Brazil, Germany & the Football Giants in Danger of a Swift Olympics Exit
While the men's football tournament is still in its early stages at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, a number of teams already know their fate going into the knockout stages.
Portugal and Nigeria are the first sides to book their places in the quarter-finals, thanks to back-to-back wins to kick off the competition in Brazil. Fiji and Algeria, on the other hand, are packing their bags for the long trip home, having failed to pick up a single point.
That leaves no fewer than 12 sides who will need a result in the final round of the group stage to make sure they do not follow those two eliminated nations on the early trip home. And considering how many surprises these Olympics have served up, reputation is no guarantee of easy progression.
From the host team to the defending gold medallists and the reigning World Cup champions, there are also plenty of heavyweights nervously looking forward to Wednesday and a tough battle for Olympic survival.
Argentina
1 of 5
The Copa America finalists made amends for an opening day defeat in Rio de Janeiro by picking up three points on Sunday. They will have to win against Honduras, however, to ensure a place in the quarter-finals.
Goals from Angel Correa and Jonathan Calleri secured a 2-1 victory for Julio Olarticoechea's side against Algeria. But with Portugal following up their defeat of the South Americans with a narrow win over Honduras, it will be do-or-die when they meet the latter team in the final game of Group D.
Both sides stand level on points after two games with three each. But Honduras have the edge on goal difference, meaning a draw would send them through.
Argentina have it all to do then if they wish to repeat their Olympic triumphs of 2004 and 2008. Anything less than a victory will ensure a short but painful trip home across the border from Brazil.
Brazil
2 of 5
Brazil fans must have thought their team's fortunes could not get any worse following the tepid opening draw against South Africa. They were wrong: The Selecao were once again toothless on Sunday, as Iraq held the hosts to a goalless tie.
After 180 minutes of football, their much-vaunted forward line of Neymar, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Barbosa has failed to net a single goal against opponents that should have been dispatched with ease. The two draws leave Brazil in desperate need of a win to avoid catastrophic elimination.
Group A leaders Denmark lie in wait for the final clash, and they're the only team to net in four games in the impossibly deadlocked pool. A loss would knock the home team out, while another draw would leave them sweating over the result between South Africa and Iraq.
Germany
3 of 5
While Germany have had no problem scoring goals so far in the Olympic Games, keeping them out has been a different prospect together. Despite having netted five goals in two games, the Europeans are in serious danger of taking an early flight out of Rio.
Serge Gnabry's last-gasp equaliser saved a 3-3 draw against dangerous South Korea, with defeat almost certainly condemning Germany to elimination, thanks to Mexico's easy victory over Fiji. Now, the onus is on Germany to beat the Pacific Islanders in the last round and to beat them by a comfortable margin.
Fiji have already lost 8-0 to Korea and 5-1 to Mexico, leaving the two leaders of Group B with extremely healthy goal differences. In order to keep their fate in their own hands, the Germans must beat their next opponents by a margin of at least five goals, although a win for either of the two top sides on Wednesday would also work in their favour.
Mexico
4 of 5
Such is the competition in Group C that even Mexico, with four points and seven goals from their opening two games are left possibly needing a win to make sure they progress to the knockout stages.
The reigning Olympic champions had a slow start against minnows Fiji and even spent almost the entire first half behind, thanks to Roy Krishna's opener. Four goals in 25 minutes from Erick Gutierrez brought a sense of normality ahead of a 5-1 win, but that Krishna goal could yet send the holders packing.
A failure to win against South Korea coupled by Germany beating the Pacific side by more than four goals would mean the Tricolor fall at the first hurdle, a cruel fate, given the incisive attacking football they have shown so far in the competition.
Sweden
5 of 5
One of four European teams active in the men's football competition, Sweden are also the most likely of the quartet to suffer a quick return over the Atlantic Ocean. Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Nigeria leaves the Scandinavians hanging on by a thread.
Sweden must beat Japan on Wednesday to stand any chance of going through. But they will also need Nigeria to take at least a draw against Colombia, who remain favourites to go through alongside the Super Eagles despite throwing away a winning position to tie against Japan.
