December 4, 2022 coverage of the World Cup

By Matt Meyer and Mike Hayes, CNN

Updated 4:43 p.m. ET, December 4, 2022
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11:33 a.m. ET, December 4, 2022

France takes the lead 1-0

France's Olivier Giroud celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Poland on Sunday.
France's Olivier Giroud celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Poland on Sunday. (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP)

Olivier Giroud has broken through for France late in the first half.

With that goal, Giroud becomes the leading goal scorer for his country at 52.

10:30 a.m. ET, December 4, 2022

France is dominating in the early stages

France’s Kylian Mbappe controls the ball during the match against Poland on Sunday.
France’s Kylian Mbappe controls the ball during the match against Poland on Sunday. (Andrej Isakovic/AFP/Getty Images)

In the first 20 minutes, the French have earned 4 corners, forced three saves by Poland's goalie Wojciech Szczęsny, and are dominating possession (66%).

Polish striker Robert Lewandoski looks a lonely man up top as Poland has had trouble getting forward.

It's still scoreless about a quarter of the way through this contest.

10:13 a.m. ET, December 4, 2022

France vs Poland kicks off

Poland’s Jakub Kaminski and France’s Dayot Upamecano compete for the ball on Sunday, December 4.
Poland’s Jakub Kaminski and France’s Dayot Upamecano compete for the ball on Sunday, December 4. (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

France and Poland's knockout round match has begun.

Will the reigning champions continue their march through the tournament, or can Poland pull off a shocking upset? Let's go.

10:01 a.m. ET, December 4, 2022

What to expect in the France vs Poland match at 10 a.m. ET

From CNN's Ben Morse and Matt Meyer

Players arrive on the pitch for the match between France and Poland on Sunday, December 4.
Players arrive on the pitch for the match between France and Poland on Sunday, December 4. (Christophe Ena/AP)

France comes in as the clear favorite against Poland, though this World Cup has already seen its share of upsets.

The two sides meet at 10 a.m. ET inside Al Thumama Stadium.

Les Bleus was the first squad to advance to the knockout stage and had the advantage of resting most of its stars heading into this match. The reigning champions are looking for an encore performance and are expected to last deep into this tournament.

All eyes will be on the team's captivating young star Kylian Mbappé, who at just 23 years old is widely renowned as one of the best players in the world.

Mbappé's squad faces a Poland side spearheaded by Robert Lewandowski, the country’s all-time top goalscorer.

However, France coach Didier Deschamps says Poland possesses many more threats than just the Barcelona striker.

“They’ve had to defend a lot in the group stage and they defended very well. Actually, they love it, but they’re not just a defensive team – just look at who they have up front,” Deschamps told a news conference, per Reuters.

“But there’s more. They have a backbone of players with great international experience, with Kamil Glik, Piotr Zieliński, Grzegorz Krychowiak and some youngsters who have shown they were up to the task. They deserve to be here.”

9:37 a.m. ET, December 4, 2022

Here are the starting lineups for France vs Poland

France

Goalkeeper: Hugo Lloris

Defenders: Théo Hernandez, Jules Koundé, Raphaël Varane, Dayot Upamecano

Midfielders: Antoine Griezmann, Aurelien Tchouameni, Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Adrien Rabiot

Forwards: Olivier Giroud

Poland

Goalkeeper: Wojciech Szczęsny

Defenders: Matty Cash, Jakub Kiwior, Kamil Glik, Bartosz Bereszyński

Midfielders: Grzegorz Krychowiak, Jakub Kamiński, Sebastian Szymański, Piotr Zieliński, Przemysław Frankowski

Forwards: Robert Lewandowski

9:22 a.m. ET, December 4, 2022

Former soccer player calls out authorities for "silence" on death of man celebrating Iran's World Cup defeat

From CNN's Manveena Suri and Jen Deaton

Mehran Samak.
Mehran Samak. (ISNA)

A prominent former Iranian national team soccer player and coach called out authorities for their "silence" following the death of a man celebrating Iran’s defeat against the United States earlier this week.

Mohammad Ahmadzadeh, who played for Iran from 1988 to 1990 and later coached the Malavan F.C. soccer club, asks in a video shared online: “Is it a crime punishable by death, to honk your horn or to be happy?"

According to Norway-based rights group Iran Human Rights (IHR), Mehran Samak, 27, was shot in the head by security personnel when he was out celebrating in Bandar Anzali on Tuesday night.

IHR said they confirmed the information through “several independent sources." CNN cannot independently verify, as Iran’s government is not allowing foreign media into the country, and has not been transparent in its reporting on protests and protest casualties.

In a video seen by pro-reform news outlet IranWire and shared on social media Saturday, Ahmadzadeh directly called on local Bandar Anzali members of parliament, reformist Ahmad Donyamali and city authorities to be held accountable.

“Hello to all my fellow people of Anzali who are bereaved because we have lost yet another youth, Mehran Samak," Ahmadzadeh says in the video. "We’ve lost this dear one and all the people of Anzali are bereaved.” 

He continues:

“I don’t know what their crime was. I want to ask the authorities of the city — 'What was their crime? Is it a crime, punishable by death, to honk your horn or to be happy for whatever reason?' I want to ask Mr. Donyamali, who considers himself a representative of this city — 'Why are you silent? Aren’t you a rep of this city? What reaction have you shown to the events so far?'”

Some context: Tuesday's loss to the US sparked public celebrations by anti-government protesters who have been demonstrating in the streets of Iran for several months.

The protests have been met with a deadly clampdown from authorities.

The nationwide uprising was first ignited by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman who died in mid-September after being detained by the country’s morality police. Since then, protesters across Iran have coalesced around a range of grievances with the regime.

9:25 a.m. ET, December 4, 2022

Neymar looks set to play after Brazil's head coach gives positive outlook for Monday's match

From CNN's Wayne Sterling

Neymar watches the World Cup match between Brazil and Cameroon on December 2.
Neymar watches the World Cup match between Brazil and Cameroon on December 2. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Brazil national team head coach Tite said star forward Neymar will play against South Korea if he practices "okay" on Sunday. 

"He will practice this afternoon, and if everything is okay, he will play," Tite said at a news conference Sunday. "Neymar being on the lineup depends on the medical department clearing that."

Neymar sprained his right ankle in his side’s opening World Cup match — a 2-0 win over Serbia — on Nov. 24.

He would be a key factor when Brazil faces off against South Korea in the Round of 16 at Stadium 974 in Doha on Monday.

Brazil’s Neymar holds his ankle during the match against Serbia on November 24.
Brazil’s Neymar holds his ankle during the match against Serbia on November 24. (Stephen Nadler/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

8:45 a.m. ET, December 4, 2022

Pelé says he’s "strong" and has "a lot of hope" in social media update

From CNN's Homero De La Fuente

Pelé in 2019.
Pelé in 2019. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)

Brazilian soccer legend Pelé said Saturday that he’s “strong” and has “a lot of hope” as he continues his treatment for colon cancer.

He posted a statement on social media after the soccer world, consumed with the World Cup in Qatar, turned its attention to the hospitalized icon and sent well-wishes.

“My friends, I want to keep everyone calm and positive. I'm strong, with a lot of hope and I follow my treatment as usual. I want to thank the entire medical and nursing team for all the care I have received,” according to the statement on Pelé’s Instagram page.

“I have a lot of faith in God and every message of love I receive from you all over the world keeps me full of energy. And watch Brazil in the World Cup too!" 

The 82-year-old was admitted to the Albert Einstein Isreali Hospital in Sao Paulo on Tuesday for a “re-evaluation of the chemotherapy treatment over the colon cancer identified in September 2021," according to a statement from the medical center.

In December 2021, Pelé was hospitalized and underwent chemotherapy treatment. In September of that year, he underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his right colon, which doctors found during routine examinations.

8:43 a.m. ET, December 4, 2022

Netherlands defeats the US 3-1, eliminating the Americans from the World Cup

From CNN's Homero De La Fuente

Netherlands’ Memphis Depay, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring the team's first goal against the US on December 3.
Netherlands’ Memphis Depay, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring the team's first goal against the US on December 3. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)

The US team is out at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, after the Netherlands won 3-1 in the first match of the knockout round.

Netherlands striker Memphis Depay scored in the 10th minute of the match, and then Daley Blind pulled the Dutch ahead by two just seconds before halftime. The Americans had a brief glimmer of hope when they scored a goal in the 76th minute, narrowing the deficit to one. But the Netherlands squashed that, with Denzel Dumfries scoring minutes later.

The Dutch hunkered down and kept the US from ever climbing closer, winning 3-1.

Dumfries is the third player in Netherlands history to be directly involved (via assists or scoring) in three-plus goals in a single World Cup game. He joins Rob Rensenbrink, who did it twice in 1978, and Johan Cruyff in 1974. 

The Oranje will next face the winner of Saturday’s Argentina-Australia match in the quarterfinals Friday. 

It's a tough way to end the World Cup for a talented and youthful Team USA, which looked like it belonged in this tournament during the group stage.