Be sure to check out our World Cup Previews
Groups A-D
Groups E-H
Knockout Stages

Day 11 – Monday June 21

 

Spain v Honduras

 

If it wasn't for Spain's dreadful performance against Switzerland, this game wouldn't carry as much importance.  But the favorites are forced to dig themselves out of a hole following their first game loss.  Honduras is a severe underdog here, but don't count them out.  They were the best defensive squad in CONCACAF qualifying.  If they can clog the passing lanes and rough up the Spanish strikers, it could mean an upset.

 

What to watch for:

 

- Spanish midfield.  There's no better.  They owned the possession against Switzerland, but despite rattling the post a few times, couldn't put home a goal. 

 

- Can David Villa or Fernando Torres figure out how to find the back of the net.  If you can't score, you won't win.  Unless Xavi and company start bombing from long range, Spain will need their forwards to show up.

 

Day 12 – Tuesday June 22

 

Argentina v Greece

 

All Diego Maradona's squad needs is a tie and they're through.  But Greece needs a convincing win to help push themselves into the knockouts.  More than likely the Greeks will find themselves defending in their own zone most of the match.  But their eyes will be on the scoreboard, and that will motivate them to attack.

 

What to watch for:

 

- Argentine strikers.  Gonzalo Higuain netted a hat trick against a stout South Korean defense.  Which forward (Messi, Aguero, Tevez, Milito, Higuain) will make his presence known against Greece?

 

- Argentine defense.  Greece is far from an offensive powerhouse, but Argentina is not exactly a brick wall on defense.  Will they play sloppy enough to let Greece into the game?  Can Theofanis Gekas find the form that made him the leading scorer in UEFA qualifying?

 

Day 13 – Wednesday June 23

 

Germany v Ghana

 

After the US and England struggle to stay alive on Wednesday, Group D will sort out their mess.  Ghana is the closest African team to the knockout rounds.  They'll have to defeat or tie Germany to make it through.  Not exactly an easy task against the nation who's finished in the top 3 of the World Cup more often than any other.  Both squads struggled in their last match after strong openings.  They'll have to assume that Serbia will win against Australia.

 

What to watch for:

 

- Germany will be without Miroslav Klose thanks to his red card against Serbia.  Will Joachim Low stick with experience in Lukas Podolski and Mario Gomez?  Or will he use young Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller?

 

- Boateng brothers Kevin-Prince (Ghana) and Jerome (Germany) will be on opposite benches.   Although Jerome may not see the pitch, the Germans will be marking Kevin-Price.  He injured German captain Michael Ballack during the FA Cup final this season.

 

Day 14 – Thursday June 24

 

Italy v Slovakia

 

Thursday will be full of decisive action.  Japan and Denmark will settle 2nd place in Group E.  And Paraguay and New Zealand will help sort out Group F.  The defending champs are in trouble here as they meet Slovakia.  Marcelo Lippi will have to make sure his elder statesmen are well rested after their disappointing opening matches.  Slovakia still has a fighting chance in their first World Cup, so they will not be laying down here.

 

What to watch for:

 

- Italy needs goals in case of a tiebreaker situation.  Will they finally start Serie A scoring champion Antonio Di Natale?

 

- Will goalie Gianluigi Buffon be able to play for Italy?  If not, will Chiellini, Cannavaro, and company be able to deflect the majority of the Slovakian attack?

 

Day 15 – Friday June 25

 

Spain v Chile

 

Depending on how Monday shakes out, Chile will either be at the top of the group defending its standing, or in the middle of the pack needing to stun the group favorite in order to survive.  Spain should still be in the competition, otherwise the world may stop spinning on its axis.

 

What to watch for:

 

- Humberto Suazo didn't play against Honduras.  Will he be fit to go against Spain?  He's the strongest offensive force that Chile has, and they'll need his big body to match up against Pique and Puyol.

 

- Chile is not the tough defensive side that Switzerland is.  The Spanish should be able to penetrate and move behind the defense.  If Spain gets their passing going, can Chile get the ball back?

As we get into the mid-section of the group stage there are some days full of multiple games of importance. In fact, almost every day we mention a second game that will either be decisive for the group or features an impressive team.

Day 6 – Wednesday June 16

 South Africa v Uruguay

 While watching the dynamic Spaniards dismantle Switzerland is tempting, this match will help decide a more balanced group. Everyone in Group A tied in their first go around. Now Uruguay will have to try and steal some points against the home team. There's a significant advantage for South Africa, a team many believe to be the weakest hosts ever. During the Mexico match the stadium seemed electric. That atmosphere is the reason why the World Cup host nation has never failed to advance to the second round. Will Forlan and Suarez be able to communicate well enough to open up the inferior South African defense? Will Stephen Pienaar and Bafana Bafana be able to ride the wave of support to another draw? Or even victory?

 What to watch for:

 - Forlan and Suarez. These two forwards are the key to Uruguay's World Cup hopes. In any other situation they would probably dismantle South Africa's defense. But with the ultimate home-field advantage, they may find it too difficult to coordinate an attack.

- The home crowd. It will get loud. Be happy you're watching from home.

 

 Day 7 - Thursday June 17

 Argentina v South Korea

 We don't want to be too heavy on one group, so well take a pass on France v Mexico though it should be exciting. Group B's leaders: Argentina and South Korea have opposing strengths. The striker heavy Argentina will attempt to defend with possession and offense, as they did against Nigeria. The reserved South Koreans play a defensive disciplined style with, as Greece found out, a dangerous counter attack. The winner of this match will end up in first place in the group. It will be interesting to see if South Korea can frustrate Maradona's squad and force them into a tactical mistake.

 What to watch for:

 - Park Ji-Sung. If you've ever wondered why Alex Ferguson loves starting Park in the Champions League, you got your answer when he scored against Greece. If South Korea is planning on taking the group, they'll need this Manchester United midfielder to weave some more of his clutch magic.

 - Can Lionel Messi owned the match against Nigeria. Yet Argentina only mustered 1 goal, despite starting Messi, Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuian up front. Maradona knows (at least we think he does) that Messi is his key to victory in South Africa. Will he give Sergio Aguero or Diego Milito a shot at complementing Lionel's brilliance?

 

Day 8 – Friday June 18

 Germany v Serbia

 We'll assume you'll be already be watching US v Slovenia. A game which features an underdog leading their group (Slovenia) versus a higher ranked opponent who tied the group's best squad (US). And although the US predicament sounds similar, Serbia is in far more trouble. Serbia was a favorite to surprise in the World Cup after winning a tough qualifying group featuring France, Romania, and Austria. But in their first game they failed to secure a point. Now they must defeat Germany. Because if Ghana wins against Australia, Serbia could be eliminated before their final match.

 What to watch for:

 - German forwards. Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose looked 5 years younger against the Australian defense. The younger Germans capitalized once the Socceroos went down a man. How will they fare against a sturdier, Nemanja Vidic led, defense?

 - Serbian attack. The Serbians struggled when presenting with opportunities against Ghana. They will have to prove more accurate versus Philip Lahm and the German D, whom didn't have to exert too much effort against Austrailia.

 

Day 9 – Saturday June 19

 Netherlands v Japan

 Japan made themselves a contender for Group E by knocking off Cameroon in their first match. Now they'll use their defensive approach against the attacking Dutch. Both squads come into this game tied for the lead with 3 points in this deceptively strong group. The Netherlands are favored to win, but the Japanese may clog the passing lanes and stymie their creativity. Although it's tempting to think that the Japanese may play for a tie, the fear of losing on a late goal will probably too strong to ignore. If Denmark secures a victory against Cameroon and Japan loses, it sets up a tough match for the Samurai Blue.

What to watch for:

- Midfield. In order to stop the momentum of the Dutch attack the Japanese will need to halt the Orange's ridiculously high passing percentage. If the Japanese let Sneijder, Van der Vaart and company control the tempo, they won't be able to keep the Dutch away from net for long.

- Dutch defense. If the Dutch have a weak spot, it's on the back line. Japan may be forced to play on the defensive the entire match, but with a couple good counters they could exploit the Orange backline.

 

Day 10 – Sunday June 20

Brazil v Ivory Coast

Two of the powers from the “Group of Death” will be tangling on Sunday. Powerhouse Brazil displays supreme talent at all aspects of the game. The Ivory Coast is the most talented side on the continent, but they're dealing with an injury to star striker Didier Drogba. Brazil will be favored to win, but it won't be easy. The Toures on Ivory Coast's backline will prove tough for the Brazillian forwards to deal with. And if Drogba can go full strength, he's more than capable of reeking havoc, even on one of the best defenses in the game.

What to watch for:

- Will Brazil miss the experience of Ronaldinho? Robinho, Fabiano, and company, are a hard group to find fault with. But against a tough opponent a little experience could have gone a long way.

- Drogba vs the Inter Milan 3. Drogba is usually the type of player who can make his presence felt against any opponent, no matter how strong. However, he struggled to do so in the UEFA Champions League against Inter Milan. Now, with a broken arm, he'll be forced to match up against Lucio, Maicon, and Julio Cesar again.

 

Here we are FIFA's #8 v #14. The battle of 1776. The revenge of 1950. Thank you ABC/ESPN for giving us Martin Tyler, but why'd you stick him with John Harkes? Is that the best we have as far as soccer annoucers in the US? We haven't yet made it as a soccer nation.

Carlos Bocanerga knows the National anthem better than most of the squad. Also, how come no one every told me that "My Country Tis of Thee" is a straight plagerism of the non-Sex Pistols version of "God Save the Queen"?

1' The US is falling all over themselves. Is it the field (or pitch as Chris Fowler likes to call it)? FIFA says you can't wear metal studs. But diamond studs are cool as long as you have a fauxhawk or possibly eyeliner.

3' Gerrard shows John Terry that the English can remain elegant whilst tapping home balls in the box. Beautiful pass. Where was Onyewu? Clark was last US defender. Demerit & Bocanegra looked surprised that Gerrard was walking right past them.

8' First reaction. Findley & Onyewu will be first players subbed out for America.

13' Three corners in a row & nothing for the US.

15' My new favorite soccer-ism "stick it in the danger area". Thanks John Harkes. Insert Eric Wynalda/Harkes' wife jokes here.

19' US defense lets England slip by again. Luckily they were able to get in front of that groud cross without tapping it into their own net.

22' The way Rooney runs after every ball, the US may want to keep 2 defenders back at all times

24' England's central defenders show US how to stop the center-back splitting forward pass in the box: i.e. Don't get out of position.

25' Milner has look sloppy & out of place all game. He'll be subbed at half..

26' I've changed my tune on Onyewu. He's too valuable on set pieces to be subbed. But Findley is ineffective and will be gone at half.

27' Again England shows their dangerous speed vs America's tendency to get out of position in the back.

28' Tim Howard shows why he's the most valuable player on US... Then goes down hurt. This is not good. No other goalie could deal this sloppy backline..

30' Well I was right about Milner getting subbed, wrong about when. Wright-Phillips is on for him now. Cappelo doesn't handle failure well.

33' Wright-Phillips immediately displays his speed on the wing. Takes the back on a run around the corner & threds the pass into the front of the box. Milner may not see another start this tourney.

34' Note to US defense. See how England got 6 guys back against that counter?

38' Donovan makes a decent strike. But look at how England constantly clogs the middle in front of the box. 3 guys in front of Altidore & him.

39' Robert Green may not see another start either. Dempsey knew he'd have to make a difference for US to win (and he's the best attacker they have). Bet he didn't think it'd be that easy. For good measure Fulham's better than West Ham. Also Green would be a lousy infielder but a great bullfighter. "What's this Ole' bullshit"

40' No time for love Dr. Jones. England counters before US can fully celebrate. Howard bails out his country agan.

42' Martin Tyler is class. "You buy a ticket, sometimes you win the raffle"

43' Beckham & his hair are both glancing off to the right, very distraught-like.

44' The rims of Fabio Capello's glasses look upset.

46' Altidore works Gerrard for a throw-in. Gerrard's only mistake of the night. He kept that in for England, the captain's been everywhere. Frank Lampard who?

2ND HALF

Stepped outside and missed the news on substitutes. Looks like Findley's still in. Hmmmm.

46' DeMerit. Handball. Yellow card. 2 US defenders with cards.

48' Was that luck or skill by the US D? That ball just went across the box straight to DeMerit.

49' Hopefully Dempsey didn't hurt himself too bad. US's two best offensive forces are outside midfieler/wingers (Donovan/Dempsey). Their strikers haven't been a factor at all.

50' Remain calm Rooney. Don't get stupid yellows for yelling at refs. Save your yellows for when the bigger teams are harrassing you.

51' Howard has a big bucket. And just keeps bailing his defenders out.

53' England offsides again. They're going forward almost too aggresively in the second half. They should keep back. They're talented enough to exploit the open holes (especially John Terry. Bam).

58' Again, the US left/right backs are too wide. If that ball didn't bounce to Howard that could have been dangerous.

59' Carragher come on. You don't need to be that aggressive to stop an MLS player.

60' Back to back Liverpudlian fouls. Just like the good ol' days of Red players. Gerrard was just reckless there. He's better than that, that's too close to goal to let Donovan take a free.

61' Bad angle Carlos. He should have stepped out of the way there and let a striker try to do some damage.

62' Lampard show up for the first time. Good space, good shot. Howard again.. Apparently for the US to beat a top team, he has to make 20 saves.

64' Oh Jozy! That's what Hull City wanted from you. Using the linebacker size, speed, & strength to beat the defense and then your skill to turn it into a wide open shot. Green won't get any credit for that back home due to his earlier mistake, but it was brilliant.

66' Great movement and passing by England. This is how they should be using their talents against weak US midfield/defense. Posses them to death and win makeable free kicks.

69' Rooney, Rooney, Rooney. He's getting furious. The mosquitos must be getting to him.

72' Really ref? After all you've called, you let Carragher get away with mugging Findley again. That should be a second yellow. In fairness to Findley, that was a great run. The US needs forwards with speed, he should do that more ofter.

73' Rooney again. Damn he's dangerous.

74' Howard again with the bucket. Now the wide backs for the US are too far in.

75' Rooney's almost got this game in his hand. Howard can't keep this up.

76' I've wondered why Heskey was in all game. Crouch would have put that cross in. DeMerit can't match up with the top strikers.

77' Findley was subbed. I'm 2 for 2.

78' Capello saw what I saw & I didn't need the rims. Crouch on for Heskey. Crouch adds a nightmare target for the out of position US backs to defend.

80' Crouch should gravitate to the other side. Onyewu can handle his height..

82' Dempsey seems to be having some trouble staying upright. He's been all over the field playing physically. But did he learn some tricks from his Europa League experience.

83' England with a 4 on 2 break. America lucks out again. Onyewu was brilliant defending Lampard.

85' Altidore doesn't want to come off. Can't blame him. Is Bradley moving Dempsey up? Holden shouldn't be striking.

90' Donovan & Beckham exchanged pleasanties before the match. Donovan admires his hair. Beckham admires Donovan's sash.

91' Crouch is "awkward" according to Martin Tyler. It seems like height discrimination with how he gets used for cards by shorter players. He gets carded for PWT: Playing While Tall

92' Yeah Clint, you're not going to fool Green twice with that stuff.

93' Bradley tried to sub late in order to delay until the whistle. It worked, the game was called before the sub came on.

REFLECTIONS

- Ruud Gillit called it 1-1

- Playing devil's advocate here. This draw could hurt the US if Slovenia or Algeria take away 3 points in their match tomorrow. Someone could have a jumpstart on the lead and if the US struggles to beat both, they could fail.

- Still a tie against England is a great result.

- Cappelo made a tactical mistake by not declaring a starting goalie. It's too psycologically damaging to inexperienced palyers to do that. Tony LaRussa once ruined Rick Ankiel's pitching career by being coy like that.

The World Cup is starting on Friday and the first 2 weeks (or fortnight as they call it across the pond) will be packed with games from the group stage.  For soccer fans, this is the equivalent of the NCAA tournament first round, only each team gets three games to display their prowess.  In a straight knockout tournament the first round wouldn't be much different for teams like Brazil (who would win) or New Zealand (who wouldn't). But for middle of the pack teams, like the United States, the extra games allotted by the round-robin style are vital. Because even though they should struggle against a stronger team like England, they probably will be able to pick up some points against Algeria and Slovenia in order to advance to the next round.

 

The amount of games over the 15 days of the tournament may be too overwhelming for some soccer newbies to absorb.  Especially those Americans sitting around waiting for the next U.S. Match. They may know that Italy, Germany, and Brazil tend to excel at soccer.  But they may not be intrigued by some of the less established footballing countries like Australia or Cameroon.  Will the ratings in America struggle due to lack of interest, or the fact that most games will be played during work hours?  It's a distinct possibility, so we at SportyMcBloggin present our “One Game A Day to DVR” guide. 

 

Also be sure to check out our preview of the World Cup:

Groups A-D
Groups E-H 
The Knockout Rounds 
 

Day 1 - Friday June 11

 

Uruguay v France

 

Although the opening match between the hosts (South Africa) and Mexico is tempting, this game provides a star studded matchup of two former World Cup champions.  France finished 2^nd at the last Cup and won on their home soil in 1998.  Uruguay is a 2-time champ but hasn't finished in the top 4 since 1970.  France entered this tournament using a blatant handball by superstar Theirry Henry in the final qualifier against Ireland.  Uruguay also slipped into the tournament with a victory over Costa Rica in the final knockout qualifier for CONMEBOL and CONCACAF.

 

Uruguay features forwards Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid) and Luis Suarez (Ajax) two of the most sought after goal scorers in Europe.  Their scoring prowess should help balance out Uruguay's traditional physical play.  France may be one of the older teams at this tournament, (Theirry Henry was on the '98 Championship squad) but they do have some young potential heroes.  Goaltender Hugo Lloris (Lyon) could end up being the best keeper at the tournament, and midfielder Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux) should display some of the play making flair that's made him a transfer target for the biggest clubs in the game.

 

What to watch for:

 

- Forlan and Suarez v the French defense and Lloris.  Many French defenders are very offensive minded (Evra, Clichy, Sagna) and could leave themselves open to counter-attack.

 

- Franck Ribery.  Will Ribery (arguably one of the top 10 players in the world) use the cup to channel his aggression from his recent scandals?  Will he have to win games by himself or will aging stars Henry and Nicolas Anelka maximize the opportunities he provides them with?

 

 

Day 2 - Saturday June 12

 

England v United States

 

You'll only hear this story 1500 more times before this game.  England didn't enter the first 3 World Cups because they thought they were too good to play with the rest of the world.  In 1950 they finally entered the tournament and in their second match they lost to the United States. Following that they were promptly eliminated at the end of the1^st round.  In their World Cup history the “inventors” of the game have only claimed 1 title, on their home turf in 1966.

 

This time around England are one of the favorites.  They feature a Premier League All-Star team including Wayne Rooney (Man U), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard , Ashley Cole, and John Terry (Chelsea), plus five starters from Tottenham Hotspur.  Meanwhile the United States boasts a few Premier League talents of its own: Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Tim Howard (Everton), Jozy Altidore (Hull City via loan from Villareal), Jonathan Spector (West Ham), Stuart Holden (Bolton).  The Americans don't have the caliber of talent starring in the EPL that England has, but this could be the most internationally experienced US team ever.

 

What to watch for:

 

- Wayne Rooney making an Onyewu-less U.S. team look like traffic cones.

 

- Tim Howard using his Premier League experience to bail out his country as best he can.

 

 

Day 3 – Sunday June 13

 

Serbia v Ghana

 

This matchup should decide the 2nd advancement spot in Group D.  It's a distinct possibility that once the tournament is over, we will look back on D as the true "Group of Death".  Ghana is without their star, Michael Essien.  Yet they're still a formidable opponent who survived the 1st round four years ago.  With Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac behind the bench, they may be able to better adapt to his home country's strategy.

 

Serbia could be the strongest member of Group D and they'll be looking to open strong against Ghana.  With a good outing in this match, it will take the pressure off of them in their next game against Germany.  Nemanja Vidic may be the epitome of their squad, but Marko Pantelic and the other forwards will need to weave some magic to put them ahead.

 

What to watch for:

 

- Serbia's crushing defense.  Vidic and Branislave Ivanovic lead a powerhouse backline that should keep an Essien-less Ghana away from goal.

 

- Can Asamoah Gyan (Rennes) lead Ghana on attack.  The team has championship experience, having just finished 2nd in the African Cup of Nations.  But can they step up without their go-to-guy.

 

 

Day 4 – Monday June 14

 

Italy v Paraguay

 

The top 2 teams in Group F are the defending champs, Italy, and an underrated South American side.  In recent matches, Paraguay has found ways to score multiple goals against solid defenses (Ivory coast, Greece).  However they struggled offensively in qualifying, relying on their defense to pull them through.  They'll need Cristian Riveros (Sunderland) and Roque Santa Cruz (Manchester City) to display some game-breaking moves in order to penetrate the Italian defense.

 

Much of this match will be decided at midfield.  Both teams are strong in possesion  But the key for Italy should be some offense provided by Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan) or Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) with the excellent goalkeeping of Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus).  The Azzuri shine on D, and their offense will be enough to win.

 

What to watch for:

 

- Buffon will be a brick wall.  It's not that Paraguay can't score, it's just that it will take spectacular luck against this strong Italian squad.

 

- The battle at midfield.  Pirlo, De Rossi, Gattuso vs. Riveros Barreto, Santana.

 

 

Day 5 – Tuesday June 15

 

Ivory Coast v Portugal

 

Currently these 2 teams are in the consensus "Group of Death" with Brazil and North Korea.  By the end of this tournament, Groups A or D may prove to be stronger.  But for now, as long as Didier Drogba (Chelsea)can play, these teams are stacked.  Ivory Coast's key man, Drogba, has a broken arm.  Portugal winger Nani has withdrawn with a collar bone injury.  And there still will be enough star power on the field to make this a can't miss game. 

 

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo is a top 5 player in the world.  Drogba is as well.  Both teams continue to get stronger as you examine the midfield and defense.  Barring a future upset of Brazil, this match should decide the 2nd place team of this group.  Defense may be at a premium here.  If Didier can play, don't be surprised with a 4-3 final.  But it he's just taking up space, Portugal may run away with this match and the Ivory Coast may not recover in this cup.

 

What to watch for:

 

- Cristiano Ronaldo is remarkable at almost everything he does: shooting, dribbling, free kicks, passing, nailing reality show celebrities, flopping.  If he's in form, you don't want to miss a chance to see him on the pitch.

 

- The Toure's, Yaya and Kolo, are great defenders for Ivory Coast.  They're both done battle with Ronaldo before and that experience may be what they need to push their team ahead.

 

Parts II and III coming soon.
Be sure to check out our preview of the World Cup:

Groups A-D
Groups E-H 
The Knockout Rounds 

Depending on how you see the group stages unfolding the knockout stages could be altered. We're sticking with our guts and seeding our preview based on our bold claims. Of course our claims aren't very bold, we're big fans of top-tied European and South American schooled players. If we ignore a few confused coaches, Domenech & Maradona, so be it. Regardless of how the groups sort themselves out, 2 top contenders with little World Cup success, Spain and England, will have brutal roads to the championship game.

Second Round

 France v South Korea
Pure talent vs pure discipline. No matter who wins here, they'll be falling in the next round. Still, we've stuck with France this long based on pure potential. Despite their bumbling coach they open up South Korea's defense and find a way to win without using their hands.
Winner: France

England v Serbia
If England had a choice they'd probably want to meet the Germans here instead of the brick wall defense of Serbia. With club teammate Nemanja Vidic giving away his tendencies, Wayne Rooney is forced to change his steamrolling mentality. His expert passing and cool head prevail.
Winner: England

Netherlands v Paraguay
As long as the Dutch can top their group they should get a winnable 2^nd round match. Paraguay has enough talent to survive the group, but they will struggle to respond offensively if the Netherlands gets ahead.
Winner: Netherlands

Brazil v Chile
More than likely the 5-time champs will open against South American rival Chile. They met twice in qualifying and Brazil won by a combined score of 7-2. Nothing will change here.
Winner: Brazil

Argentina v Uruguay
Another South American rematch places the final 2 teams in from CONMEBOL qualifying against each other. Argentina bested Uruguay in home-away qualifying matches. Lionel Messi proves to mobile for Uruguay's heavy hitters to line up.
Winner: Argentina

Germany v United States
Landon Donovan has something to prove to Germany. Perhaps it's wishful thinking, but the Germans' already injured squad will be exhausted by their exceptionally difficult group stage. The U.S. can stop technical play (see Spain) but struggle against creative attacking flair (see Brazil, Netherlands). The U.S. Sneaks past and Tim Howard becomes a senator in 2012.
Winner: United States (I'll go see a doctor and get that checked out)

Italy v Cameroon
The more we think about it, the more we regret picking Cameroon to advance to the knockouts. Will Samuel Eto'o's antics wear on his locker room? While supremely talented and experienced, but picking the Indomitable Lions against a Marcelo Lippi team would be foolish.
Winner: Italy

Spain v Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe meet up with a few of their club teammates. Ronaldo will be the best player on the pitch, but he won't be enough. Spain's too smart to risk giving away any close free kicks. Especially when their back four, and precise passing can relegate Portugal to a 1-man team.
Winner: Spain

Quarterfinals

England v France
Rooney goes back to steamrolling and runs through the French D like he runs through Arsenal's (half of them play for Arsenal anyway). Hugo Lloris does his best, but he can stop what he can't reach.
Winner: England

Brazil v Netherlands
It's tempting to pick the Dutch here, but Brazil's new strategy of playing defense will stymie their opponents. Dunga has changed the mindset of the Canariho, and the Netherlands will not be able to stop the Brazil forwards on a counter-attack.
Winner: Brazil

Argentina v United States
Remember when we said that the U.S. struggles against attacking flair? Maradona starts 4 forwards and defeats America 6-2 as he continues to blur the lines of sanity.
Winner: Argentina

Spain v Italy
This matchup of traditional European powers would be epic. The Italians are always World Cup contenders, the Spanish are historically disappointing. The winds finally change as the aging Italian side is worn down by the constantly shifting, possessive form of Spain.
Winner: Spain

Semifinals

England v Brazil
With key defender and captain Rio Ferdinand on the roster, England could survive this match. But without him the Three Lions' weakness in goal will be exposed by the Brazilian attack. England will find themselves unable to fend off the Brazilian counter-attacks.
Winner: Brazil

Argentina v Spain
Maradona's magic will be attributed to a “luck of the draw” after this match. When his squad needs a manager to make quick tactical shifts against a stronger side, Maradona will be unable to out think Vincete del Bosque. Lionel Messi's Barcelona teammates will prove a complete team always trumps a dominant offense.
Winner: Spain

Third Place Game

Argentina v England
Ah the battle for the Falklands. This looks like a perfect set up for Argentina, a potent offense against a questionable goaltender with a top defender out. However, England is stronger at midfield, and even without Rio Ferdinand they still are superior to Argentina's backline. Possibly a high-scoring affair with the Three Lions getting their first top 3 spot in 44 years.
Winner: England

Final

Brazil v Spain
This is the dream matchup. Two sides guided by technical coaches, with players waiting to show their flair for attack. More Barcelona teammates battling each other, as Daniel Alves challenges the majority of his club's starting lineup. But the Real Madrid factor may be the key here. It all comes back to the Galacticos, just like in our UEFA Champion's Final Preview. Real Madrid have not experienced the run of success they had under Vincente del Bosque since he was fired by Fiorentino Perez. After Madrid exiles met for the Champion's League title, this wold continue the run of bad karma experienced by the “richest club in the world”. Brazil's counter-attack will never get a chance to break, as the Spanish maintain control of the ball. It will be a midfield battle in which Spain will find the way to advance.
Winner: Spain

Group A - South Africa, France, Mexico, Uruguay

South Africa

The host's group may be the most evenly balanced of the tournament. France, Mexico and Uruguay may be stronger sides, but South Africa will have the home-field advantage to boost their squad.  Since the first round of the World Cup has been a group stage, every host country has advanced to the second round.  Premier League veterans Stephen Pienaar (Everton) and Aaron Mokoena (Portsmouth) will not want South Africa to become the exception to the rule.  However the hosts must overcome star-studded squads and the lack of their all-time scorer, Benni McCarthy, in order to survive the round-robin. 

 

Star Power: Stephen Pienaar, Bernard Parker (FC Twente)

 

France

It may have taken a slight of hand trick for France to advance to the World Cup, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve to be there.  Despite recently failings against weak competition (China & Tunisia), they still are the most talented side in Group A.  Les Bleus are an All-Europe squad that managed to lose only 1 match in qualifying, and defeated their group champion Serbia 2-1.  They finished 2^nd in the last World Cup and won the title in '98.  

 

Star Power: Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Eric Abidal,  Theirry Henry (Barcelona), Patrick Evra (Manchester United), William Gallas, Barcary Sagna (Arsenal), Hugo Lloris, Jeremy Toulahan (Lyon), Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux), Nicolas Anelka, Florent Malouda (Chelsea)

 

Mexico

Mexico are historic underachievers in the World Cup, they've never made it past the quarterfinals.  It may be due to the fact that many of their players have little experience outside the Mexican Primera Division. Or perhaps it's part of a North American curse caused by the U.S. Finishing 3^rd in 1930 (seriously, can't even make that up).  Mexico struggled at the beginning of qualification, but new coach Javier Aguirre righted the ship and guided them to their 5th straight cup appearance.  In 6 out their last 7 World Cups El Tri has survived the group stage, and twice, when they were hosts, advanced to the quarterfinals.

 

Star Power: Gerardo Terrado (Cruz Azul), Rafael Marquez (Barcelona), Carlos Salcido (PSV), Carlos Vela (Arsenal)

 

Uruguay

The hosts and champions of the inaugural World Cup have claimed more titles (2) than the rest of this group combined.  But they haven't finished in the top 4 since 1970.  Like Mexico they struggled in qualifying. And like France they were forced to play a final knockout match to secure a birth in this tournament.  Also similar to France, the Uruguayan players mostly perform at clubs outside their national league. While traditionally a physical squad that draws significant fouls and cards, Uruguay features two young strikers who could add the offense it needs to advance.

 

Star Power: Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid), Luis Suarez (Ajax), Jorge Fucile (FC Porto), Edinson Cavani (Palermo)

 

Best Match: Uruguay v Mexico (June 22) 

Who's Advancing: France, Uruguay

 

 

Group B – South Korea, Greece,  Nigeria, Argentina

 

South Korea

South Korea can play defense.  In qualifying they averaged a half a goal a game surrendered.  In their last 6 friendlies they've averaged the same.  Recently they've defeated Ivory Coast, Ecuador and Japan (twice). Less than two weeks ago they held Spain to 1 goal.  Yet, they've only reached the second round once in 7 World Cup opportunities.  That was 8 years ago when they finished 4^th as the host nation. 

 

Star Power: Park Ji-Sung (Manchester United), Park Chu-Young (Monaco), Lee-Chung-Yong (Bolton),  Kim Nam-Il (Tom Tomsk)

 

Greece

After placing second in their UEFA group thanks to ten goals from Theofanis Gekas, the Greeks relied on a swarming defense to hold Ukraine scoreless during their final qualifying round.  The last 16 years have seen the greatest success in Greece's international soccer history.  Their first World Cup in 1994, a Euro championship in 2004 and this, the nation's second World Cup ever.  Although they are ranked 13^th in the world by FIFA, they seem to be over matched by this underwhelming group.

 

Star Power: Theofanis Gekas (Eintracht Frankfurt), Georgios Samaras (Celtic), Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos), Sotirios Kyrgiakos (Liverpool)

 

Nigeria

Another defensive side that allowed only 5 goals in 12 games of qualifying.  However, the Super Eagles have a little more flair in attack and tallied 20 goals in those 12 qualifiers, plus 9 in their last 4 friendlies leading up to the cup.  Like many of their continental counterparts, excluding South Africa, Nigeria's roster is stocked with talent from European club teams.  That experience should be an advantage in what will be a very close battle for the second advancement spot.

 

Star Power: Yakubu, Joseph Yobo (Everton), Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth), Obafemi Martins (Wolfsburg)

 

Argentina

In a group that specializes in defense, Argentina is the odd man out.  In fact they are the wild card for the entire tournament.  They feature five of the best forwards in the World Cup: Messi, Milito, Tevez, Aguero and Higuain.  But there are serious issues on defense.  By leaving Esteban Cambiasso, Fabricio Coloccini and Javier Zanetti at home, Diego Maradona may have made a severe tactical mistake.  Argentina has the talent to win and the potential to flop in the first round.  Regardless, you will be hearing a lot about Mr. Maradona and his "coaching".

 

Star Power: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Diego Milito, Walter Samuel (Inter Milan), Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid), Maxi Rodriguez, Javier Mascherano (Liverpool)

 

Best Match: Nigeria v South Korea  (June 22)

Who's Advancing: Argentina, South Korea

 

Group C – England, United States, Algeria, Slovenia 

England

One way to judge the caliber of a national team is to examine where its players perform during the club season.  If many play in leagues better than their domestic, it could be a high-caliber squad.  And although the entirety of their roster remains home during club seasons, the English Premier League  is currently the top division in the world.  Does that fact make England the top team in the World Cup?  Possibly.  Regardless they are a squad to be feared.  Italian coach Fabio Capello has won club titles in Spain and Italy, plus a UEFA Champions League title.  But no manager has ever won a World Cup without representing his home country.

 

Star Power: Frank Lampard, John Terry, Joe Cole, Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch (Tottenham), Gareth Barry (Manchester City)

 

United States

There was a time when the United States only fielded amateur players.  There was also a time when the United States didn't qualify for the World Cup (1954-1986).  But in the last two decades things have changed for America.  They have a domestic league that's not broke, many of their players play professionally overseas, and they've finished second in a major international competition (2009 Confederations Cup) .  The United States dominated in CONCACAF qualifying, this World Cup could be the defining moment in soccer's rise in America.

 

Star Power: Tim Howard (Everton), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan), DaMarcus Beasley (Rangers), Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jozy Altidore (Villareal)

 

Algeria

Algeria is known as the roughest African team on the pitch.  Luckily for the United States, who's just looking to survive the 1st round, they play Algeria last.  However prospective champion England will need to watch their backs against this hard-hitting side.  More than likely Algeria will struggle in what's only their 3rd World Cup.  They've dropped 4 of their last 5 friendlies against cup caliber competition.

 

Star Power: Madjid Bougherra (Rangers), Karim Matmour (Borussia Monchengladbach)

 

Slovenia

Slovenia clinched a surprise invitation to their 2nd World Cup when they defeated Russia on away goals.  They were a defensive juggernaut in qualifying, surrendering only 4 goals in 10 games.  However, their group was fairly weak and their recent friendly victories have come against suspect opponents.  Though Slovenia has only participated in FIFA competitions since 1996, they've never survived the 1st round in a major tournament.

 

Star Power: Milivoje Novakovic (Koln), Samir Handanovic (Udinese)

 

Best Match: England v United States (June 12)

Who's Advancing: England, United States

 

 

Group D – Serbia, Ghana, Germany, Australia

 

Serbia

The White Eagles dominated a tough group on their way to the World Cup.  While besting the likes of France, Austria and Romania they allowed only 8 goals in 10 games.  Their defense is fearsome and could be the best in the tournament.  Other than a recent fluke against New Zealand, their form has remained dominant.  They are a rising nation on the global soccer scene and this World Cup could be their coming out party.

 

Star Power: Marko Pantelic (Ajax), Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United), Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea), Dejan Stankovic (Inter Milan), Milan Jovanovic (Liverpool just transferred from Standard Leige)

 

Ghana

Milovan Rajevac helped manage Ghana to its 2nd straight trip to the World Cup.  He also guided them to the African Cup of Nations final this year.  Unfortunately for the Serbian coach, Ghana's draw will put his career at odds with his home. In 2006 The Black Stars made the most of their first cup experience by winning 2 games in their group and advancing.  This time around the road will be rougher.  Without Chelsea star Michael Essien, Ghana may fall to the bottom of one of the tougher round-robins in South Africa.

 

Star Power: Kwadwo Asamoah (Udinese), Stephen Appiah (Bologna), Derek Boateng (Getafe)

 

Germany

A power in Europe and the world, Germany will be looking to claim their 4th World Cup title.  Much like England, all of the German players spent last season in their domestic league.  This gives them an advantage in terms of quickly adapting to their teammates' styles (Plus almost half of them play for Bayern Munich). Drawing this tough of a table would discourage many contenders, but more than likely the German's will be motivated since Ghana's Kevin-Prince Boateng seriously injured their captain Michael Ballack during the FA Cup final in England (funny story, Boateng's brother Jerome plays for Germany).  Additionally the team's first choice goaltender committed suicide last year, and their second choice sustained a serious rib injury.  Despite the setbacks, Germany is skilled enough to run away with this group and possibly the World Cup.

 

Star Power: Miroslav Klose, Philipp Lahm, Mario Gomez, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Koln), Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen)

 

Australia

Surprisingly the Socceroos have only participated in 2 prior World Cups, including 2006 when they survived the 1st round.  If they're going to advance passed these brutal opponents, they'll need all the help from Mark Schwarzer they can get.  He's the best goalie in this group and on the short list with Lloris, Iker Casillas, and Julio Cesar, for best of the competition.  But clean-sheets can only get you so far.  Without goals it could be a tough road for Australia, and they lack top-tier forwards.

 

Star Power: Mark Schwarzer (Fulham), Tim Cahill (Everton), Brett Emerton (Blackburn), Mark Bresciano (Palermo)

Best Match: Germany v Ghana (June 23)

Who's Advancing:  Germany, Serbia

The St. Louis Rams have done the honorable thing and reacquired Isaac Bruce so he can retire in blue and gold. “The Reverend” is without a doubt the greatest receiver in Rams history. We mean no disrespect to “Flipper”, “Crazy Legs”, or Henry Ellard by saying as much. More important to St. Louis, Isaac was the first football superstar in town since Dan Dierdorf or Roger Wehrli.

Uniformed sports-journalist-types may try to categorize Bruce as a “system” receiver (Will someone please explain that? As Gregg Easterbrook writes, “every offense is a system”) because he was a key to the greatest offensive force in the history of the game. He made 4 Pro Bowls and should have been at more. In 1995 he was overlooked despite catching 119 passes for over 1700 yards on a Chris Miller led team. The following season he finally got his due while catching 84 passes for over 1300 yards on a squad featuring Tony Banks at QB. Bruce was a St. Louis football superstar before the “Greatest Show on Turf” was conceived. And although he was hobbled by injuries, and awful teams, in his first 2 years under Dick Vermeil, he regained form and was a key player for the Rams' Super Bowl Champion squad.

Hopefully hoisting the Lombardi trophy will separate him from the potential Hall of Fame receivers ahead of him on the waiting list. “The Reverend's” career numbers place him 5^th all-time with 1,024 receptions; 2^nd with 15,208 yards; and 9^th with 91 touchdowns. Yet Cris Carter (1101 rec, 13,889 yards, 130 TD), Tim Brown (1094 rec, 14,934 yards, 100 TD), and Andre Reed (951 rec, 13,198 yards, 87 TD) are still waiting for their call from Canton. All three of them lack a Super Bowl ring, one thing that seems to matter more to Pro Football Hall of Fame voters than any career statistic.

Michael Irvin and Art Monk are two players who exemplify that characteristic of voter tendencies. Both players fall short of Carter, Brown, and Reed in almost every career receiving category. The only thing they had that distinguished their careers from those borderline Cantonites is championships. Isaac Bruce made the winning catch in Super Bowl XXXIV. If voters are consistent (Big f'n “if” there), that clutch performance should be the “Lynn Swann Factor” that pushes Bruce over the top.

It could save football in St. Louis if Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, and Kurt Warner entered the Hall of Fame in the next 5-10 years. Bruce was a champion, a class act, and one of the best receivers of his generation. It's a terrific gesture for the Rams to bring him back for his final day. St. Louis missed him while he was gone. But Rams fans always remembered the greatness he brought to the fake grass of the TWA, America's Center, Ed Jones Dome.

I've got an idea for a baseball column.  And this is it, we'll just feel this out and see how it goes.  Yesterday was a huge day in baseball, lets cover the big three.  We'll try and keep the swearing and name calling to a minimum.  Promise.  We'll do what we can.

Strike One (Just testing the waters)

Let's start this off nice and friendly.  Ken Griffey Jr. said goodbye to baseball yesterday, and baseball waved goodbye to the best clean hitter of the Juice Era.  The Kid hit 630 homeruns off of God knows how many steroid enhanced pitchers.  He saved baseball in the city of Seattle, which is more than Bud Selig ever did.   And Griffey was one of the only #1 overall picks to truly live up to his hype.  (In fact, the Mariners have had 3 #1 overall picks and used them on 2 future Hall of Famers and an All-Star/World Champion pitcher. For reference, the Yankees once used a #1 on Brien Taylor)

The Kid never claimed a World Series title.  Yet he was a 13-time All-Star with 10 Gold Gloves.  But in the end his body broke down and the former MVP's skills diminished, as it normally happens in not HGH indulged humans.  He leaves the game 5th on the all-time homerun list, thankfully ahead of known cheater contemporaries such as Sosa, McGwire, Ramirez, & Palmiero.  Someday soon Alex Rodriguez will pass him (ironically the other #1 overall future Hall of Famer drafted by the Seattle Mariners).  We can only hope that baseball historians will separate the honest greats from those who enhanced their standing artificially.  Then Griffey will stand out on the all-time lists with the true legends: Aaron, Ruth, Mays etc.


Strike Two (And our next most prestigious candidate is...)

As soon as Griffey Jr retired, Vladimir Guerrero became the most accomplished active baseball player without a World Series ring.  He's an 8-time All-Star headed for his 9th.  A former MVP with 7 Silver Sluggers, Vlad has known bad luck before (like when he aged 2 years in one off-season).  Last year he struggled with injuries and suffered through the worst full season of his career.  Worries about future injuries led everyone except the Texas Rangers to pass on him in free agency. 

However, taking a batted ball off the face during batting practice was a new way to add insult to injury.  In his first full season as DH Guerrero was in the top 6 in the AL in all 3 triple crown categories.  He should be back in the lineup by the weekend.  But still, it's another injury for a superstar who seems to be aging a bit too quickly.


Strike Three (Speaking of getting hit in the face, that call was bullshit)

Where should I begin?  Armando Gallaraga threw a perfect game.  There should be no dispute.  We can put a man on the fucking moon, we can correct this oversight.  We have the technology.

I've never been more upset about a game that I had no vested interest in.  What in the hell was Jim Joyce thinking?  Even if it was a tie, why would you not give the call to the pitcher who was throwing a perfect game.  If you're going to blow it, don't cheat Gallaraga out of his one chance at history.  I don't  want to compare Gallaraga to say, Bud Smith.  But there's probably no other way he's going down in the annals of baseball history.

And why was he so nice?  Armando, dude, you just got raped and you're taking it better than Andy Dufresne.  Can't you at least throw something?  Haven't you ever seen a Jodie Foster movie?  You're in Detroit, hit somebody, burn a car, no one will think the worse of you.  Pull a fucking Ugueth Urbina, you just got cheated worse than Elin Nordegren Woods.  Machete, golf club, it doesn't matter, grab something and swing it in anger.

At first I was ready to praise Jim Leyland for letting Joyce have it after the call, and continuing to berate him after the game.  But Leyland lost his edge and started the walking the line as if Bud Selig personally delivered a suitcase of Marlboro cartons to his locker.   The "human element"?  We have to respect baseball's "human element"?  Why should we respect a game that doesn't respect itself enough to  give its fans the correct outcome? 

This should all boil down to Bud "The Shrug" Selig.  Sadly baseball isn't the only sport that rejects the fairness of the all seeing eyes of video (see FIFA).  Much like in politics, change is the bane of all old men grasping to hold on to their power when the times are shifting.  It is no secret that baseball is dying in America.  Selig has let the game pass him by.  He had the chance to fix a problem today.  And instead he did the only thing he knows how to do.

Shrug.