has made a big impact with the ball on his Test bow.

He polished off Pakistan's first innings in the morning session to double his wicket tally, earning his rewards for bowling 40.3 overs. 

Jacks later struck three sixes as he made a quickfire 23 from 13 balls as England batted in one-day mode once again before the declaration.

Blistering Brook, Stokes strikes

Following a 153 from 116 balls in the first innings, Brook put on another show as he took the Pakistan bowling attack apart.

He struck three sixes and 11 fours, demonstrating great timing and clean hitting to enable Stokes to declare during the tea interval.

Stokes then claimed the huge scalp of Babar to give England the upper hand after Robinson had Shafique taken by Brook in the deep.

Adrian Meronk overhauled Adam Scott to win his second DP World Tour title in five months with victory at the Australian Open.

Meronk trailed Scott by a shot going into the final round at Victoria Golf Course.

But the Pole, who won the Irish Open in July, was superb for the third successive round in Melbourne, his four-under 66 propelling him to triumph.

He made the turn three under for the round and on the back nine bogeys at 13 and 17 were sandwiched by a birdie at 15.

Meronk finished it in style with a stunning eagle putt from the edge of the green that saw him finish 14 under for the tournament.

Scott, who could only manage a level-par 72, was five shots back at nine under.

"To finish like that on the 18th hole, it's unreal," said Meronk. 

"[I] kept doing what I done last two days and just worked pretty well so I'm just super proud of me, proud of my team."

Jadon Sancho will not be a part of Manchester United's training camp in Spain, instead staying behind to work on an individual programme "as part of a process to get back to his highest level."

United will spend a week in Spain preparing for the return of domestic football, playing friendlies against Cadiz on Wednesday and Real Betis on Saturday.

Erik ten Hag will be without 13 first team players due to the World Cup, while the Premier League club confirmed that Sancho – who missed out on a place in Gareth Southgate's England squad for Qatar 2022 – will also not be present.

The 22-year-old was recently spotted training with Dutch amateur side OJC Rosmalen, reportedly with coaches recommended by Ten Hag.

United confirmed on Sunday on their website: "Jadon Sancho is continuing his individual training programme as part of a process to get back to his highest level. The club is fully supporting him in this."

Sancho has three goals and one assist in 14 games (12 starts) for his club this season, having only managed five goals and three assists in 38 games (27 starts) last campaign following a £73million (€85m) move from Borussia Dortmund.

United will also be without defensive trio Axel Tuanzebe, Aaron Wan Bissaka and Brandon Williams in Spain as they continue their recoveries from injury.

The Red Devils return to competitive action in the EFL Cup on December 21 when they host Burnley in the fourth round, before resuming their Premier League campaign at home to Nottingham Forest on December 27.

Deion Sanders is the new head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, the NFL Hall of Famer leaving Jackson State to take charge of a moribund Power 5 program.

Sanders' profile and coaching acumen has transformed Jackson State, turning the HBCU (Historically black colleges and universities) into a powerhouse in the FCS. 

He helped Jackson State land the top recruit in the 2022 class, cornerback Travis Hunter, who flipped his commitment from Florida State and had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Oklahoma. Hunter became the highest-ranked prospect to ever commit to a HBCU or an FCS program

On the field, Sanders went 4-3 in a 2020 season that was moved to the spring of 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but led Jackson State to an 11-2 record in his second season and leaves the Tigers having guided them to a 12-0 record in 2022 and a place in the Celebration Bowl for the second successive campaign.

Now the man known as 'Coach Prime', in a take on the 'Prime Time' nickname he earned during his stellar playing career, turns his focus to revitalising a Colorado team that went 1-11 in 2022, finishing last in the Pac-12. The Buffaloes have just one winning season in 17 years.

"There were a number of highly qualified and impressive candidates interested in becoming the next head football coach at Colorado, but none of them had the pedigree, the knowledge and the ability to connect with student-athletes like Deion Sanders," athletic director Rick George said.

"Not only will Coach Prime energise our fanbase, I'm confident that he will lead our program back to national prominence while leading a team of high quality and high character."