The quarterfinals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup are now set. While some of the world powers such as France, England, and defending champions Italy are not present, plenty of the world’s powerhouses are represented. This World Cup has certainly drawn some headlines, from the always present criticism of the officials, which FIFA seems to always ignore, to the debacle of the French team which were finalists back in 2006. The final eight consists of 4 South American teams, the most ever from the continent in the final eight, 3 European nations, and 1 African side which holds the hope of the host continent. The South Americans have really been dominant in this tournament as the only team to be eliminated from the continent is Chile, who ended up losing to Brazil. Chile is also the only South American team to lose to an opponent from another continent when Spain defeated them in their final group match.
It was a disappointing Round of 16 match for American fans as the US lost to Ghana in extra time. The US would fall behind early again, a problem that haunted them all tournament. They were outplayed for the first half by a significant margin, but they only found themselves down 1-0 at the half. Similarly to the Slovenia match, the US came back with a spirited second half. Landon Donovan converted a penalty caused by Clint Dempsey to tie the score at 1. It was Donovan’s 3rd goal of the tournament which tied him with the leaders of the tournament at the time. The game would need extra time to be decided and the Americans’ early woes would continue. Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan buried an opportunity in only the third minute of extra time to put Ghana back on top. As extra time is no longer golden goal, the US had a chance to comeback. They desperately tried to score another come from behind goal as even goaltender Tim Howard jumped into the box on free kicks and corners in the dying minutes. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough as Ghana would move on to face Uruguay, who defeated South Korea on a two goal performance by Luis Suarez, in the next round.
For the Americans, their defense and lack of a true game-changing striker was their undoing, but losing to Ghana was certainly not a failure. Ghana was also without their best player, Michael Essien, who plays for Chelsea in the EPL and is still recovering from injury. There is no shame in losing to Ghana, especially in Africa, but it is disappointing to see the US go home after losing a winnable game. Coming into the tournament, the US had to at least get out of the group and anything past that would have been a bonus. They actually won their group for the first time since 1930, finishing ahead of England, who’s game against Germany I will get to later. Four years from now, the US roster could look very different, but there is certainly reason for hope for American soccer going into the future.
In a high profile match up, England and Germany met in the Round of 16. The young German squad, which is the second youngest in the tournament, got off to a quick start as the English seemed to be just going through the motions once again. They found themselves down 2-0, but would get one back late in the first half when Michael Upson headed home a cross from Steven Gerrard. Then only seconds later, it appeared as if Frank Lampard had tied the match, but the referee and linesman decided that the ball hadn’t crossed the line. Upon a further look, it was blatantly obvious that the ball had crossed the line by a considerable margin and the game should have been tied 2-2, but instead the English found themselves still trailing by 1 at the half.
The English must have known that the goal was legitimate and was stolen from them, which would lead one to think that they would have come out with a fiery effort in the second half, but it was the opposite. Since they were still trailing, England pushed for a tying goal, or another tying goal you could say. It was unnecessary for them to do this so early, and the Germans made them pay. The young German side paced past the English adding a third and fourth goal both on the counterattack to defeat England by a final of 4-1, their worst defeat in English World Cup history. We will never know what would have happened if the goal by Lampard stood, but there is no mistaking that the better team won the game. Tactics certainly change when you are tied or when you are trailing, but this game summed up England’s disappointing World Cup run perfectly. They looked lethargic and uninterested at times and I think were a little overrated coming into the tournament. Striker Wayne Rooney looked like he wasn’t at 100%. He is still an elite striker in the world, but just didn’t seem to be clicking on all cylinders in this tournament.
The larger issue that came out after England’s ugly defeat was the use of technology in soccer. It makes no sense to me when the whole stadium and everyone around the world knows that the goal is legitimate, bu then it still doesn’t count. FIFA president Sepp Blatter recently stated that he would be open to the use of goal-line technology only, which is a step in the right direction at least. Another controversial decision by a referee came in the Argentina v. Mexico match, where Carlos Tevez was visibly offsides on Argentina’s first goal, a game where Argentina would go on to win by a score of 3-1. I think more and more controversies will continue to happen if technology isn’t also eventually moved to offsides decisions and I think one day it will need to be added to the sport. A play like the one in England could have taken seconds to resolve and wouldn’t have disrupted the flow of play. I know it will take a while for changes to occur with FIFA, but I hope at least goal-line technology is in place for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Argentina’s victory against Mexico was the fifth consecutive time Mexico have been eliminated in the Round of 16. As for Argentina, they will face Germany next in one of three South America against Europe matches in the quarterfinals. The game is also a rematch of a quarterfinal in 2006 where Germany defeated Argentina in penalty kicks.
Another match featuring world powers saw the neighbors that share the Iberian peninsula meet for the first time in World Cup history. Spain came into the match as slight favorites against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal. The Portuguese came into the match without conceding a goal yet in the tournament, but Spain’s David Villa changed that in the 63rd minute when he scored his competition leading 4th goal of the tournament, the same amount as Argentina’s Gonzalo Higuain and Slovakia’s Robert Vittek. Spain dominated possession as they usually do and Portugal seemed to be playing back waiting for a counterattack. When Villa broke through, Portugal had to change tactics and try to attack more. Spain had other chances to score, but couldn’t add on to the lead. The Portuguese had a couple of close chances towards the end of the match, but when Ricardo Costa was given a red card for what appeared to be a phantom elbow in the 90th minute, Portugal’s hopes were ended. Spain seems to be hitting their stride, although striker Fernando Torres is still scoreless in the competition. He was taken off shortly into the second half which I think was the wrong decision. I know Torres isn’t yet fully fit, but he seems to be looking more in form as each minute goes by. If Spain wants to win their first World Cup, coach Vicente del Bosque must trust Torres and leave him in for longer if not the entire match. Spain usually starts off tournaments strong only to fade in the knockout rounds. Perhaps this time they are finally hitting their stride at the right time.
Other matches in the Round of 16 saw Paraguay defeat the Japanese on penalty kicks and the Netherlands defeat Slovakia, who knocked out defending champions Italy in their last match. The Dutch will now face Brazil in another battle of heavyweights in the quarterfinals. Brazil defeated Chile 3-0 and looked strong doing so, but Brazil has had the Chileans’ number for a while as they defeated them by a combined score of 7-2 in their two qualifying matches against one another. Make no mistake, the Netherlands should not be overlooked so easily. If anyone can defeat Brazil, it is a team that is capable of keeping a majority of the possession as well as having a strong counterattack, both qualities which the Dutch are among the best at. There is a good chance we can see 3 South American teams in the semifinals in what may be a preview to how the continent will perform at home in Brazil in 2014.
Europe only has 3 of 13 teams remaining in the competition and each one of them will match up against South American foes, which will help determine which continent reigns supreme in South Africa. Four teams is the most South America has ever had in the quarterfinals. With the presence of Uruguay and Paraguay, it is also the first time a team that wasn’t Brazil or Argentina has represented the continent in the quarterfinals since 1990. The South Americans have all their teams remaining in the competition with the exception of Chile, who lost out to Brazil. Uruguay meets Ghana , who are the lone representatives of Africa, or any continent besides South America or Europe left in the Finals. This is the only quarterfinal match-up that doesn’t feature a European against a South American side. I’m sticking with my pre-tournament predictions of Brazil, Argentina, and Spain making the semifinals, while I think Uruguay will dash the hopes of Africa when they defeat Ghana. There are some heavyweight matches coming up in the quarterfinals, especially the Netherlands against Brazil and Argentina against Germany. Both matches will be close and I wouldn’t count out the Dutch upsetting Brazil. There is certainly much to look forward too when the World Cup gets back underway on Friday.
June 30, 2010 · Filed under Soccer
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After drawing with England in their first match, the United States took on Slovenia, a country of only 2 million people, in their next match. It was a match up of the largest country against the smallest in terms of population, however, Slovenia knocked off the heavily favored Russians to earn their spot in South Africa and won their first match against Algeria. It was one of the most exciting games of the tournament so far, but unfortunately the game itself was marred as a phantom call by the referee would leave the US and its fans scratching their heads.
While the opposition didn’t score in the first 5 minutes against the US like England did in their opening match, it didn’t take Slovenia much longer as they would take the lead in the 13th minute on a great shot by Valter Birsa. The US found itself down early once again and the goal by Slovenia meant that the Americans would not have a shutout for a 12th consecutive match. Later on in the half the US would threaten and nearly scored towards the end of the half when the ball was just deflected out of the path of Landon Donovan with a wide open net in front of the all-time leading scorer in US history. Then in the 42nd minute, it seemed as if the US had dug itself into a hole they could not get out of when Slovenia added another to make it 2-0 at halftime. The US defense looked vulnerable in the first half and the surprising Slovenians were taking advantage. The Americans knew a loss would mean that their chances of advancing to the next round would be virtually impossible.
The US started the 2nd half by making two changes. First, midfielder Maurice Edu replaced Jose Torres while midfielder Benny Feilhaber took the place of forward Robbie Findlay, which resulted in Donovan being moved into more of a forward position. Donovan took it upon himself to make sure the Americans wouldn’t have a short tournament and scored on a great individual effort in the 48th minute to get the US right back in the game. The US midfielder came in against the goalie and blasted it top shelf from a tight angle as his teammates were all covered in the middle of the box. The Americans clearly came out with a new sense of confidence and took it to the Slovenians in the second half. They were still down 2-1 when forward Hercules Gomez, who has developed a reputation for scoring off the bench, came on in the 80th minute to replace defender Oguchi Onyewu. Two minutes later Donovan would cross the ball which was headed on by Jozy Altidore into the path of midfielder Michael Bradley. The coach’s son made no mistake and buried a difficult chance in the back of the net. Bradley struck the ball perfectly with the bottom of his foot off a short-hop to beat the Slovenian keeper. The comeback kids had done it again, but there was still time to come up with a game winner.
This is when the game would take an ugly turn. The US had a free kick in the 86th minute and had the chance to take the lead after trailing 2-0 at the half. Donovan took the free kick and it appeared that substitute Maurice Edu had put the US on top, however, referee Koman Coulibaly whistled the United States for a foul. After watching the replay, the US didn’t appear to be offsides and didn’t commit a foul. In fact, several American players were fouled, and in some cases tackled to the ground. The referee, who was from Mali and was the man in charge for the 2010 African Cup of Nations Final earlier in the year, seemed to have decided on blowing the whistle even before Donovan serviced his cross into the box. The Americans surrounded the referee and berated the official who just ignored the questions that the players had. The game would end in a draw and the US had salvaged a point from what seemed like a hopeless situation, but they were left wanting the full 3 points that had been stolen from them.
Although the officiating at the beginning of the World Cup seemed almost flawless, it has taken a turn for the worse in recent days. A couple of games have seen ridiculous amounts of cards, including the Germany v. Serbia game where German striker Miroslav Klose was given a dubious red card early in the game, as well as the Chile v. Switzerland match which featured 9 yellow cards and a red card. The Italians also received a penalty shot against New Zealand which seemed to be generous at best and earned the Azzurri a tie with the Kiwis in perhaps the tournament’s most shocking result. The problem begins with FIFA, who states that the referees do not have to explain the decisions they make during the course of a game. All the US players wanted is an explanation of what the referee saw when he blew the whistle. Even though there appeared to be no foul, at least the ref could say what he was thinking at the time. Although it is under different circumstances, we recently saw in baseball how an umpire blew a perfect game by missing a call. He owned up to his mistake and came out better for it in the end. The umpire, Jim Joyce, was recently voted the best in baseball by the players.
I know FIFA is truly global and they want to be fair to players and officials alike from all over the world, but in the World Cup the best officials in the world should be in charge. If that means that all the officials have to be from Europe and South America, then that’s the way it should be. A referee from Mali can’t possibly have as much experience as an official who consistently is in charge of games in the EPL or La Liga. Mali has only 8 teams in its top league and it’s hardly at the level of even the average leagues in the world. Since every region has to be covered, there’s no reason why this official couldn’t be a linesman or the 4th official. In another match I saw that a referee was from the Seychelles, an island group off the eastern coast of Africa with a population under 100,000 people, which I’m sure most people didn’t know existed and understandably so. This seems ridiculous when you have top officials from the best leagues in the world at your disposal. FIFA has always been run by politics and its about time that they were held responsible for dubious decisions that can change the course of a game and end the dreams of players who have worked their entire lives for moments like the US should have had in their last match. FIFA recently announced that the referee from Mali wouldn’t be in charge of any more matches during the Finals, but to most Americans that is a small consolation and it has come too late.
The US face Algeria, who earned a surprising draw against England after they lost to Slovenia in their opening match, in their final group match tomorrow. With the draw between Algeria and England, the US still has its destiny in its own hands as a victory guarantees them a spot in the final 16. The Americans can still win the group with a victory and a win or tie by England against Slovenia if their goal difference holds up. If they do advance, their opponent will not be known until the games later on in the day are completed, which include Germany v. Ghana and Serbia v. Australia. The Germans could finish 2nd in their group which would match them up with the winners of the US’s group. Topping the group would make it easier for a deeper run in the tournament, but the US has to get there first. Algeria shouldn’t be underrated and they are a team with a lot of pace. Most of their players are based in Europe and have experience in some of the top leagues. They would be on top of the group right now with 4 points if that goal had been allowed against Slovenia, assuming the Europeans didn’t come back in the few remaining minutes. The Americans need to solve their early defensive troubles and cannot keep coming from behind when they face the elite teams of the world. Failing to reach the Round of 16 would be a huge disappointment for the Americans and the game against Algeria will be the biggest game of many of these players’ lives.
June 22, 2010 · Filed under Soccer
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In what was perhaps the most anticipated group stage match of the World Cup, the United States and England battled it out for a tough draw. It was a relatively balanced game with perhaps the edge going to the English, but in the end a tie was a fair outcome. I watched the game from a bar in New York City and the scene was electric. American and English fans flooded the streets of New York for a soccer match, something that was unimaginable not too long ago. Every bar was packed to the point where you couldn’t move more than a few inches without bumping into someone and people had to be turned down since nobody else could physically fit into the building. It was great to see people get behind their team and support their countries’ representatives in the world’s biggest sporting event. The World Cup, and soccer in general, are usually afterthoughts for America, but it seems as if the popularity of the game is growing constantly. The ratings for this match were the highest for a soccer game since the US v. Brazil Round of 16 match in 1994 when the World Cup was held in the United States. Hopefully this is just a sign of things to come and an increased interest in the sport will ultimately lead to the rise of US soccer to an elite level.
As for the game itself, the English jumped out to a quick lead when captain Steven Gerrard scored to put his team on top in the 4th minute. The goal came from what seemed like a harmless play. Emile Heskey touched the ball to put Gerrard in the clear and the captain escaped the marking of US midfielder Ricardo Clark and put it in passed goalkeeper Tim Howard. Other than that goal which there was nothing he could do about, Howard was outstanding. The US got a scare when England crossed the ball and Howard came out to intercept the attempted pass. Howard was crushed by Heskey who was going in hard to try and get a deflection on the cross. The US goalkeeper was down for several minutes holding his ribs, but gathered himself eventually and stayed in the game. The Americans had some good chances, including an attempted header by Jozy Altidore which didn’t miss by much, but nobody could expect how the US would finally break through against the English.
If the English goal came on what seemed like a harmless play, the Americans would strike on a shocking play. Midfielder Clint Dempsey, the only American to score in the 2006 Finals, fired a relatively weak shot on net, but goalkeeper Robert Green mishandled the ball and it fell in behind him to tie the game in the 40th minute. Most fans watching the game were more in shock and disbelief than anything else. The goal by Dempsey made him only the second American to ever score in multiple World Cups, with Brian McBride being the other. The game would go in 1-1 at the half with most of the players and crowd still shocked by the mistake from the English goalkeeper. The goalie position had been an issue with the English coming into the World Cup and a clear number one option had yet to really be established.
The second half saw both teams have a number of chances. Howard’s injury didn’t seem to bother him for the remainder of the game as he made some fantastic saves to keep his team in the game. Howard would go on to be named Man of the Match. Green also atoned for his error somewhat when he made a good save on Altidore’s shot which he deflected off the post. Wayne Rooney was kept in check for most of the game and although England seemed to be the stronger of the two teams and had the majority of good chances, the US defense held and a tie was a fitting end to a mostly balanced affair. Despite the draw, each team is still favored to advance out of the group and should do so. The draw with England also keeps alive the hope of winning the group outright. The Americans would likely need to defeat both Slovenia and Algeria, and assuming England does the same, it would come down to goal differential.
England faces Algeria in a match they should win on Friday afternoon. It will be interesting to see if manager Fabio Capello sticks with Green in the net after his mishap or if he decides to go with David James or Joe Hart in net. Green has been destroyed by the British media, but I don’t think this goal will have as big of an impact as people are saying for the rest of this man’s life. The mistake came in he group stage and England are still favorites to win the group. If this had come in the knockout stages than it would have been a different story. Green has gotten support from his teammates which is extremely important and he has handled the situation well so far. If Capello does put Green back in net, I would imagine he wouldn’t let anything like this happen again. Their next opponents, Algeria, lost to Slovenia in their opening match after their goalkeeper allowed a weak goal of his own after they had been reduced to 10 men, although it wasn’t near the level of Green’s mistake. England will also be without defender Ledley King who may miss the rest of the tournament after being injured in the game against the US. King was already stepping in as a replacement for captain Rio Ferdinand who was injured and ruled out of the tournament. The English came in as favorites to win the group and doing so would avoid a likely match up with Germany, who were probably the most impressive team thus far in the tournament, in the second round.
Next for the US is Slovenia, who defeated Algeria in their first match, on Friday. Slovenia now leads the group with 3 points and the Americans will need a win if they want to control their own destiny. They need at least a tie for a chance to advance to the second round, but then would need England to defeat Slovenia in their last game and the US would need to beat Algeria in order to advance to the next round. Slovenia, although a country of only 2 million people making it the smallest in the tournament, has a solid team which defeated the favored Russians in a playoff to make it to South Africa. Tim Howard is scheduled to start despite his injury concerns. It won’t be a walk over by any stretch of the imagination, but the US should defeat Slovenia and has a decent chance of winning the group entirely. For whoever finishes second in the group, a match against Germany in the second round seems likely so winning the group is extremely important.
June 15, 2010 · Filed under Soccer
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Quarterfinals:
Argentina v. Germany – In a rematch of a quarterfinal from 2006 in which Germany won on penalty kicks on home soil, this will be another classic match between the two world powers. I think Argentina has the firepower to overcome the Germans this time, especially with the absence of captain Michael Ballack. This could be the tournament that Lionel Messi shines on the international stage and showcases his talent to the world. The South Americans will get some revenge on the Germans and advance to the semifinals.
England v. Uruguay – The English will have had a fairly easy road to the semifinals if these match ups come to pass. While they have questions on defense, they should be able to keep Diego Forlan in check and the English should advance to the semifinals for the first time since 1990.
Netherlands v. Brazil – The Dutch should have Arjen Robben back at this time and their clinical and possession emphasized style will come against the speed and counterattacking ability of the Brazilians. I think the Dutch win the possession battle, but Brazil is just too strong and has too much talent. They will advance to the semifinals after missing out on the final four last time out.
Spain v. Cameroon – Cameroon will have the continent’s support, but they will be facing one of the tournament’s favorites. Spain’s overall talent and technical skills will be too much for both Cameroon and the crowd to overcome. The Spanish players are also familiar with Samuel Eto’o who played at Barcelona from 2004 to 2009. At least 5 of Spain’s starters will be from Barcelona including David Villa who just signed with the club.
Semifinals:
England v. Brazil – The English, who will have coasted to the semifinals, will finally meet their match when they face off against the Brazilians. The skillful Brazilian forwards will take advantage of the weakened English defense with captain Rio Ferdinand missing. England’s chance will be if Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney take control of the game. In the end, Luis Fabiano, Kaka and company will be too much for the English to overcome. Brazil will earn its 4th appearance in the finals in the last 5 World Cups.
Spain v. Argentina – Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuain will be facing many of their La Liga teammates in this clash, which will be full of skillful and electrifying players. Barcelona and Real Madrid will likely make up 9 of Spain’s projected starters. Although Spain’s Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol will be familiar with their Barcelona compatriot, it doesn’t mean keeping Messi in check will be easy. This match will also see the two best striking units in the world with Messi, Higuain, Tevez and Milito leading Argentina against Villa and Torres of Spain. I think the difference will be on the defensive end where Spain has the edge along with the brilliant playmaking ability of the Spanish midfield. Spain will remarkably advance to their first final ever.
Finals:
Spain v. Brazil – I know this a safe pick with the two co-favorites meeting in the final, but I think these two teams are just a cut above everyone else. These teams have been the top two in the world since Spain won Euro 2008. The match could go either way and could easily be decided in extra time or by penalty kicks. I think this year is the year that Spain finally break through and capture that allusive World Cup title. While Maicon and Alves are incredible players for Brazil, I don’t think they will be able to contain Torres and Villa. The Spanish central defense is much more suited to keep elite strikers in check. Spain will finally brush away those past demons of falling short on the biggest stage and will win their first World Cup title. Brazil has 2014 to look forward to where they will be playing on their home soil.
Awards: Of course a lot of these predictions are based upon how well I think the individual’s team will do. So here are my predictions for the winners of the top awards for the tournament.
Golden Boot Winner – Luis Fabiano (Brazil) – This award is given to the tournament’s top scorer. Germany’s Miroslav Klose won the award in 2006 when he scored 5 goals. Fabiano is the main threat up top for the Brazilians and is clearly their best finisher. He led them in scoring in qualifying and since they are likely to go far in the tournament, he should be able to tally enough goals. David Villa and Fernando Torres of Spain are likely to be right behind Fabiano, but I think they will end up taking goals away from each other as they are both threats up front for Spain. Fabiano will likely be paired with Robinho up front, but he has been in the best form lately and is my choice to lead the tournament in goals.
Other Candidates: David Villa (Spain), Fernando Torres (Spain), Wayne Rooney (England), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Gonzalo Higuain (Argentina), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), Miroslav Klose (Germany), Robin Van Persie (Netherlands), Robinho (Brazil), Diego Forlan (Uruguay)
Golden Ball Winner – Xavi Hernandez (Spain) – This award is given to the tournament’s best player. If Spain are really going to finally reach the pinnacle of the sport, it will be because of the distribution of Xavi. Although he doesn’t score many goals, he is the orchestrator on offense and can pick out a runner with the proper accuracy and force of a pass. His creativity is unmatched in the world and he can pick apart a defense to provide Torres and Villa with countless scoring opportunities.
Other Candidates: David Villa (Spain), Fernando Torres (Spain), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Luis Fabiano (Brazil), Kaka (Brazil), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Gonzalo Higuain (Argentina), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Wayne Rooney (England), Steven Gerrard (England), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
Best Young Player – Giovani Dos Santos (Mexico) – This award is given to the young player, who must be 21 years old or younger, who has the biggest impact on the 2010 Finals. The 21 year old will be paired up front with Carlos Vela for a young duo of Mexican strikers who both play in the Premier League. Dos Santos threatened to quit the team earlier when his brother was cut from the final roster, but perhaps he will use that as motivation. He was a star at the youth level, but he has struggled at the club level where he started with Barcelona, where his brother plays, and currently plays for Tottenham. He played at Galatasaray of the Turkish League on loan last season where he failed to score in 14 league appearances. Dos Santos will finally shine on the international stage and will help Mexico to a solid run in South Africa.
Other Candidates: Jozy Altidore (USA), Mesut Ozil (Germany), Thomas Muller (Germany), Sergio Busquets (Spain), Simon Kjaer (Denmark), Javier Pastore (Argentina), Carlos Vela (Mexico), Dominic Adiyiah (Ghana), Eric Maxim Chupo-Moting (Cameroon)
June 11, 2010 · Filed under Soccer
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This is Part 1 of my FIFA World Cup Predictions. Look for Part 2 tomorrow where I will start with the quarterfinals and announce my pick to win it all. I will also go into some of the major awards and give you the top contenders for each.
Round 1:
Group A:
- Uruguay
- Mexico
- France
- South Africa
While most people would think France are the favorites in the group, they have been struggling as of late. They are only in the World Cup due to a goal which was scored after a hand ball by Thierry Henry, which I’m sure all Irish fans remember too well. Mexico has been one of the most impressive teams in the friendlies leading up to the Finals including a defeat of Italy, however, facing host nation South Africa in the opening match of the tournament will not be easy. If the hosts fail to qualify for the 2nd round, they will be the first host nation to fail to reach the second round. Therefore I think the advantage of being home shouldn’t be underestimated, but the truth is that South Africa just isn’t as strong as the other three teams. Uruguay plays the French first in a game that will go a long way to determining how the group standings will develop. I think they beat the French, who haven’t looked the same since the great Zinedine Zidane retired. I have Uruguay and Mexico advancing with the South Americans finishing first although it is with some hesitiation as it is a close call between the two teams. It is crucial for both sides to claim the top spot as they would avoid facing Argentina in the Round of 16.
Group B:
- Argentina
- Nigeria
- South Korea
- Greece
Argentina are clear favorites in this group and will likely cruise to the top spot, but this a group without a real weak team. Nigeria will be playing on their home continent, but they recently suffered a big loss when Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel was ruled out of the competition due to injury. We all remember South Korea’s run to the semifinals as co-hosts back in 2002. They have established themselves now as a powerhouse in the Asian region. Four years ago, however, they failed to get out of the first round. Greece is a strong defensive team, but lacks a major threat on the offensive side of the ball. Argentina is virtually a lock to win the group, but the 2nd spot is up for grabs. I’m tempted to go with South Korea to advance especially with the loss of Mikel for Nigeria. In a close call, I’m leaning towards Nigeria to advance behind the Argentines due to the fact they will be on their home continent.
Group C:
- England
- United States
- Slovenia
- Algeria
All of the talk about Group C revolves around the match between England the United States on the 2nd day of the tournament. These two teams are the clear favorites to advance from the group, but Slovenia and Algeria shouldn’t be overlooked. Algeria will be playing on their home continent, although they are are on the opposite side of Africa as the host nation. They also defeated African Cup of Nations Champions Egypt in a playoff in order to make these Finals. Egypt is currently ranked 12th in the world by FIFA, two spots ahead of the US, but I wouldn’t put too much into those rankings. Slovenia knocked off the favored Russians, ranked 11th currently by FIFA, in a playoff to earn their place in South Africa. If the US are off their game, Algeria and Slovenia have the potential to upset the Americans. If the US fails to get a point in their opening match against England, they will need to get at least 4 points against the other two teams and only 2 victories would guarantee them an advance to the 2nd round. For whoever wins the group, which England is the favored to do, a long run is certainly possible as they can avoid facing an elite team until the semifinals. The second place finisher will likely have to face Germany in the Round of 16.
Group D:
- Germany
- Serbia
- Ghana
- Australia
Germany come into the group as favorites, but there will be no room for error as each team in this group is capable of playing at a high level. Group G has been dubbed this year’s “Group of Death,” however, with the presence of North Korea in that group, Group D has no real weakness and is the toughest group from top to bottom. The Serbians boast a tough defense and won their qualifying group which included France. Ghana suffered a big blow when their captain and Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien was informed he would miss the World Cup. Essien was the unquestioned leader of the “Black Stars,” however, they will have the comfort of being on their home continent. The Aussies are coming off a 3-1 loss in a friendly against the US where they looked average at best. They did play well in qualifying in their first time in the Asian Confederation where they topped their group by a comfortable margin. Australia is unfortunate to be in this tough group and will find it hard to advance, especially if their best player Tim Cahill misses more than just the first game which he has already been ruled out of. Germany should top the group and with the injury to Essien, I give the edge to the Serbs to finish in the 2nd spot.
Group E:
- Netherlands
- Cameroon
- Denmark
- Japan
The Dutch are favorites to top the group and should do so without much trouble. They may be without Arjen Robben for the first few games, but the Dutch have incredible depth and he will likely return in time for the 2nd round. Denmark have been shaky in their recent friendlies including a loss to hosts South Africa. Cameroon will be close to home and have one of the best strikers in the world on their side in Samuel Eto’o. The Japanese will likely have a tough time getting many points and are likely to finish last in the group. The Dutch should cruise to the top spot in the group and Eto’o will lead Cameroon to a 2nd round appearance.
Group F:
- Paraguay
- Italy
- Slovakia
- New Zealand
The defending champions are notoriously slow starters. On top of that they will be without star midfielder Andrea Pirlo for at least their first two matches of the group. They also have looked shaky in recent friendlies losing 2-1 to Mexico, although it should have been worse than that judging by how badly the Mexicans outplayed them, and a 1-1 draw against the Swiss. Unfortunately for the Italians, their toughest opponent will be Paraguay in their opening match. The South Americans had a very successful qualifying campaign where they finished only one point behind Brazil. I think they will take advantage of Italy missing Pirlo and starting off slow. Slovakia has a strong and youthful team and can pull off an upset if the top two teams aren’t prepared. New Zealand is probably the weakest team in the tournament and will have a tough time earning a point. I’m picking Paraguay to upset the Italians to top the group with Italy still advancing in a relatively weak group.
Group G:
- Brazil
- Ivory Coast
- Portugal
- North Korea
The “Group of Death” features 3 of the world’s top teams. Brazil is a favorite to win it all, as they always are, and will likely come out on top despite tough competition. The Ivory Coast may be without captain and leading goalscorer Didier Drogba. They are deeper than people think, although if Drogba misses the Ivorian’s crucial first match against Portugal it would be a big loss. Portugal has been unimpressive lately as they struggled in qualifying. They will also be without Manchester United midfielder Nani who was one of the few legitimate offensive weapons for the Portuguese. North Korea is one of the weaker teams in the tournament and has the misfortune of being in this incredibly tough group. If they manage to even gain a point in this group it would be a shock. I’m picking the Ivory Coast to advance behind Brazil while playing on their home continent, even if Drogba can’t heal in time to play.
Group H:
- Spain
- Chile
- Switzerland
- Honduras
Spain comes in as one of the favorites and should find it easy to top the group. Unfortunately the Spanish have been known for having hot starts only to fade in the knockout rounds despite their tremendous talent. That talent was on display in Spain’s last friendly on Tuesday when they defeated Poland, who failed to qualify for this year’s tournament after playing in Germany 2006, by a score of 6-0. Spain’s past demons of not living up to their potential have haunted them in the past, but will this finally be the year they get that allusive World Cup title? Winning the group is certainly a start. Chile had a strong qualifying campaign where they finished tied in points with Paraguay for 2nd place. They will have the comfort of staying on the southern hemisphere and are accustomed to the altitude they will be playing at in South Africa. The Swiss have been inconsistent as of late and their crucial match will come against Chile. They also may be without all-time leading scorer Alexander Frei who left training with an injury, however, it is unclear yet how seriously he is hurt. Honduras is the weakest team in the group and although they can be competitive with the Swiss and Chile, they will likely finish in last place. Spain should claim top spot and Chile is my pick for second place, although their reward for advancing is likely facing Brazil.
Round of 16:
Uruguay v. Nigeria – This is an unlikely 2nd round match up, but Nigeria will really miss Mikel in this game. I think Diego Forlan and the South American’s offense will be too strong for the Africans and will advance to the quarterfinals.
Argentina v. Mexico – The Mexicans have been strong as of late, but Argentina could be the most talented team in the tournament. Their strikers are all world class players beginning with reigning FIFA World Player of the Year Lionel Messi. Joining Messi will likely be Gonzalo Higuain and perhaps Carlos Tevez or Diego Milito. Add the fact that Sergio Aguero is likely the fifth best striker on the team and this lineup is scary. Argentina should have enough firepower to advance to the quarters.
England v. Serbia – The English could be in line for a long run if they can win their group and avoid some of the top contenders until the late rounds. Serbia is a strong side, especially on the defensive side, and will give England a run for their money, but in the end England will come out on top likely on the back of Wayne Rooney.
Germany v. United States – The US will have made a good showing if they make it this far, but unfortunately they will meet up with the Germans. Germany defeated the US back when the Americans made it to the quarterfinals in 2002. I hope I’m wrong, but I think the Germans are just a class above the US right now and will win a close game, but if the US makes it to the Round of 16 or can even pull off a major upset, they will be able to take a lot away from South Africa.
Netherlands v. Italy – This match up may surprise some since Italy is favored to win its group, but I think the Italians will struggle without their best playmaker Andrea Pirlo. The Netherlands have been a top 5 team in the world as of late and look like they will be tough to beat. Hopefully for the Dutch, Arjen Robben will have returned by this time and will help inspire them to a victory.
Paraguay v. Cameroon – Another unlikely match up sees Paraguay meet up with Cameroon. The South Americans had a strong qualifying campaign and have impressed as of late. The wild card in this match up is Samuel Eto’o. The Inter Milan striker is a huge threat and can win this game singlehandedly. Cameroon also boasts a strong defense which is sometimes overlooked. On the strength of having the home continent behind them, I think Cameroon gets the win. I think at least one African team will reach the quarterfinals and Cameroon is poised to do so.
Brazil v. Chile – These two teams will meet in an all South American second round game. Brazil and Chile are familiar with each other and finished first and second in qualifying. In their two matches during qualifying, the Brazilians beat Chile by a combined score of 7-2. I think it will be more of the same as Brazil is just too strong for the Chileans.
Spain v. Ivory Coast – The Ivory Coast could be the greatest African team of all time assuming Drogba will be able to play. Unfortunately, they will meet one of the tournament’s favorites in the 2nd round. Spain is just too strong and clinical of a team for the Ivory Coast, and most teams for that matter. In order to beat Spain, a team needs to be playing on all cylinders and at full speed. Spain is a team that will dominate possession and a counterattacking team (See Inter Milan defeating Barcelona in the Champions League) is the only one that can defeat the European champions. Without a completely healthy Drogba, the Ivory Coast won’t have enough firepower and discipline to beat Spain.
June 10, 2010 · Filed under Soccer
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