Five-time FIFA World Cup champion Brazil face Mexico in the first FIFA World Cup 2018 Round of 16 (pre-quarterfinals) on July 2 (Monday) in Samara at 7:30 pm Indian Standard Time (IST). The two teams enjoy a healthy rivalry and have clashed on 40 occasions with Brazil triumphing 23 times while Mexico claiming victory in 10 with the remaining seven matches ending in a draw.
But Brazil have a much better record in their FIFA World Cup clashes where they have defeated Mexico thrice in the four matches they have played against each other. Their last FIFA World Cup match was in the 2014 edition held in Brazil which ended in a 0-0 draw.
The second Round of 16 match today will see Belgium take on Japan, who managed to qualify for the knockout stages following a better fair play record than Senegal as the two teams were level on points, goals and goal difference after the end of Group H clashes. The match will be at 11:30 pm IST in Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don.
Monday, 2 July
Match 53: Brazil (Group E winner) vs Mexico (Group F runner-up)
Venue: Samara Arena, Samara
Time: 7:30 pm
Match 54: Belgium (Group G winner) vs Japan (Group H runner-up)
Venue: Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don
Time: 11.30 pm
Belgium have Japan have clashed five times before this match with the latter having won twice and the former only one. Two other matches were drawn. It was their last match in November 2017 that Belgium managed to beat Japan 1-0. The two have met only once in a FIFA World Cup when they drew 2-2 in the 2002 edition.
The teams winning the pre-quarterfinals on July 2 will face each other in the quarterfinal match on July 7 (Saturday) for a place in the semifinals. The quarterfinal match will take place at 7:30 pm in Samara Arena, Samara.
