BRAZIL and Portugal secured their places in the round of 16 on a thrilling ninth day of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Monday.

The two teams advanced to the next round after France, which was the first to qualify for the last 16 when the side beat Denmark 2-1 Saturday.

Casemiro struck late as Brazil outlasted Switzerland with a 1-0 win in their Group G match at Stadium 974 in Doha.

The Manchester United midfielder put his side ahead in the 83rd minute when his first-time shot deflected in off Manuel Akanji following Rodrygo’s flicked pass.

Brazil has now won its past nine games and will progress to the last 16 of soccer’s showpiece tournament irrespective of the result of its final group game against Cameroon on Friday. Switzerland must defeat Serbia to guarantee its place in the next round in Qatar.

Brazil went into Monday’s duel without talismanic forward Neymar, who suffered an ankle injury in the 2-0 victory over Serbia last Thursday. The 30-year-old was originally expected to miss the rest of the group stage but could return for the clash against Cameroon.

At Education City Stadium, Mohammed Kudus netted a brace as Ghana beat South Korea 3-2 in their pulsating Group H encounter.

Mohammed Salisu opened the scoring for the African side with a 24th-minute strike and Kudus doubled the advantage just beyond the half-hour.

Two world-class headers in three minutes from Cho Gue-sung put the Asian outfit on level terms but Kudus rifled home a third goal for Ghana as Otto Addo’s men maintained their hopes of progressing to the last 16.

In the late game, Bruno Fernandes scored twice as Portugal took revenge for its World Cup exit to Uruguay in 2018 with a 2-0 win in the Lusail Stadium.

The midfielder opened the scoring in the 54th minute with a cross that evaded everyone to end in the Uruguay net, while his second was an injury time penalty given for a handball.

The result books Portugal’s place in the last 16, while Uruguay will have to beat Ghana and hopes that South Korea doesn’t defeat a Portugal side that can now rest players.

Cristiano Ronaldo was unable to add to the penalty he scored against Ghana, which took his World Cup tally to eight goals from five tournaments and his men’s record of international goals to 118.

He was still the center of attention, though, illuminating a lackluster first half with tricks and flicks that brought gasps from the crowd inside the World Cup’s largest venue, where Ronaldo will hope to return for the final Dec. 18.

“We are satisfied today, because we can move into the new stage,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos said, commenting that he didn’t see the result as a revenge for Uruguay’s win over his side in the 2018 World Cup. “Those were different circumstances.”

“Two wins from two games is what I wanted for the team,” he said, brushing aside controversy over whether Fernandes or Ronaldo actually scored his side’s opening goal.

“I think it was a great match, my team played well and the rest doesn’t matter,” Santos said.

(SD-Xinhua)