Quick Thoughts Before the World Cup

Five Players to Watch:

Messi

Lionel Messi (ARG)

He is arguably the best player on the planet right now.  Enough said.

Xavi

Xavier Hernandez (ESP)

In my opinion, he is the best center mid in soccer right now.  His pin point accurate passing and creativity jet-starts the Spanish offense.  He also adds great awareness and understands the game just as good as anyone.  He reminds me of the way Zidane controlled the midfield.  Look for him to create many goals for Spain.

Rooney

Wayne Rooney (ENG)

The pressure is on for Wayne Rooney to produce at the World Cup.  After coming off a career best season for Manchester United, don’t look for Rooney to take his foot off the gas pedal.  Rooney had a disappointing 2006 World Cup, getting sent off and eliminated against Portugal.  Now, a wiser and more mature Rooney, look for him to lead his team.  Will he be good enough for England to get the monkey off their backs and finally win another World Cup?

Cristiano

Cristiano Ronaldo (POR)

The 2008 World Player of the Year is still just as dangerous as ever.  Like Messi, he has a creative mind set mixed with fast footwork and a dangerous shot, Cristiano can score from anywhere on the field.  I think he is the fastest player in soccer with the ball at his feet.  Don’t give him any open space to work with or you’re in for a very long game.

Kaka

Kaka (BRA)

The 2007 World Player of the Year will be the key man for Brazil.  The team revolves around Kaka as he will have to get the offense going.  Kaka possesses excellent passing and vision, but his counter attacking skills makes him stand out from the rest.  After a three-year absence from the Brazilian International team, he won Player of the Tournament at the 2009 Confederations Cup.  Don’t be surprised to see him win the World Cup Player of the Tournament.

Sleepers:

Denmark

Poulsen

Denmark has been playing great football, surprising many people by winning their qualification group.  Denmark brings a well balanced team to the World Cup.  The Danes are very aggressive and like to play with a high-tempo.  Physical play is the nature of their game.  The midfield is strong as it consists of stand-out players such as Christian Poulsen and Dannis Rommehdahl.  With veteran forward Jon Dahl Thomasson, Denmark isn’t a team you should sleep on.  They try and frustrate opponents and if you play into their game you may be going home early.

Serbia

Vidic

Serbia is another physical team and plays defense at a whole other level.  Serbia played great during their qualifying rounds and has been destroying other teams in their friendly matches.  They seemed to have peaked at the right time.  Their defense is anchored by Nemanja Vidic.  Some may argue that Vidic could be the best center back defender right now.  None the less, Vidic leads a gritty and physical defense.   Serbia will make things difficult for any team, but will be able to score enough goals?

Overrated:

United States

Dempsey

Thanks to the American media, the bar is set high for the United States.  They are expected to win their group and be in the middle of the pack to contend for the World Cup, after performing well in the 2009 Confederations Cup.  I would be happy if Team USA just made it to the knockout stages.  This may be the best team the United States has ever had on paper, but they are yet to prove themselves at the big stage, other than Donovan.  Please, don’t even say Clint Dempsey.  I have never seen a player give away possession as much as he does.  Also the defense has been a problem for the United States.  I can’t remember the last time we had a shut-out.  With many of our defenders coming off injuries (Carlos Bocanegra, Jay DeMerit, Oguchi Onyewu and Jonathon Spector) miscommunication can be a problem.  Team USA’s biggest problem is having a consistent goal scorer.  We need a forward who is consistent and can cause major threats for the back-line.  We haven’t had one since McBride. Hopefully, Jozy can be that threat.  This World Cup can either be one of the best performances for Team USA or it can be a major flop.  Who knows, especially when your coach is Bob Bradley.

France

Handball?

On paper, France should be making the semi’s, but with their lackluster play as of late, some are even questioning if they will make it out of the group stages.  I think not.  France has been playing awful as of late.  They even lost to China in their pre-World Cup friendly.  Their leadership has been in question since the departure of French soccer icon, Zinedine Zidane.  He was their captain and their leader. Ever since his retirement, it seems the French has had trouble replacing his shoes.  If the French don’t get it together soon, they will be going home early.  The opening game against Uruguay will tell us all.  Maybe with another handball, they could win a match.

Goal Keeper of the Tournament:

Iker Casillas (ESP)

Golden Boot Winner:

Luis Fabiano (BRA)

Player of the Tournament:

Kaka (BRA)

World Cup Winners:

Brazil

Mapping out the 2010 World Cup: Round of 16

Perhaps the goal of the World Cup comes courtesy of Cameroon's Jean Makoun

The group stage was monumental, providing much excitement and many surprises, most notably South Africa’s second round advancement and Paraguay’s winning of Group F. So, now what happens? Well, here you go:

Match 49:

Mexico vs. Nigeria: MEX def. NGA (2-1) -> The tone is set early by Mexico when Giovani dos Santos continues where he left off and scores within the first 10 minutes of the match. Nigeria answers right before half with a laser beam from Kanu, notching the score at 1-1. Mexico has the last laugh, however, when Cuauhtemoc Blanco, the old man himself, scores the go-ahead goal and gives Mexico a 2-1 victory, just minutes after entering the game as a substitute.

Match 50:

England vs. Germany: ENG def. GER (4-2 in PK; 1-1 draw) -> What a match. The game is physical, emotional and exhausting for both teams. After the game ends in a 1-1 draw, the English prevail in penalty kicks and the Germans are sent home packing. A very disappointing ending for them as they really believed they could get past the Brits.

Match 51:

Serbia vs. USA: USA def. SER (1-0) -> A tactical match ensues between the U.S. and Serbs. The Serbs seem to control the flow of the game for most of the match, but the Americans strike for their first and only goal of the game when Jose Torres scores his first of the World Cup. It is all that is needed as the Americans win 1-0 and advance to the Round of 8.

Match 52:

Argentina vs. South Africa: ARG def. SA (3-1) -> A wily atmosphere is exonerated in this one, as the home team, South Africa, plays in front of an enormous crowd in Johannesburg. However, the crowd doesn’t have too much of an effect as Argentina jumps out to an early 1-0 lead and from there, takes control of the match. Messi scores yet again and Javier Pastore does his thing knocking in his first of the World Cup. The Argentinians roll in this one.

Match 53:

Netherlands vs. Italy: NET def. ITA (2-1) -> Perhaps the most anticipated match of the second round, it is incredibly physical as the Oranje‘s “Total Football” style winds up being the difference in this one. Italy just seems a tad bit too slow for the Dutch and Arjen Robben winds up putting in the game-winner midway through the second half. Though the score reflects 2-1, Holland seems to outplay the Italians in every facet of the game in this one. Tough way to go out for Italy.

Match 54:

Brazil vs. Chile: BRA def. CHI (2-0) -> Never much in doubt, the Brazilians do what they are supposed to do and put away the Chilean National Team. Kaka nets another and Robinho puts in one as well as Brazil takes care of business. Somewhat of a boring game to be quite honest, but perhaps, that is the type of game the Brazilians were hoping for.

Match 55:

Paraguay vs. Cameroon: CAM def. PAR (4-2) ->This one is a bit more explosive compared to previous second-round matches, with 6 goals scored combined. It is The Indomitable Lions that hold the edge at the end, however, as Pierre Webo scores twice and Jean Makoun has, quite possibly, the goal of the World Cup with a rifle shot from just outside the box that curls beautifully inside the goal to help put Cameroon up for good. Paraguay should not be disappointed with their effort in the World Cup; they played remarkable and have much to build on for 2014.

Match 56:

Spain vs. Portugal: POR def. ESP (4-3 in PK; 2-2 draw) ->The biggest surprise of the Round of 16 happens here. Portugal is a very good team, but not good enough to play with Spain…right? Well, Spain seems almost too confident in this one and allows 2 goals by the Portuguese side that probably should have not been scored (1 by Cristiano Ronaldo and 1 by Nani, this one a lot worse than Ronaldo’s goal). Nevertheless, the 2 go into penalty kicks and that is where Portugal emerges victorious after goalie, Eduardo, blocks Spain’s last attempt and allows Portugal to advance. What a match. Spain must be feeling sick to their stomach’s after this one.

Mapping out the 2010 World Cup: Group Stages

With the World Cup right around the corner, it is time to follow suit from jgome and offer up my predictions on just what happens in South Africa over the course of the next month. Instead of waiting to unveil them day-by-day, however, I just decided to analyze every match in group play. So, with that being said, I bring you how I feel the world’s biggest sporting event will breakdown by group, followed by the Round of 16, Round of 8, Semifinals and, finally, Championship game within the coming days. Enjoy:

Group A:

South Africa vs. Mexico: MEX def. SA (2-1) -> Expect Giovani dos Santos to have a monster World Cup. He begins this in the opener in South Africa, scoring a goal and leading his country to a defeat of Bafana.

Uruguay vs. France: FRA/URU draw (1-1) -> Neither of these teams excites me entirely. France forgot to add some firepower to their roster (Nasri, Benzema, Vieira might have helped) and, therefore, will suffer the consequences in South Africa. Uruguay has Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez…and now you’re hearing crickets. Why? Because nobody knows anyone else on this roster full of no-names. Still yet, they tough out a 1-1 tie in their opener against the French.

South Africa vs. Uruguay: SA def. URU (1-0) -> Call me crazy, but I see the South Africans pulling out a victory in this one. After losing to Mexico in the opener, Steven Pienaar and Co. play a defensive-oriented game and squeak out the ‘W’. I could see this game penalty-ridden as both teams like to play aggressive.

France vs. Mexico: MEX def. FRA (3-1) -> I am a big fan of the Mexican National Team and see them dominating France in every facet of the game in this one. Andres Guardado is the man of the match, as he chips in a couple of goals for El Tri. I’m just not sold on France this World Cup; the new 4-4-3, I believe, does not fit the personnel that the French have and will become apparent much sooner rather than later.

Mexico vs. Uruguay: MEX/URU draw (2-2) -> I see Mexico coming out a little flat in this one knowing they already have a couple of victories under their belt and look good to advance to the next round. It is also the last chance that Uruguay has in order to try and qualify for the next round, so they should come out pretty amped. I think Suarez finds the back of the net in this one for the Uruguayans; however, they can’t get the victory, tying with Mexico 2-2 after giving up a late goal to, guess who, Giovani dos Santos.

France vs. South Africa: SA def. FRA (2-1) -> What many people fail to take into account is that when you are a host country, you seem to always want to play a little bit harder knowing more is on the line compared to everyone else. This becomes incredibly apparent in this one as South Africa pulls off a miracle and upsets the French, scoring a late goal and sending the crowd in Free State Stadium into utter chaos.

Final Thoughts: Nobody could have foreseen what would ensue out of Group A. France finishing 4th!? That is just entirely not possible. However, anything is possible when it comes to the World Cup and the host, South Africa, does not disappoint it’s fans. Mexico looks like it is a major dark horse to do some more damage. They are clicking on all cylinders going into the Round of 16. I would not want to play them right now.

Group A Results:

Mexico (2-1-0)

South Africa (2-0-1)

Uruguay (0-2-1)

France (0-1-2)

(Mexico and South Africa advance to the Round of 16)

Group B:

Argentina vs. Nigeria: ARG def. NGA (3-0) -> Argentina starts early and doesn’t let off the gas. Messi finally starts to perform in World Cup play and scores a goal for the Argentine National Team as they roll over Nigeria. Not much else to say here.

Korea Republic vs. Greece: GRE def. SKA (3-1) -> The Greeks play a very old-school style of soccer and it will work to their advantage against South Korea. Neither of these teams offer much in my opinion, but it doesn’t stop Greece from pummeling the South Koreans in both teams respective openers. Georgios Samaras scores a couple of goals and Greece gets superb goalie play. Should be an easy one.

Greece vs. Nigeria: NGA def. GRE (2-0) -> Somewhat of a dud for Greece as they can’t seem to find the back of the net in this one. Nigeria plays much better than it did against Argentina and Yakubu Aiyegbeni scores an absolutely marvelous goal for The Super Eagles. Great bounce-back game for Nigeria.

Argentina vs. Korea Republic: ARG def. SKA (5-1) -> Poor, poor South Korea. Perhaps they were just happy to be here. This is obvious as they get decimated by Argentina in this one. Messi continues right where he left off against Nigeria and scores a hat trick. That ups his goal total to 4 in 2 games. Argentina is sitting pretty for the Round of 16 after this game.

Nigeria vs. Korea Republic: NGA def. SKA (4-2) -> South Korea gets out to an early lead, 1-0, and then looks like they are cruising to victory after scoring again in the 28th minute. However, that is when The Super Eagles turn it on and score 4 unanswered goals, highlighted by a beauty of a goal by Osaze Odemwingie. Well South Korea, maybe in 4 years…right?

Greece vs. Argentina: ARG def. GRE (2-1) -> A lot closer than it should be, Argentina just gets by the Greeks. Messi is held in check this game, but it opens the door for Gonzalo Higuain to get in on the action, scoring a nice goal and the difference maker in this 2-1 match. Argentina is now 3-0-0 and ready to rock ‘n roll into the Round of 16.

Final Thoughts: The first thing that jumps out at me is that there are no draws in this group. Kind of interesting if you think about it. Nigeria did a great job of bouncing back after getting creamed in the opener against Argentina. Speaking of, the Argentinians look like a beast. This should bode well for them heading into the Round of 16. The Greeks gave a nice showing in South Africa, but the 2-0 dud against Nigeria ended up costing them dearly.

Group B Results:

Argentina (3-0-0)

Nigeria (2-0-1)

Greece (1-0-2)

Korea Republic (0-0-3)

(Argentina and Nigeria advance to the Round of 16)

Group C:

England vs. USA: ENG/USA draw (1-1) -> Don’t sleep on the Americans. England will come into this game supremely confident and it should be. They are the favorites to win this group; the problem is nobody told the U.S. They actually outplay England in this one and Jozy Altidore starts to become a household name, heading in the equalizer and giving the USMNT a tie with the Brits in the opener.

Algeria vs. Slovenia: ALG/SLV draw (0-0) -> 2 games down. 2 draws. This is, perhaps, the most boring game out of any group match. Neither team seems to get in rhythm and, as a result, neither team puts one in the goal. Slovenia comes close to scoring late, but it is to be denied. Polokwane could have seen a lot better game than this one.

Slovenia vs. USA: USA def. SLV (1-0) -> The U.S. fights in this one. It has to. Goals are at a premium as Clint Dempsey scores the only goal of the match, brought on by a brilliant pass from Landon Donovan. For the USMNT, I suppose a win is a win. The Slovenians, however, cannot be happy after their first 2 games. They have yet to score a goal and look incredibly vulnerable on defense. Nothing gets easier for them going forward as they still have to play England. Ouch.

England vs. Algeria: ENG def. ALG (4-1) -> Wayne Rooney puts on a show against the Algerians, scoring a hat trick and putting every team on alert that he has shown up to the World Cup ready to do work. The game against the U.S. was a disappointment to England, as it probably should be, so why not take it out on lowly Algeria? That is exactly what happens. Great bounce-back by the Brits.

Slovenia vs. England: ENG def. SLV (3-1) -> England goes back to what it does best and that is scoring in bunches. Rooney chips in another, and Steven Gerrard rips one from 30 yards out, scoring an amazing goal, as England cruises yet again. As for Slovenia, an incredibly disappointing showing for a team that had aspirations of advancing to the Round of 16. Better luck next time, boys.

USA vs. Algeria: USA def. ALG (3-0) -> The U.S. realizes that this could be a trap game. They are sitting pretty and cannot let up. They don’t. They roll in this one, 3-0, as Landon Donovan scores his first goal of the World Cup and Jozy Altidore scores his 2nd. The USMNT has to be thrilled knowing they will advance to the Round of 16. Algeria, on the other hand, followed the Slovenians and scored just 1 goal in 3 games. That has to be hard to swallow for The Desert Foxes.

Final Thoughts: England did what it was supposed to do and wins the group (on goal differential), but the Americans look very intriguing. They could pose problems heading into the Round of 16, if they get the right match-up of course. England looks like a top-3 favorite to win the World Cup. Algeria and Slovenia never really had a chance to be completely honest.

Group C Results:

England (2-1-0)

USA (2-1-0)

Slovenia (0-1-2)

Algeria (0-1-2)

(England and USA advance to the Round of 16)

Group D:

Germany vs. Australia: GER def. AUS (2-0) -> Man, I really love to watch the Socceroos. I don’t know what it is about them, but I just do. Sadly, it won’t really matter in this one as they get outplayed in every facet of the game by their German counterparts. The loss of Michael Ballack certainly hurts the Germans, but it is not obvious in this one, as one of the guy’s looking to pick up the slack, Mesut Ozil, scores a great goal. Germany rolls.

Serbia vs. Ghana: SER def. GHA (3-2) -> Beli Orlovi vs. The Black Stars. This is set to be one of the best group games in this year’s World Cup. Both teams believe that they can advance to the second round and both show off why they believe that in this one. Goal scoring is rampant in this match, with Serbia scoring a late goal in the 86th minute by Milan Jovanovic to put them up for good, 3-2. It really is a tough loss to swallow for Ghana.

Germany vs. Serbia: SER def. GER (2-1) -> Not as shocking of an outcome as some might believe after watching this match. Why? Because Serbia is for real, especially with a back-line that features Nemanja Vidic and Branislav Ivanovic. They come out of the gates early, scoring a goal in just the 8th minute. From there they play smart, albeit giving up a goal right before the half, but scoring the go-ahead goal just 5 minutes into the second half. Serbia looks very, very dangerous.

Ghana vs. Australia: GHA def. AUS (2-1) -> Ghana features a 21-year-old sensation in Kwadwo Asamoah, and he looks the part of a superstar in this one, scoring a pair of goals and leading them to a victory over Australia. Ghana realizes that it has to have a win in this one; it accomplishes just that. As for Australia, things look pretty much over for them.

Ghana vs. Germany: GER def. GHA (4-3) -> Definitely the most pivotal game in the group, this game flashes fireworks from the beginning, with 2 goals scored within the first 10 minutes. It goes down to the wire, and that is when Miroslav Klose rips one upper-90, scoring a goal in stoppage time, and giving Die Mannschaft the victory. An instant classic. And the game that puts Germany through to the Round of 16.

Australia vs. Serbia: AUS/SER draw (2-2) -> The Aussies fight hard in this one to muster up some dignity and not head out of South Africa with 3 losses. They do just that, but it results in a tie rather than a victory. Following suit from Mexico, the Serbs come out flat in this one and take the Socceroos a little too lightly. This, however, does not cost them, getting out with a draw and a first-place finish in Group D.

Final Thoughts: Very few people had Serbia winning this group. But Serbia came out with the tenacity to do just that and they did it. They look like a team that has hopes of going beyond just the Round of 16. With the way they played in the group matches, I would say that is entirely possible. Germany just did get in, with the defeat of Ghana, and looks to do some damage as well now that they are through to the second round. As for Ghana, they fought extremely hard without their best player, Michael Essien, but in the end, it was just not enough for them to advance.

Group D Results:

Serbia (2-1-0)

Germany (2-0-1)

Ghana (1-0-2)

Australia (0-1-2)

(Serbia and Germany advance to the Round of 16)

Group E:

Netherlands vs. Denmark: NET def. DEN (4-2) -> Many people see the Danes as being a surprise team to advance to the Round of 16. It is not very apparent in this one, as Holland scores early and often. Wesley Sneijder, who I believe will be huge in this World Cup, scores a goal and leads the Dutch to a rather easy victory. Other than a late cheapie by Denmark, the Netherlands plays a very good game and looks to be in top form.

Japan vs. Cameroon: CAM def. JPN (3-1) -> Too much Samuel Eto’o in this one. Yes, I understand that he was acting like a diva before the World Cup. It doesn’t matter. He scores a couple of goals and Cameroon takes care of Japan like it was supposed to. Shunsuke Nakamura looks to be a man on an island; the only guy on his team that really looks like he can compete with the other teams in this group. That will probably spell disaster for Japan.

Netherlands vs. Japan: NET def. JPN (3-0) -> Japan never had a chance in this one. Wesley Sneijder picks up right where he left off and scores another and the Oranje put this one away with ease. The Netherlands now have 7 goals in just 2 games. It is obvious that they came to South Africa ready to do some major damage and they have done just that up to this point. Up next for them: Denmark.

Cameroon vs. Denmark: CAM def. DEN (1-0) -> A very defensive-oriented game, only one goal is scored in this one. Cameroon is the beneficiary of this one goal and it puts them right where they need to be to advance to the next round. Of course, they have to go through the Dutch to do so, but it is possible. As for Denmark, they really needed this win. At the very least, a draw. Now down 0-2, they are pretty much out of it. They have to be hanging their heads.

Denmark vs. Japan: DEN def. JPN (2-0) -> Denmark had been, pretty much, locked up heading into this one. Severely upset with their showing, and knowing they were going home, they still come out with some ferocity and take care of the Japanese, 2-0. Nicklas Bendtner finally gets on the scoreboard with his first goal of the World Cup. Still yet, a sour taste is left in the Danes’ mouth knowing they have to wait another 4 years.

Cameroon vs. Netherlands: NET def. CAM (3-1) -> Cameroon scores first in this one, but it is Holland who takes the victory, scoring 3 unanswered goals. Arjen Robben scores against The Indomitable Lions, and Wesley Sneijder chips in another, marking the third time he has done so in as many games. The Dutch seem destined to be one of the last team’s left standing.

Final Thoughts: The Netherlands look absolutely unreal so far. Wesley Sneijder has been on-point ever since he stepped off of the plane, and the defense looks incredibly stout. Cameroon had a very nice showing in group play and looks to continue this trend into the second round. Perhaps, with the right match-up, they can do just that. Denmark definitely has to go down as one of the biggest disappointments of the tournament. They really believed they had what it took to advance, yet never could find the right formula to gain victories.

Group E Results:

Netherlands (3-0-0)

Cameroon (2-0-1)

Denmark (1-0-2)

Japan (0-0-3)

(Netherlands and Cameroon advance to the Round of 16)

Group F:

Italy vs. Paraguay: PAR def. ITA (2-1) -> A huge upset in the minds of many, La Albirroja comes out clicking on all cylinders in this one. Because of this, Green Point Stadium is in for a treat, watching Paraguay steal one from the Italians. Roque Santa Cruz might become a name that many know after this game because he steps up and delivers the go-ahead goal just a few minutes before stoppage time and plays extremely well throughout the entire match. The Italians are left stunned after this game. They should be.

New Zealand vs. Slovakia: SLO def. NZ (4-1) -> Slovakia looks to play the part of bully in this one, thrashing the All Whites, 4-1. To be completely honest, this one was never in question as Slovakia keeps a steady diet of fast-paced scoring and hard-nosed defense. Boys and girls, get ready for Marek Hamsik to emerge in this World Cup. He scores twice against New Zealand. Slovakia did well to show the soccer world what they are capable of.

Slovakia vs. Paraguay: SLO/PAR draw (0-0) -> No goals are scored in this one, but it is far from what one would call a boring match. Tactically, both teams play brilliant. Both teams also have opportunities to score, yet fail to. Paraguay is sitting very nice right now with a victory against Italy under their belt and a date with New Zealand up next. As for Slovakia, playing a pissed off Italian team might not be real fun. They really needed this victory.

Italy vs. New Zealand: ITA def. NZ (6-1) -> Wow. Talk about bouncing back. The Azzuri had to have this victory, but let’s be honest, was there ever really any doubt that they would win this one? I didn’t think so. Marcello Lippi’s squad did exactly what it had to do with it’s back’s against the wall. Now, a game against Slovakia should dictate the outcome of this group.

Slovakia vs. Italy: ITA def. SLO (3-2) -> A very close game. Italy just edges Slovakia in this one, with a late goal by Andrea Pirlo. Marek Hamlik plays marvelous in this one, scoring another goal, but it is not enough to give his country a victory. What a tough loss for a Slovakian team that played so well this entire World Cup. As for the Italians, a huge win for them, and one that will propel them into the Round of 16.

Paraguay vs. New Zealand: PAR def. NZ (2-0) -> Another game, another victory for Paraguay. Who would have thought they would play this good? With the win, La Albirroja wins Group F. A stunning turn of events that almost nobody foresaw coming. The All Whites go home after losing all 3 of their games. Perhaps New Zealand should just stick to rugby.

Final Thoughts: By far, the craziest group winner in this year’s World Cup. Many thought Italy would win this one without so much as an inkling of effort. However, that was not to be the case as Paraguay came out of absolutely nowhere to take first-place. Even if Paraguay is ousted in the Round of 16, they have to be extremely pleased with the way their team has played up to this point. Italy received a major scare in the opener, but did what it was supposed to do and won it’s next 2 games. Slovakia had high hopes, but they were dashed in their 3-2 loss to Italy. All-in-all, a great group to watch due to the high drama involved.

Group F Results:

Paraguay (2-1-0)

Italy (2-0-1)

Slovakia (1-1-1)

New Zealand (0-0-3)

(Paraguay and Italy advance to the Round of 16)

Group G:

Ivory Coast vs. Portugal: IVC/POR draw (2-2) -> This, to me, is the most important match of the entire group. The Elephants realize this and come out firing against the Portuguese scoring the first goal of the match. Cristiano Ronaldo, however, scores the equalizer, and later on, the go-ahead. The Ivory Coast scores their second goal of the game quickly after that, and the game ends in a 2-2 tie. A great showing for both teams and an excellent opener for this group.

Brazil vs. Korea DPR: BRA def. NKA (2-1) -> I really believe the North Koreans are a good team. And Jong Tae-Se is a damn good player. The problem is, they are in a ridiculously hard group. Facing Brazil first doesn’t help, either. Defensively, North Korea has all the making’s of being a team that won’t surrender very many goals and they hold true to form in this one. However, they give up one too many as they fall in their opener, 2-1. But this still has to seem like somewhat of a moral victory for the North Koreans, who haven’t been to the World Cup since 1966.

Brazil vs. Ivory Coast: BRA/IVC draw (1-1) -> Sven Goran-Eriksson’s boys really show a lot of heart in this one against A Selecao. Didier Drogba scores his second goal in as many games and, going into the 80th minute, it looks like Ivory Coast might steal one from Brazil. However, that’s when Kaka does what he does best: puts one in the back of the net to tie up the match and knock the wind out of the Ivory Coast. What a win it would have been for The Elephants, who have just one World Cup win to date ever. And a huge save for Brazil who still have Portugal left to play.

Portugal vs. Korea DPR: POR def. NKA (1-0) -> The problem with North Korea is that what they have defensively cannot make up for what they don’t have offensively. And that is not a whole lot, outside of Tae-Se. Deco proves to be the reason for the Portuguese win, as he uses his header skills to put Seleccao das Quinas up for good sometime after the 60th minute. Another tough loss for the North Koreans who have played exceptionally well despite 2 losses.

Portugal vs. Brazil: BRA def. POR (3-1) -> Brazil always seems to deliver when it has to and this game is no exception. Knowing that a win is absolutely crucial, Brazil does what it has to do and controls the tempo of this match from start to finish. Luis Fabiano is dynamic in this one, putting 2 goals in the back of the net. Julio Cesar also does a beautiful job of goal-keeping for Brazil. Portugal does not do well with this defeat. They need some help from the North Koreans if they are to advance to the Round of 16.

Korea DPR vs. Ivory Coast: NKA def. IVC (2-1) -> What a heart-breaking way to go out of the World Cup if you are the Ivory Coast. Just when it looked like they might advance to the second round for the first time ever, the North Koreans wake up just enough offensively to propel them past The Elephants and push the Ivory Coast from a possible 2nd-place finish to 4th. Jong Tae-Se shows why he is a name that needs to be remembered scoring a huge goal in this one. Didier Drogba and Co. have to be in shock. And Portugal just breathed a huge sigh of relief. A gift basket of some type is surely needed to be sent the North Koreans way.

Final Thoughts: What an exciting group. Brazil was favored to win and they did what they needed to do, even though they started off somewhat sluggishly. The real battle, it seemed, would be between Portugal and Ivory Coast for second-place. It looked as though The Elephants could sneak in, however, it was not to be as the North Koreans played spoiler and took care of them, pushing them all the way down to fourth-place. Speaking of North Korea, they played extremely well and were strong from the get-go. If they had another goal scorer to go along with Jong Tae-Se, perhaps they could have been the one’s advancing. Still yet, great showing for Choilima.

Group G Results:

Brazil (2-1-0)

Portugal (1-1-1)

Korea DPR (1-0-2)

Ivory Coast (0-2-1)

(Brazil and Portugal advance to the Round of 16)

Group H:

Honduras vs. Chile: CHI def. HON (2-1) -> I really think Chile could be a breakout team in this year’s World Cup and they deliver in the opener against a very athletic Honduras team. Led by injury fill-in Esteban Paredes, La Roja does what it has to do to get the win against Honduras. Defensively, Chile looks amazing; a surprise to many who thought the defense would suffer, especially against an athletic team like Honduras. That, however, is not the case. A huge win to start out the 2010 World Cup for Chile.

Spain vs. Switzerland: ESP def. SWI (2-0) -> This may actually come as a disappointing game to the Spanish who are the favorites to win the World Cup. However, a win is a win in the World Cup and none should be taken lightly. A huge goal by David Villa puts the Spaniards up early and they notch another later on in the match. Switzerland looks very slow in this one. Of course, matching up against a superpower like Spain can certainly have that effect. Not a good showing for the Swiss at all.

Chile vs. Switzerland: CHI def. SWI (4-1) -> Nobody knows what got into La Roja, but they deliver a second consecutive victory, this time at the hands of the Swiss. Again, Switzerland looks overmatched from the get-go and can never seem to regain their composure. 21-year-old Alexis Sanchez delivers 2 goals for Chile and looks magnificent in this one. Back from injury, star striker Humberto Suazo also chips in another. Chile looks incredible. The same cannot be said for Schweizer Nati.

Spain vs. Honduras: ESP def. HON (3-0) -> Even though the score indicates 3-0, a wide margin, the game is even more lop-sided than that. Honduras is a team that loves to run, but they play very poorly in this one and basically get blown out. Fernando Torres scores his first of the World Cup as well as Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos. An excellent match for La Furia Roja who are now, along with Chile, completely in control of this group and ready to advance to the Round of 16.

Chile vs. Spain: ESP def. CHI (1-0) -> A battle for first-place in the group, the game is marred by costly penalties to both teams and ugly play. Spain, however, squeaks in a goal later on in the contest and pulls out the victory. Chile seems very agitated after the game and realize they let a winnable game slip out of their hands. Nevertheless, both teams will be advancing to the second round, so not all is lost.

Switzerland vs. Honduras: HON def. SWI (3-2) -> Honduras finally show off their athleticism and beats a weaker Swiss team. Defensively they struggle, but Wilson Palacios and David Suazo lead the charge. For Honduras, it’s somewhat of a bittersweet win, allowing them to build off of this for the next World Cup. For the Swiss, it’s just the topper to a horrible showing.

Final Thoughts: Spain performed like they should, winning all 3 of their games and advancing to the next round. Expect Torres and Villa to continue to shine. Chile was somewhat of a surprise team, but not too much of one. Talent wise, they showed they could play with the best (Spain) and took care of the game’s they needed to win (Honduras & Switzerland). They are an interesting team to watch going forward because with the right match-up, they could possibly advance another round. Switzerland performed about as badly as any team in this year’s World Cup (I put them right up there with France and Denmark). Not a very good distinction to have.

Group H Results:

Spain (3-0-0)

Chile (2-0-1)

Honduras (1-0-2)

Switzerland (0-0-3)

(Spain and Chile advance to the Round of 16)

Group D

Group D is one of the tougher groups as it consists of Germany, Australia, Serbia and Ghana.  Germany and Ghana has suffered key blows, losing their star players Michael Ballack(GER) and Michael Essien(GHA) to injuries.  Will this impact the group?  Or will Germany continue their success on football’s biggest stage?

Germany

Germany is one of the most consistent teams in the World Cup.  Since the 1982 World Cup, Germany has

Klose

reached the quarterfinals every time.  Losing captain Michael Ballack to injury may impact the team leadership wise, but Germany still should not be taken lightly.  Miroslav Klose, the 2006 World Cup Golden Boot Winner, will lead the charge up front.  With other stars, Mario Gomez and Lukas Podolski, scoring goals shouldn’t be a problem.  But with the recent departures of veteran defenders, Christian Trasch and Heiko Westerman, the defense has been in question.  Germany has always been a well disciplined team, but with the lack of experience in defense, will they be able to keep their poise?

Players to Watch

Miroslav Klose/Forward-Bayern Munich

Toni Kroos/Midfielder-on loan to Bayer Leverkusen (Bayern Munich)

Australia

Schwarzer

This is Australia’s third World Cup appearance and second consecutively.  Australia recently moved into the Asian Qualifying Zone leaving the Oceanic Zone. Different zone, same result.  Australia was one of the first teams to qualify for the World Cup, easily winning their zone.  The Aussies are anchored by a strong defense, led by veteran goalkeeper, Mark Schwarzer.  Schwarzer and Australia had seven straight shut-outs during qualifying.  Australia brings a veteran team into the World Cup with a stingy defense; maybe with a break or two and they may advance to the knockout stages for the second consecutive World Cup.

Players to Watch:

Mark Schwarzer/Goal Keeper-Fulham

Tim Cahill/Midfielder-Everton

Serbia

Serbia will be making history in South Africa as it competes in the World Cup as an independent nation.

Stankovic

In 2006, Serbia was Serbia and Montenegro.  Serbia is a very balanced team and had a superb World Cup Qualifying.  Serbia finished first in their group over France.  Serbia uses its physical defense led by one of the best central defenders, Nemanja Vidic, to frustrate teams.  Serbia look to be in good shape heading into the tournament, so maybe more history can be made.

Players to Watch:

Nemanja Vidic/Defender-Manchester United

Dejan Stankovic/Midfielder-Inter Milan

Ghana

Appiah

Ghana surprised many people in the previous World Cup by advancing into the knockout stages.  Ghana plays with speed, creativity and tenacity.  They still have a very powerful midfield despite losing Michael Essien.  Look for Stephen Appiah and Sulley Muntari to carry the slack as Ghana tries to advance into the knockout stages for a second consecutive World Cup.

Players to Watch:

Stephen Appiah/Midfielder-Bologna

Sulley Muntari/Midfielder-Inter Milan

Prediction

Look for Germany to finish on top of the group, but it won’t be easy.  As for second, that is up for grabs.  All the teams are well balanced and defensively sound, so it will make things interesting.  I am going to go with my gut and say Ghana.  With the World Cup being in the continent of Africa, I expect Ghana to play with more pride and energy.  Combine this with their speed and creativity, they could be a dark horse.

In

Germany

Ghana

Out

Serbia

Australia