Are They Ghana Do It?

Is this the biggest day in the history of United States soccer? Hard to argue it. Never have more eyes been on the American team than today, when it faces Ghana in the first knockout round of the World Cup.
So will the U.S. rise to the occassion or crumple under the pressure of playing against the only African nation left standing after group play?
It's hard to believe the United States can top the drama it provided in the three games of group play. The lucky goal against England, the hard-fought comeback against Slovenia and the shocking last-minute goal against Algeria. Has any team provided more drama than the United States? I mean on the field, France.
Well, it might have to, as the crowd will certainly be with Ghana, which carries the hopes of the entire home continent. The United States does have the motivation of paying back the Black Stars for knocking it out of the 2006 Cup, but will that be enough?
For me, the biggest question besides how the Americans will react to having a crowd mostly against it will be how they recover from such arduous games over the last week. Bouncing back from the Algeria match just a few days ago is going to be quite a task, and reserves could play an even bigger role than they have so far.
I didn't think Ghana would get this far. In fact, I picked it last in the group. I didn't think the Black Stars could recover from the loss of superstar Michael Essien to injury before the tournament. Boy was I wrong. The Ghana defense, led by center back John Mensah, has been awesome, allowing just two goals. The midfield has allowed Ghana to control play as Kevin Prince-Boateng and Anthony Annan have really stepped up in place of Essien.
The good news for the United States is that Ghana has not been good on offense, as striker Asamoah Gyan has struggled to get much going and the attacking midfielders haven't been very creative. In fact, the only two goals Ghana has scored have come via penalty kick. For an American team that has struggled on the back line, that will be a welcome change. But the United States can't be complacent, as it only takes one breakdown for the very fast Ghana offense to score against a slower U.S. defense and get momentum.
A huge key will be the United States midfield, especially center mids Michael Bradley and Maurice Edu, who have to battle Ghana's mids for control of the ball and not allow any quick strikes coming from the midfield. If they can do that, that should free up Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey on the wings to create and get into the box, really putting pressure on a Ghana back line that will have to focus on the tall, fast Jozy Altidore, who is right on the cusp of getting his first World Cup goal.
So, what will happen?
I think the U.S. midfield will rise to the occassion. I see Michael Bradley having a really strong game and making life tough on the Ghana mids. Landon Donovan's speed will give Ghana some trouble and they'll get sucked into stopping him, freeing up Jozy Altidore inside. Altidore will score his first goal today, putting the U.S. ahead early in the second half. After some scares on defense and more great play by Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey will break free on a counter and show off his creativity, netting a second goal for a 2-0 U.S. win.
Hopefully I'm right for once.

How'd I Do?

Group play is over in the 2010 World Cup and we're on to the one-and-done portion of our show. No more playing for a tie, because the winner moves on and the loser is out.
The group stage was shocking on a lot of fronts, most notably the incredible failures of France (I know, I know) and Italy. No one expected Spain to lose, but it did. People expected more from the African nations, but only one has moved on, which is too bad. And what about South America? Five teams qualify, five teams are still alive. That's really remarkable.
We've seen some thrilling games, a few great goals, some fabulous goalkeeping, and some really bad reffing.
All that is behind us now, though, as we move on to the most exciting part of the tournament. But, now's a good time to look back at my pre-tournament predictions and see how I did. ...it's not good. But I stand by what I write, so this is what I said, and what actually happened:

Group A
What I predicted: 1. France; 2. Uruguay; 3. Mexico; 4. South Africa
What happened: 1. Uruguay; 2. Mexico; 3. South Africa; 4. France
What was I thinking?: OK, I failed miserably here in picking France, but come on, did any of you really expect a failure of that magnitude? I mean, to the point where France wouldn't even practice? I know many of you thought I was nuts to pick them to go so far, and it turns out you were right, but I don't believe anyone quite expected that complete of a meltdown. So, yeah, France was a disaster. Uruguay, on the other hand, was not a disaster. It wasn't great, but it was good enough. It defended well, Diego Forlan was excellent and it showed that it's not a flashy team, but it's a pretty good one. Mexico had its struggles but took advantage of France's horribleness to claim the second spot ahead of a South Africa team that showed much better than I expected.

Group B
What I predicted: 1. Argentina; 2. Nigeria; 3. Greece; 4. South Korea.
What happened: 1. Argentina; 2. South Korea; 3. Greece; 4. Nigeria.
What was I thinking?: OK, so I was half right. Argentina looked very, very good, and I'm enjoying watching Maradona look like he's having fun, the only coach in the entire tournament to not look like he's headed to his funeral. Argentina is a definite contender as it attacks from everywhere and defends well. I was wrong about Nigeria, which was not as good as I'd hoped. It's too bad things didn't come together better for the Eagles because this was an opportunity to take a step forward, and it didn't happen. Greece was every bit as unentertaining as I expected but what about South Korea? They just run teams into the ground, which is kinda fun to watch. They have more talent than I thought and just keep working, and there's obviously something to be said for that, so congrats, good to see them make up for the 2006 disappointment.

Group C
What I predicted: 1. England; 2. United States; 3. Algeria; 4. Slovenia
What happened: 1. United States; 2. England; 3. Slovenia; 4. Algeria
What was I thinking: Turned out to be a more balanced group than I expected, and how about those Americans? No, they didn't look great, but they were hard-working and clutch, and that was fun to watch. The match against Algeria will be the one that is remembered but the comeback against Slovenia was just as big. People may not quite fathom how impressive it is that the U.S. won its group, particularly a group that features England, but it's enormous. England squeaked in and wasn't nearly as good as I thought it would be. It just goes to show how important it is to have a good keeper (how can England not have one top-flight keeper? Not one?). Slovenia was a solid side and maybe deserved to move forward. Maybe in four years. Algeria was Algeria, combative, not particularly good, not particularly bad, not good enough.

Group D
What I predicted: 1. Germany; 2. Serbia; 3. Australia; 4. Ghana
What happened: 1. Germany; 2. Ghana; 3. Australia; 4. Serbia
What was I thinking?: Germany was clearly the class of this group, and that was predictable from the start. The Germans are just a good, balanced team that has attacked well (Mesut Ozil is really good) and defends strong (though it can get caught out of position from time to time). As always, it's clearly a threat to go a long way. Serbia must be disappointed, though, after beating Germany only to finish last in the group. Some predicted Serbia could be the group winner so to finish in the basemen has to be quite a blow. But I'm glad I was wrong, because it wasn't that exciting a team. Australia I got right, but I'm surprised it recovered from the 4-0 shallacking it took from Germany in the opener. What happened there? The Australians have to be disappointed as well, after returning the bulk of the 2006 team that made it out of group play. I didn't buy into the Ghana hype but I was clearly wrong, as this is a fun, exciting team with great speed that attacks well. I thought this would be a disasterous tourney for Ghana but instead, it's the only African nation still alive, which is both a disappointment and says a lot for Ghana.

Group E
What I predicted: 1. Netherlands; 2. Cameroon; 3. Denmark; 4. Japan
What happened: 1. Netherlands; 2. Japan; 3. Denmark; 4. Cameroon
What was I thinking?: There was no way Netherlands wasn't going to win this group, and it was never seriously challenged. There's two reasons for that. First, this didn't turn out to be a very good group. Second, Netherlands is really good. As always, this side attacks and is dangerous on offense, but the midfield was stronger than I thought defensively. This is definitely a team to reckon with. Cameroon was a big disappointment, as I thought it would show much better but was in over its head. Denmark finished where I thought, almost getting through but not quite, and not doing a lot to make anyone outside of Denmark take notice. Japan is the real story, as I thought this would be a team that was out of its league but instead it simply outworked Japan and Cameroon and showed some real flashes of greatness on offense. This could turn out to be a dangerous team. With South Korea and Japan advancing while playing away from Asia, this could be a real breakthrough for that region.

Group F
What I predicted: 1. Italy; 2. Paraguay; 3. Slovakia; 4. New Zealand
What happened: 1. Paraguay; 2. Slovakia; 3. New Zealand; 4. Italy
What was I thinking?: From top to bottom, probably the most surprising group in the first round. There isn't a person out there - no you didn't, liar - that thought Italy fail to advance, much less finish last. Yes, this was an old team that probably wasn't going to win it all again, but this was still a strong team that was the clear group favorite. I mean, this was a weak group! So to finish last, wow, we're going to see some major changes for that side, and fast. Instead, Paraguay took advantage and just played well. Justo Villar was outstanding at keeper and the team just played steady and earned the group win. Slovakia, my new favorite team thanks to the Sounders, was the Cinderella story. This is its first World Cup appearance and early on looked over its head but just played steady and then pulled off the shocker against Italy. This team may not go any further but just wait four years. New Zealand, to me, was one of the real stories of the tournament. I thought this was by far. ...by far. ...the worst team in the entire tournament and probably wouldn't even score. I mean, this team only has a couple of really, truly pro soccer players, and I mean that literally. But they just kept tying, and that's great! Good for them. I hope this leads to some added interest in soccer for New Zealand.

Group G
What I predicted: 1. Brazil; 2. Portugal; 3. Ivory Coast; 4. North Korea
What happened: 1. Brazil; 2. Portugal; 3. Ivory Coast; 4. North Korea
What was I thinking?: The one group I got entirely correct. It wasn't that hard. It was clear Brazil would win the group, and it did. This team is dynamite. It defends, it attacks with its usual style, has an excellent keeper and plays with more confidence than any two teams combined. It's the clear favorite, sorry Spain. It was also obvious before the tourney, and even moreso during the tournament, that North Korea was the worst team in the Group of Death. This just wasn't a good team, and there's probably plenty of countries not in South Africa thinking, "What the heck?" So it came down to Portugal and Ivory Coast. Outside of embarrasing North Korea 7-0, Portugal wasn't that impressive, and took diving to a new level. I mean, they went down every time anyone even looked at them. Too bad, too, because there's obviously talent. Ivory Coast missed a fully-healthy Didier Drogba - though it was nice to see him out there, and he showed some real heart - and really, what it came down to is one team bullied the group weakling more than the other, so that team moved on.

Group H
What I predicted: 1. Spain; 2. Switzerland; 3. Chile; 4. Honduras
What happened: 1. Spain; 2. Chile; 3. Switzerland; 4. Honduras
What was I thinking?: The one prediction I'm really happy I got wrong. I thought that Chile's defense and youth would be exposed and while it would be close, it wouldn't quite make it through. I was wrong. The defense was outstanding for most of group play despite usually only having three guys in the back. It made up for it with some of the most impressive attacking in the field, led by Alexis Sanchez, and was one of the most impressive teams in the tournament, despite the loss to Spain. Speaking of Spain, what a shocker it opened up with. But talent won out eventually and there's no questioning this team's talent. But Switzerland did everyone else a favor by showing that Spain is beatable and can't just show up and be crowned. Do you realize how close we came to a Brazil-Spain Sweet 16 match? What a surprise that would have been. Switzerland got great play from its keeper but didn't have too much else, which is good news for the Sounders, who will get Blaise Nkufo sooner rather than later. Honduras had some supporters early on but just didn't have enough talent to keep up with the three other teams in the group.

So, 10 out of my 16 picks are moving on, which isn't that good of a percentage. But Chile and Slovakia are moving on and the United States actually won its group, so I'm not complaining. It should be a fun run to the end!

Who's Redder?

Fans of attacking soccer should have a treat today. First we've got Portugal-Brazil, with Portugal coming off a 7-goal performance against North Korea, and Brazil. ...being Brazil.
But the one I really care about - and the one with more at stake - comes at 11:30 when Chile plays Spain in what could be the most entertaining match of the first round. Chile has been one of the most impressive teams of the first round, leading Group H after a pair of 1-0 wins and in position to be the surprising group winner. Spain, the pre-tournament co-favorite, recovered from a shocking loss to Switzerland in the opening match to beat Honduras. Spain and Switzerland are tied, so it's possible that the team considered the best in the world coming into the tournament might not even make it out of group play. Italy. France. Spain? Can you imagine?
The game will feature two of the top offensive teams in the tournament. Chile,which can win the group with a tie but is not likely to play for one, has been on non-stop attack since the plane set down in South Africa a few weeks ago. Spain has some of the top offensive players in the world. What more could you ask for?
Chile will be at a disadvantage as midfielders Carlos Carmona and Mattias Fernandez are both out on yellow-card suspensions, not a good thing against a Spanish team with some of the top midfielders in the world, including Andres Iniesta, who missed the Honduras game with injury.
Two keys for Chile:
1. Can the three-man defensive line continue to hold up against a team as good as Spain? Chile's defense has been surprisingly solid, recovering quickly on counterattacks and somehow preventing even a single goal despite always being left without a lot of midfield help. But Spain is a lot better than Switzerland and Honduras, so we'll see if coach Marcello Bielsa adds a defensive midfielder to the mix.
2. Can Humberto Suazo, the team's top scorer and the leading goal scorer in South American qualifying, be a factor? Suazo missed Chile's first game while recovering from injury and was off his game completely against Switzerland, being subbed out early in the second half. Chile needs Suazo to be a threat in this game and beyond to make a serious run.
So, what happens? Both teams are desperate for points. Spain needs three, Chile one. I think Spain comes out strong and Fernando Torres scores on a counterattack early on. Chile answers close to halftime and the teams end the half tied.
Chile comes out strong in the second half and takes a lead on a goal by Alexis Sanchez, who so far may be the player of the tournament. It looks good for Chile, but in the last minutes, Spain breaks through with a goal and the game ends in a 2-2 tie. Luckily for Spain, Switzerland is upset by Honduras and both of the Red teams move on.

A Fun End to a Fun Day

Wednesday was one of those days that was just, well, about perfect.
In the morning, I watched one of the real transcending sporting events of my life when the United States won 1-0 in a World Cup match that could not have been more thrilling. The only thing that would have made it better was if I was with other people watching it. Unbelievable.
Satchel woke up in a great mood and we got together with my friends Chris Beatty and Jeff Carpenter, and Chris' kids. Satch had a great time playing with his friends and Chris and I had fun catching up with Jeff, who I don't think we've seen since we graduated from high school, 17 years ago. It was good to catch up.
The day was beautiful, warm, sunny, almost like summer was actually here in Seattle. What a concept!
We came home and later in the day, Jess, my Uncle Bob, Satchel, my dad and I played out in the yard. Satchel is big on soccer, and so that's what we did. We played "as a team," as Satchel said, and had so much fun. Satchel really perfected his diving, constantly needing to be carried off the field. I don't know where he got that from, but it's impressive.
But really made the night great was how it ended. Jess, Bob, my mom and I sat on the couch until midnight as my mom and Bob talked about what it was like for them growing up.
My mom grew up in a tiny village in upstate New York named Port Henry. My grandmother and grandfather had eight kids. My mom is No. 3, Bob is the baby (though he's 45 now). He, my uncle Bill and my aunt DeeDee came here last week for my brother's wedding, which was great. It was so fun to see them.
I know a lot about how my mom grew up, but not as much as I'd like, or should. Which is why I love my wife so much (well, one of the million reasons). I'm a journalist, but when it comes to asking questions to my family, I suck. Not Jess. She wants to know. I've learned so much more about my family since I married Jessica than I ever did before.
And so it was so great to listen to my mom talk about how they spent their summers, how my grandparents handled having eight kids in a tiny village where there isn't much to do. It was just great to hear my mom remember things, remember how, while they didn't have much, it was great growing up there. Hearing her talk about fights they had, neighbors they had, places they went. It's a bit hard to describe, but it just allows me to know my mom and that part of my family better, and that's so valuable. I've had similar experiences with my dad - again, thanks to Jess - and that has been just as fun and valuable.
Anyway, it wasn't anything big, but it was the perfect way to end such a great day. Simple, free and fun. What more do you need?

A Day Later

OK, I've come down slightly from my high. A little. Kind of. But each time they show highlights of Wednesday's stunning United States 1-0 World Cup victory over Algeria, I get chills again. And I love it!
Here's the scene: I'm watching the game at home, by myself, dying. I'm convinced that the U.S. is not destined to win. I mean, how many shots did they miss? It was a glass-half-empty kind of experience. If they can't make that one, what are they going to make? And another blown call by the ref? It's just not going to happen.
And then it did!
The throws by Tim Howard were incredible. I don't know if people noticed that, but he was throwing the ball so far and so accurately that the Seahawks should think about making an offer. The game, the win, was all about effort, and that is so cool. It's not just that the United States was more talented than Algeria - though it was. What was so great about it for me, was the effort it played with. It didn't play with the laid-back cool that we often seen in our athletes. It played with the desperation that is really going on inside them. And they were rewarded.
The goal wasn't a thing of beauty, except in what it meant. It was about a great throw, leading to a great, all-effort charge ahead by Jozy Altidore, to a great, all-effort finish by Landon Donovan. They didn't let up until they got what they needed. How cool is that?
So Algeria shoots and Tim Howard makes the save. I gasp. They might tie, they might not move on, but at least don't lose! And then another spectacular throw by Howard. I'm watching, transfixed, unable to breathe, keeping one eye on the clock, one on the play. Altidore just keeps going, getting where he had to be.
A large part of me is protecting myself by not actually believing they'll score. A small part of me is believing. The cross gets through! To Dempsey! But of course, the shot is blocked. ...but it's still alive. And here comes a white shirt!
Oh. My.God!!!!!!
But here's the problem. Satchel is still asleep. Yes, I know it's almost 10, but he was still sleeping! So I scream!!!!!!! But in my library voice, as not to wake him. I look around for someone to hug. I've got nothing! What do I do?!!!! I pound my legs, pump my fists, continue to scream internally. Aaaaaahhhhh! I need to yell!!!!! But I don't (I'm such a good father). Never have I wanted to be around people more.
I've seen a million sporting events. Being a sports writer can make you somewhat indifferent, as you feel like you see the same thing over and over. But sometimes, they get to you. They remind you why you care about sports. This was one of those moments. Tears began to well in my eyes. My heart was racing. It was an emotional experience that I completely snuck up on me. And I loved that too!
It was one of the great sporting events I've ever seen, right up there with the 1995 Mariners playoff run in terms of emotion for me. I don't know how else to describe it but incredible.
The United States might not win another game. Chile may bow out of the World Cup soon. There may be other bad referee calls. Players will continue to dive, those horns will continue to ring in my ears. It doesn't matter. This one moment made the entire World Cup perfect, and nothing is going to change that.

Can They Do It?

Remember about 10 years ago when the United States introduced Project 2010, which was geared toward the Americans winning the 2010 World Cup? Seemedd of ambitious at the time, and it turns out, it was. The United States probably isn't going to win the World Cup this year.
But, that doesn't mean it can't be a successful tournament. But only if the U.S. beats Algeria today (right now, in fact!). A win and the Americans move on to the knockout stage. A loss, and they're probably out. And they can't afford that.
Not after failing miserably in 2006, not getting out of group play and losing most of the momentum they'd built up with a solid 2002 tournament.
After a solid tie against England and a disappointing but well-fought tie with Slovenia, the United States are in position to move on to the next round, and even surprisingly win Group C. That would be a big step for U.S. soccer.
So, can the United States win today? Of course, and they should.
Coach Bob Bradley made some surprising moves today, most notably leaving out Oguchi Onyewu, who has struggled at center defense coming back from injury. A huge key will be the play of Herculez Gomez at forward alongside Jozy Altidore. The U.S. needs Gomez to be a threat.
The United States has to come out strong, something it has yet to do. They have to attack from the start and put Algeria on its heels. Algeria is not a strong attacking team and the United States have to prevent them from having any easy chances. The U.S. marking in back hasn't been great and teams have gotten too many easy looks. Nothing can come easy for Algeria. That means strong marking on set pieces and preventing counterattacks.
Mostly, the United States have top play like the favorites. They have to be confident, strong, attacking and set that tone from the start. Game's on! Let's see if they can do it.

Who Needs What?

What a bizarre World Cup it's been. An incredible amount of close games, some top clubs (Italy, France, England, Ivory Coast) all struggling to even advance out of group play. Portugal went from zero goals in its first game to seven in its second. Switzerland stuns Spain, then falls to surprise Group H leader (and Allende family favorite) Chile. Unfortunately, the reffing is getting a lot of attention. I felt like refs did a great job early on, but right around Germany's second game, followed by the U.S.-Slovenia game, things started to go downhill.
All the close matches have made these third and final group stage games (starting tomorrow) fascinating. There really are some marquee teams that could fail to advance. A disastrous tournament by African teams could reach its low point if none of the squads advance out of group play, which could easily happen. South American teams have not lost a match, which goes to show where the best soccer is played.
So, I've decided to try to break down, in as simple terms as possible, what each team has to do to advance to the knockout stage. The final group stage games are played simultaneously (for each group) so as to not allow teams to take it easy or conspire to play for a particular result. So, get your remotes ready or find a second nearby TV to monitor action on.
Remember, tie breakers are as follows:
1. Goal differential
2. Total goals scored
3. Head-to-head (if three teams are tied, it's determined by the above two criteria)
4. The mysterious draw of lots

Group A
Uruguay

• Wins the group with a win or tie against Mexico
• Can advance with a loss if France and South Africa tie or if the winner of France-South Africa doesn't make up tiebreakers.

Mexico

• Wins the group with a win over Uruguay.
• Can advance with a tie against Uruguay.
• It can also advance with a loss if France and South Africa tie or the winner of France-South Africa doesn't make up tiebreakers.

France

• Can advance only if it beats South Africa and makes up tiebreakers against the loser of the Uruguay-Mexico match.
• It can not advance if it ties, or if Mexico-Uruguay ties.

South Africa

• Can advance only if it beats France and makes up tiebreakers against the loser of the Uruguay-Mexico match.
• It can not advance if it ties, or if Mexico-Uruguay ties.

Group B

Argentina

• Advances with a win or a tie vs. Greece.
• Will also advance if South Korea loses or ties Nigeria.
• It can advance with a loss as long as South Korea and Greece don't make up tiebreakers.

South Korea

• Advances with a win over Nigeria as long as Greece doesn't either win by a greater margin than South Korea does or Greece and South Korea win by the same margin and Greece doesn't score two or more goals than South Korea does.
• Will also advance with a tie over Nigeria and a tie or loss by Greece.

Greece

• Will advance with a win over Argentina and a loss or tie by South Korea against Nigeria.
• Will advance if it wins by a greater margin than South Korea does.
• Will advance if it wins by the same margin as South Korea and scores two or more goals than South Korea does.
• Will advance with a tie if South Korea loses to Nigeria.
• Will advance if it wins by three or more goals.

Nigeria

• Can only advance if it beats South Korea and Argentina beats Greece.

Group C

United States

• Advances with a win against Algeria.
• Can advance with a tie if Slovenia-England tie and England doesn't outscore the United States by two or more goals.
• Will also advance with a tie if England loses to Slovenia.

Slovenia

• Advances with a win or a tie against England.
• Can advance with a loss if the United States ties against Algeria.
• Can advance with a loss if Algeria beats the United States but doesn't make up tiebreakers.

England

• Advances with a win over Slovenia.
• Can advance with a tie and a United States-Algeria tie if it outscores the United States by at least three goals.

Algeria

• Advances with a win over the United States if Slovenia wins or ties England.
• Advances with a win over the United States and an England win over Slovenia if it makes up tiebreakers against Slovenia.

Group D

Ghana

• Advances with a win or a tie against Germany.
• Can advance with a loss if Australia-Serbia tie if Serbia doesn't make up tiebreakers.
• Can advance with a loss and an Australia win over Serbia if Australia doesn't make up tiebrakers.

Germany

• Advances with a win over Ghana.
• Can advance with a tie and an Australia-Serbia tie if Serbia doesn't make up tiebreakers.
• Can advance with a tie and an Australia win if Australia doesn't make up tiebreakers.

Serbia

• Advances with a win over Australia.
• Can advance with a tie and a Ghana win over Germany.
• Can advance with a tie and a Ghana-Germany tie if it makes up tiebreakers on Germany.

Australia

• Advances with a win over Serbia and a Ghana win over Germany.
• Advances with a win over Serbia and a Germany win over Ghana if it can make up tiebreakers against Ghana.
• Advances with a win over Serbia and a Germany-Ghana tie if it can make up tiebreakers against Germany.

Group E

Netherlands

• Has already advanced. It will win the group if it beats or ties Cameroon.
• Can win the group with a loss if Japan and Denmark tie.
• Can win the group with a loss if the winner of Japan-Denmark can't make up tiebreakers.

Japan

• Advances with a win over Denmark.
• Can win the group if it beats Denmark, Netherlands loses to Cameroon and Japan makes up tiebreakers against Netherlands.

Denmark

• Advances with a win over Japan.
• Can win the group by beating Japan, Netherlands loses to Cameroon and Denmark makes up tiebreakers against Netherlands.

Cameroon

• No chance, has been eliminated.

Group F

Paraguay

• Advances with a win or a tie against New Zealand.
• Can advance with a loss if Italy and Slovakia tie.
• Can advance with a loss if Slovakia beats Italy but doesn't make up tiebreakers against Paraguay.

Italy

• Advances with a win over Slovakia.
• Advances with a tie and a New Zealand loss to Paraguay.
• Advances with a tie and a New Zealand-Paraguay tie if Italy outscores New Zealand.

New Zealand

• Advances if it beats Paraguay.
• Can advance with a tie and an Italy-Slovakia tie if New Zealand outscores Italy.

Slovakia

• Advances with a win over Italy and a Paraguay win or tie against New Zealand.
• Advances with a win over Italy and a New Zealand win over Paraguay if it can make up tiebreakers against Paraguay.

Group G

Brazil

• Has already advanced.
• Will win the group with a win or tie against Portugal.

Portugal

• Advances with a win or tie against Brazil.
• Can advance with a loss if Ivory Coast loses to North Korea and fails to make up the goal differential with Portugal.

Ivory Coast

• Advances with a win against North Korea, a Portugal loss to Brazil and if it can make up goal differential against Portugal.

North Korea

• No chance, has been eliminated.

Group H

Chile

• Will advance with a win or tie against Spain. It will also win the group in this scenario.
• Can advance with a loss if Switzerland loses or ties Honduras.
• Can advance with a loss and a Switzerland win over Honduras if it can maintain its tiebreaker lead over Switzerland.

Spain

• Advances with a win over Chile.
• Advances with a tie against Chile and a Switzerland tie or loss to Honduras.
• Can advance with a loss if Honduras beats Switzerland and Spain maintains its tiebreakers over Honduras and Switzerland.

Switzerland

• Advances with a win over Honduras and a Chile win or tie against Spain.
• Advances with a win over Honduras and a Spain win over Chile if Switzerland can make up tiebreakers against Chile.
• Advances with a tie against Honduras and a Chile win over Spain.
• Can advance with a loss if Spain loses to Chile and Switzerland holds tiebreakers over Spain and Honduras.

Honduras

• Advances with a win over Switzerland and a Chile win over Spain and if it makes up tiebreakers over Spain and Switzerland.

Now What?

I'm not going to talk much about the United States' 2-2 draw with Slovenia in this post, mostly because thinking about the no-goal call gives me a headache. But it was exciting to see the Americans rally and get that point. Without it, they'd basically be done. I was in a great back-and-forth with several friends on Facebook after the game which I'll recount in a later post about the game, but this will focus instead on what happens next.
I've had a few people ask me just what the scenarios are now. What does the U.S. have to do to move on? It's a bit complicated, but I'll try to explain the best I can.
Here's the standings, with points (remember, 3 for a win, 1 for a tie) and goal differential, goals for and goals against:
Slovenia 4 points, +1, 3-2
United States 2 points, 0, 3-3
England 2 points, 0, 1-1
Algeria, 1 point, -1, 0-1

To put it simply, if the United States beats Algeria on Wednesday at 7 a.m., it moves on to the second round. It can move on with a tie, if England also also ties and the United States maintains its goal differential over England, which right now is at +2 (the U.S. has 3 goals, England has 1). That means England can't score three more goals against Slovenia than the U.S. does against Algeria. Make sense?

Here's how the tiebreakers work:
1. Total points (not goals, points)
2. Total goal difference
3. Total goals scored
4. Points between the tied teams (basically head-to-head result)
5. Goal difference in games between the tied teams (also basically head-to-head)
6. Total goals scored between the tied teams (this is the scenario I talk about above)
7. Drawing of lots by FIFA.

What the heck does drawing of lots by FIFA mean? No one really knows (seriously). It's never been said how FIFA determines who moves on in that scenario. It could be a flip of the coin for all we know. Let's hope it doesn't get there, though.

So, here's how teams can move on.

I talked about the U.S.: Either win, or tie, have England tie, and maintain the two-goal advantage over England.
England advances if: It beats Slovenia, or it ties and outscores the United States by three goals (basically, England and Slovenia tie 4-4 and the U.S. and Algeria tie 1-1, giving England a 5 goal to 4 goal advantage over the U.S.).
Slovenia advances if: It beats or ties England, or it loses and the U.S. ties Algeria, or it loses and Algeria wins, as long as Algeria can't make up all the tie breakers over Slovenia, which would be a miracle.
Algeria advances with a win and a win or a tie by Slovenia, or a win and a Slovenia loss to England, if Algeria can make up tiebreakers over Slovenia, which, as I said, would be a miracle.
Don't worry, I won't be testing you, but hopefully it makes sense.
So, the only way England and the United States can both advance is if they both win, which could well happen.
The goofiest scenario would be if the United States and England both tie and England scores exactly two more points than the U.S. So, the U.S. ties 0-0 and England ties 2-2. That would put England and the U.S. even on all tiebreakers, leading to the mysterious drawing of lots. Let's hope that doesn't happen.
So, basically, just hope the United States wins. That would keep everything simple. Whatever happens, it's going to be a fascinating Wednesday.
Oh yeah, both games are at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, so you'll have to have two TVs running to keep up with the live action.

U.S. Must Avoid the Trap

First off, you shouldn't read this because I truly, clearly don't know what I'm talking about. I mean, France? Who thought that was a good idea? Clearly, I'm an idiot. But, if you wish, feel free to read on.
Today's United States game against Group B leader Slovenia has trouble written all over it. There's real temptation to believe that the U.S. got through its toughest game with a huge point and should have smooth sailing into the second round. But slow down. Slovenia is the one with three points, and even though it didn't look very good in its win over Algeria, hey, it did what it had to do and is the driver's seat. The United States can't afford to settle for a tie this time, while Slovenia would be happy enough to walk away with a point. That would put Slovenia and (assuming it beats Algeria today) England with four points and the United States with one. That's no good, as England and Slovenia would have little motivation to go hard at each other in the final game of group play.
So, is this a must-win for the United States? Definitely. Can the United States win today? Definitely.
But it's going to be tough. Slovenia is a strong, physical team with a solid defense and the United States has struggled against teams that are this organized. On top of that, Slovenia relies on an outstanding counterattack, and that's something that could be a real problem for the American defense.
The United States must avoid the temptation to score early and often. It doesn't need an impressive, one-sided victory, it just needs a victory. The Americans have to control the ball better than it did against England, and it won't be easy, as the physical Slovenian defense loves getting tough and breaking up attacks. That means the U.S. will have to send in swarms on offense and needs to take some chances, taking cracks on some long shots and maybe following up the rebounds for easy goals.
On defense, midfielders Michael Bradley and Ricardo Clark are going to be especially important in slowing down Slovenia's Robert Koren and Valter Birsa, who lead their team's counterattack.
Maybe most importantly, the United States has to come out stronger than it did against England, and maintain that focus throughout. Bob Bradley has to make the right choices, get the right personnel on the field (Jose Torres, anyone?) and make the right adjustments.
Here's saying that the U.S. rises to the occassion and picks up a huge win, taking a big step in moving on to the second round. I'll take the United States, 2-1. But don't bet on it.

Celebrate Good Times!

I spent the evening watching the amazing celebrations in Chile (www.cnnchile.com/deportes/2010/06/16/chilenos-madrugaron-para-ver-la-roja/), wishing I could have been a part of it and also thinking, "That would never happen in the United States for any sporting event." Which is fine, but it's also too bad. I mean, Chile completely shut down. The entire country watched the game, and the excitement watching the people celebrate Jean Beausejour's goal that gave La Roja a 1-0 win over Honduras was exhilirating. It was exciting in our house (as exciting as things get at 5 in the morning) but the electricity in Santiago and the rest of the country was amazing and inspiring. The country put televisions up everywhere - and I meaen everywhere. On buses, in the middle of cities, in store windows, even a huge screen on the Presidential Palace (can you imagine the Super Bowl being broadcast onto a huge screen on the White House?). There were celebrations everywhere, including in small indian communities, in the Antarctic, on Easter Island. The entire country was going nuts. That doesn't happen here. People get very excited, but it's only if your city team is doing well. A city might go nuts over a Super Bowl win, but you'll never see the country go nuts like Chile did, and that's kind of sad. I know, this is a huge country and it's hard to get that many people connected to one thing, but wouldn't it be awesome if it did? Wouldn't it be amazing if we all got together to watch the United States against Slovenia? How much fun would that be?
Anyway, it was really fun to watch, definitely added to the excitement of a game that Chile dominated in a way few teams have so far in this odd tournament. Honduras was lucky the score didn't get out of hand, as Chile attacked beautifully, led by the spectacular Alexis Sanchez, who was clearly the best player on the field. Chile was fast, creative, better defensively than I expected and just really looked good. I can't wait to see how they do in their next two games.
Speaking of, wow! I figured Switzerland was better than people gave it credit for, but I never anticipated it beating Spain. ...and you didn't either, so don't lie. Spain looked good, but wow what a performance by the Swiss defense. It was also fun to watch future Sounder Blaise Nkufo, who looks like he'll help the Seattle offense. So now, shockingly, there's Chile and Switzerland meeting on Monday for the right to lead the group, with Spain now needing a pair of wins - probably - to move on. I say again, Wow!
The third game of the day was Uruguay's 3-0 win over South Africa. I'm happy for Uruguay as I always like to see South American teams do well, and I really like star striker Diego Forlan. But I feel bad for South Africa. It's going to be the first host country to not advance out of group play, and is the first host to lose by three goals. The country is putting on a great show and it would be nice to see it rewarded with a better showing from its team.
Thursdays games are big, especially the Group A game between Mexico and France. If France loses, it's probably done, which is bad news for me (I picked it to reach the championship game). And it could well lose, as Mexico is good, and it should be a fun game.
Argentina opens by playing South Korea in what should be a really interesting game between the top two teams in the group. I'll be curious to see if South Korea can repeat its performance from its first game, a resounding win over Greece. Speaking of Greece, it looked horrible against South Korea and if it can't be significantly better against a desperate Nigeria team, it could get ugly.

Viva Chile!

Important-Game Eve No. 2 in the Allende household as Chile prepares for its first World Cup game since 1998 and there is excitement in beautiful downtown Mountlake Terrace. The Chileans have emerged as kind of a darkhorse to go a long way in the tournament thanks to its relentless offensive attack, outstanding coach and young, talented players.
It's been a strange World Cup so far. Outside of Germany, none of the favorites have looked particularly dominating. Group A is a mess, with South Africa pulling off a shocking tie with Mexico and France and Uruguay looking crappy to leave the group all even.
Argentina looked OK in a win over Nigeria, and South Korea looked pretty solid and may have a chance to beat out Nigeria for the second spot in the group, which would be a big surprise.
The United States' tie with England was huge, setting the Americans up to potentially win Group C if it can take care of Slovenia on Friday.
Ghana's surprising win over Serbia was one of the highlights of the tournament so far and its game against Germany should be a good one. Serbia needs a big bounce-back against Australia to have a shot in Group D.
The Netherlands did look pretty impressive in a win over Denmark and Japan's shocker over Cameroon really made Group E interesting.
The Italy-Paraguay tie was surprising as well, as the Italians just did not look very good. The path was there for first-time World Cup qualifier Slovakia to take a step toward moving on, before giving up a stunning tying goal to New Zealand in the final minute on Monday.
The Group of Death was not particularly impressive, which was disappointing. Portugal - especially Cristiano Ronaldo - looked like it was playing on ice, falling down every time someone from Ivory Coast even looked at them. I was hoping for a game featuring some great offensive play but there was never really a flow. Brazil looked OK against a North Korea team that is tough to play against because it does nothing but defend. You could tell that the Brazilians are a strong team, though, and we'll see more from them against Portugal and Ivory Coast.
Now, on to Group H. We'll get a chance to see Spain today when it meets Switzerland. It will be interesting to see how well the Swiss hang in against a Spanish squad that has some injury issues.
And then there is Chile-Honduras.
Honduras got some attention after qualifying but has not been good leading up to the World Cup and is a longshot to make it out of the group. It needs to get at least one point out of this match with Spain next up on the schedule. Chile, on the other hand, needs to get a win against what is perceived as the worst team in the group.
One thing about this match is we're going to see some offense. Marcelo Bielsa has Chile attacking constantly with a fast, young group led by Alexis Sanchez, Mattias Fernandez and Mark Gonzalez, though it remains to be seen how much we'll see leading scorer Humberto Suazo, who is recovering from injury. Honduras also goes hard on offense, led by Carlos Pavon. Neither team cares all that much about defense, so the question is, who can better get away with that strategy.
Putting my personal feelings aside, I think Chile should be able to exploit Honduras, which is older and, frankly, not as talented. I see the Chileans going after Honduras early and often and taking a lead. Honduras may strike back, but it won't matter much to Chile, which will have a lot of success on offense and will get a big win.
Let's go with Chile 4, Honduras 2. We'll see is about seven hours!

Northwest Trek Adventure

Jess, Satchel and I spent Sunday at Northwest Trek. It was a beautiful day, sunny, warm and we had a spectacular view of Mount Rainier on the drive there. It was an early Father's Day trip and was a great way to spend the day with my family. Satchel loves the zoo so we figured this would be a good outing for us, though lately, with him, you never know. He's been pretty hit-or-miss in terms of his mood lately (wonder who he got that from?) so you just have to go and hope he enjoys it. And I think he did, plus he napped on the way home, which almost never happens anymore.

For those who don't know, Northwest Trek is an animal park in Eatonville, which is about an hour and a half southeast of Seattle, about 35 minutes from Mount Rainier. It focuses on animals and plants/trees that you would find in the Northwest, which is pretty cool. A lot of the animals are located in a giant natural area with a ton of room to roam, so whether you see animals or not is kind of up to them. The predator animals (bears, large cats, some smaller predators like wolverines) are located in enclosures, but the enclosures are fairly large (though it seems they could be larger for the cats) and well put together. So, basically, it's not like they're in a cage. It's not a cheap place to visit at $16 per adult, but kids 2 and under are free, so we got Satchel there with a couple weeks to spare.

So, here's an account of how the day went:

We left the house a little after 10, Satchel seemed fairly excited, mostly because he got to dress up in a "safari" outfit. He was most excited about seeing bison, so I hoped we'd actually see them. It was a nice drive, especially with the view of the mountain, and we rocked out to The Beatles for awhile before Satch started watching videos on Jess' new phone, a piece of equipment that I'm incapable of operating. We started to get a few "are we there yets" but he handled the ride well. We got to the park at about 11:40, and the parking lot was pretty packed. But the park is so big, that it never felt very crowded, except on the tram ride.

11:43: A little boy is crying passionately in a car near ours. Satchel points out that "he's crying, but I'm happy." We'll see how long that lasts.

11:45: We realize we don't have a stroller. That could mean trouble, especially for Jess. Lately, Satchel wants little to do with me if the three of us are together, so we know she's going to be the one doing the carrying.

11:47: Satchel wants to be carried. Shocked! I offer, get turned down, Jess sighs, lifts him up.

Noon: We enter the park. At the admission booth, we donate $5 to some conservation cause and Satchel gets to pick a stuffed animal from a group of four animals. He picks a bison and seems happy with his new friend, which should be good for at least an hour or two of solid behavior, we hope.
12:10: One of the park workers walks by us and we hear her say, "First the male escaped by jumping out of the tank." Jess and I look at each other, but we aren't alarmed because the worker didn't seem particularly frantic, so maybe it was just a frog or something. But I am reminded of my thought as we neared the park, that it felt a lot like Jurassic Park. I don't say anything, but I begin keeping an eye out for Velociraptors.

12:12: Our first animal is a dud. We look around for the lynx, but see no Lynx. Some people say it must not be here today. We hear this a few other times when an animal isn't spotted. Where do the people think it is? It's not like these are clowns and they get the day off. We do see a child's shoe floating in the water inside the enclosure, and I wonder if maybe the child and lynx are together. Probably not, but we keep a closer hold on Satchel.
12:15: Our first animal! The cougar is kind enough to make an appearance, and wow. Quite an impressive cat. I'm sure I've seen cougars before, but I am startled with how big they are. But this cougar seems bored out of its mind. It just paces back and forth in a continual loop. I actually feel kind of bad for it, but not enough that I volunteer to entertain it. Meanwhile, Satchel just wants to see the bison.
12:17: Animal No. 3? Also a dud. No bobcat. Jess says, "Maybe he's the male who got out." I love her. I begin to think this whole park could be a scam. I mean, really, how would we even know they have a bobcat? We better get a better rate of seeing animals quick or. ...well, nothing, but we better.

12:22: We start mentioning the signs we see around the park. Satchel starts singing Signs by the Five Man Electrical Band ("Signs, signs, everywhere signs. ...). He's extremely smart, hears everything and has a great sense of humor and is almost always fun to be around, except when he's not.
12:23: Coyotes! First a glimpse of them running around behind trees. And then they all emerge. It's quite awesome, though they are kind of scraggly looking. But pretty cool, they get pretty close to us, which is fun. And then, of course, one of them squats and drops a load, followed by a nice, long pee. And let me tell you, coyote poop stinks. You will definitely know it if a coyote is around you. Most of us flee.
12:29: Off to the red fox exhibit, though I can't help but hope that we'll see the great Redd Foxx in the enclosure rather than an actual fox. Yes, I know he's been dead for quite awhile, but it would still be cool. I'm disappointed on both fronts: No fox, no Foxx.

12:34: We head inside the research cabin in search of the exotic animal scientist. No scientist, just windows to try to find the wolves, which we do, kind of, far away, lying down. We get a better view of them outside, but they still just lie down. Not sure what I wanted them to do, but something more than being passed out.

12:40: My most anticipated exhibit is a dud. No grizzly bears. The enclosure is kind of big, but not that big. Where could they be hiding? Maybe they do get a day off.

12:44: Jess spots a black bear. But it's just a big lump of black fur sleeping. Come on man, just one small growl for me. Is that too much to ask?

12:46: We make our way over to the tram. It's about an hour loop through the park, really the highlight of the park. We get there and are, literally, the last people in line, but we have our precious yellow tokens so we're assured spots. And this is where we'll see the bison, and it's a vehicle, so Satchel is excited. And we get good seats in the first car! Our guide/driver is this pretty cool guy with a pony tail who has a lot of information and facts, though he can never quite get "red cedar" and "red alder" straight, much to Jess and my amusement.

12:54: Moose! And it's huge! While not nearly as entertaining as the Mariner Moose, it's still pretty impressive. Though, yeah, it's just lying down, eating, resting, probably thinking, "Oh brother, here comes another one."

12:57: Our first bison, and it is also enormous. We saw lots of bison, in fact, which is very exciting for everyone! They are clearly the stars of the tour and very cool. I'm not sure I've ever seen a bison in person before. We even see babies at one point.s Good stuff.

1:00: We see big horn sheep which are pretty cool but look completely disinterested. Then we see mountain goats, which I love. The driver asks, "Can anyone tell me what a mountain goat's biggest threat is on the mountain?" I call out, "Wind!" Turns out my smart ass is kind of right. It's gravity. Then we see some carribou, and then a duck. When the driver says, "Look, you'll see a duck to our left!" Jess says, "I didn't pay $16 for a duck." I love her.

1:42: We come to the end of the tour. Good thing, as Satchel is getting bored. We see a few other animals, a gorup of carribou, some swans (they can weigh up to 45 pounds we learn!), geese, a raccoon. Satchel had fun, he was jazzed up about seeing bison, but there's only so much he can take. But we get one last thrill when a big carribou comes right up to the tram as we're leaving. And how do they shoo it away? With a spray bottle. It works!

2:07: We make our way to see the owls, including a Snow Owl that can barely be bothered to open its eyes, a couple Great Horned Owls and three Barn Owls, which are perched on a pretend barn. Someone wonders if Barn Owls actually have to have a barn in order to be comfortable. Oh yeah, we also see some golden eagles.

2:12: We stop to eat some lunch, which for Satchel consists of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (which is pretty much the only thing he'll ever request) and Jess and I eat popcorn. It's a good time to break, as Satch is losing some energy, and it gives Jess a chance to rest from carrying him around.

2:42: We make our way to the "Forest Animals" exhibit, which is the highlight for me. Unfortunately, I ran out of memory on my card, so I don't have any photos of it. But there was a beaver who was playing hide and seek with Satchel and Satchel was screaming with delight. It was really fun to watch. The beaver would dive under water, then pop up and Satchel would race over to see him. Then it would repeat the process. This went on for a fun 10 minutes or so. It was great. We also see river otters, a badger, porcupine, skunk and a fisher, which my mom reminds me later once nearly killed one of my uncle's cats. Alas, the wolverine kept hidden. I really wanted to see the wolverine, but what are you gonna do?

3:12: One of the workers is doing a trailside talk about possums, one of which is walking along a piece of wood eating food. They're pretty cute, and it's cool because my mom and Satchel had been talking a lot about possums lately and Satchel had never seen one except on the computer. We get a lot of good info. Possums only live to be 2 in the wild (up to 5 in captivity) but are able to fit up to 13 babies in their pouch, and have up to three litters a year. I say, "This guy sure knows his possums." Jess says, "He's the Possum Whisperer."

3:19: We make one last attempt to see the lynx and bobcat, but neither of them are there (the shoe is still in the water, though). We do see that there's another cougar in the enclosure, but both cougars look bored.

3:25: Back to the car. Satchel has held it together great and it was a great way to spend the day. He falls asleep pretty quickly and it's an uneventful ride back. I'd like to go back again sometime, hopefully to see the Grizzly Bear and maybe even that elusive lynx and bobcat. A fun way to spend a beautiful Sunday in the Northwest.

Green With Joy

I hate enjoying other people's misery. ...generally. I've screwed up plenty of times. It's no fun, and it's less fun when you know other people are paying attention. So I say this with full awareness that it may make me a terrible person, but I thank you, Robert Green. I thank you for being a mediocre goalie (though better at being a goalie than I am at anything) and allowing the United States to get an all-important point in the World Cup. You are a true gentleman and sportsman and I salute you. I also do not envy the headlines and comments you will be experiencing. It's not fair, and you should always remember that you are a decent fella and people pretty much like you, except for everyone in England, and that's not really that many people, relatively speaking, so don't let it get you down. You're alright in my book.
Did the United States look great in its 1-1 tie with England Saturday? No, not close. But they looked OK. Tim Howard was his usual stellar self at keeper. The midfielders generally played pretty hard. Oguchi Onyewu was solid in the center of the defense and Steve Cherundolo was pretty good on defense as well. And Jozy Altidore made one great run that Green almost turned into a second goal (he couldn't quite come through for the U.S. twice, but that's OK, we still love him).
There were big issues, though. None of them unexpected. Primarily, it was the American defense, especially the right side, which was consistently getting attacked. The defense also did a poor job closing down on England's shooters, allowing too many close calls. The midfielders, while they played hard, didn't do a lot of controlling of the ball. Someone, maybe Stuart Holden or Jose Torres, has to get some time to try to form a bridge between the back and Altidore up front. I also wasn't nuts about using Findlay up front with Altidore. I don't know if the answer is moving Clint Dempsey up front, or trying Edson Buddle or Hercules Gomez alongside Altidore, but they need more from the other forward spot.
All of that said, it was a great result. This easily could have been an ugly game (and would have been, if not for Howard). But the Americans played hard and stayed in it and, frankly, got lucky with the goal, which you sometimes need. The one point is huge and should give the U.S. confidence going into its next two games, against Algeria and Slovenia. So all in all, it was a great day for United States soccer.
I'm not sure how much I'll be writing tomorrow. We're planning on going to Northwest Trek as long as there's good weather. I may or may not get up for the early game, and if so, I'll try to weigh in. If not, I'll try to recap the day tomorrow night. Thanks for tuning in, and I hope your rest tonight is better than Robert Green's will be.

Does the United States Have a Chance?

Now on to the big question of the day. Does the United States have a chance against England. The short answer: Of course! This is a good American team with plenty of offense and a group that will not be overwhelmed by England's star power. This is the most experienced U.S. team ever, with guys who play at the highest levels in England, Germany and Italy, so the bright lights and pressure shouldn't get to them. But England is a really, really good team, despite its injuries, in particular to captain and star center defender Rio Ferdinand and defensive midfielder Gareth Barry. This is a talented offensive group with Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, etc., etc. The reality is, the United States could play really well and still get hammered. I don't think it's going to happen, but it could.
So, what do I think is going to happen?
I see the United States coming out strong. They have a lot to prove and I think that will carry them early on. Look for the Americans to aggressively attack England's depleted defense, using the speed of Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey to get deep into English territory. I think it's going to pay off, as I see Jozy Altidore being set up by a Donovan or Dempsey run within the first 15 minutes or so and getting a goal to put the Americans up.
Unfortunately, that will wake up England. The Three Lions will gain some composure and start pressuring the American defense, which hasn't been particularly good. Tim Howard turns away a few shots but eventually, Rooney breaks through, manhandling the U.S. wing defenders and pushing through for the tying goal. Halftime comes at 1-1.
Early in the second half, the defense collapses on Rooney as he pushes up the middle, but rather than force it, Rooney shows his maturity and dumps it to a wide-open Lampard, who buries a shot past Howard. This puts the U.S. on its heels badly and a blowout seems about to start.
But then the United States shows a glimpse of its ability, as it pulls itself together around the 75th minute. Donovan streaks through the English midfield, finding Dempsey, who shows his creativity by beating a pair of English defenders and finding the back of the night for a shocking tying goal. Bedlam ensues.
But it doesn't last.
A few minutes later, with a tie looking like a possibility, Gerrard gains control and flies down the flank, going right past the weak American outside defense and sending a beautiful cross in. Oguchi Onyewu is caught out of position, allowing Rooney to leap in and power a header into the goal for the win.
Still, an impressive game for the United States. The question will be, how will they regroup after a disappointing result?
We'll see how close I am in a couple hours.

The Goal is Over There

Argentina-Nigeria was certainly entertaining, and also maddening. Hey, fellas, the goal is down there, not way up there! There was no shortage of chances, as Nigeria had a hard time containing Argentina's attack, and Nigeria got off several decent shots as well. But so many of the shots were off, it made me wonder if they practiced on a field with a goal suspended by wires off field level. Stop kicking so high, it's not paying off! Nigeria's keeper played a very solid game and kept his team in it, and Argentina has to feel pretty good about at least getting so many chances. I thought the Argentine defense was pretty solid, too. Lionel Messi did little to make people change their minds about his performance for his country, but he did make Nigeria work. I mean, those chances he created don't just happen. Now it's a matter of finishing, which, of course, is the entire point. What stood out to me the most, though, was the confidence that Argentina had with the ball. They were clearly the most composed offensive team I've seen so far, which isn't a big surprise, but was fun to see. Speaking of fun to see, England-U.S.A. in about two hours!

Thanks Greece

I woke up at 5:30 and rushed to the TV (as much as it's possible for me to rush at 5:30 in the morning) to catch up on the Greece-South Korea match. It was halftime and South Korea was up 1-0, which I knew meant trouble for Greece, which is not noted for its ability to score.
I didn't realize how much trouble it meant, though.
Wow, Greece is not good. At least, it didn't play good. In fact, it played the polar opposite of good, and made me wonder what I was doing up that early to watch a team that looked like it had never played together before. Granted, Greece isn't a favorite, but it won the European championship in 2004 with a lot of these players. Of course, maybe that's the problem. They looked like an old team, and South Korea, with as much energy as it plays with, can make a team look really old. The Koreans just played harder, won most balls, and Greece couldn't control the ball, basically giving away one goal and completely blowing the other goal on a corner kick.
South Korea is pretty good, but Greece made it look a lot better than I think it is. We'll learn more about the Koreans when they play a team that isn't bad.

Day 1 Recap

This will be a short, quick one because, frankly, I'm tired and got a long day in front of us.
It was a fun start to the World Cup, I thought. The first game was quite thrilling, the second game far less inspired.
It was so fun to see South Africa have some success and get a point when many, including myself, believed that they may go 0-3. It was really cool to see the crowd support and the goal dance was truly inspired. And what a goal it was, by a guy whose last name is Tshabalala, which may be the most fun name to say in the tournament. Tshabalala of Bafana Bafana sounds like a kids book that I would love to read. I guess I was a bit disappointed that Mexico came back to tie it, if only because it's hard not to pull for South Africa, and what an amazing thing at the end of the first day would it have been to see South Africa - a team totally written off - atop a group that includes two former Cup winners in France and Uruguay, and traditional power Mexico? Still, all teams are even, and that's a victory for South Africa by itself.
The second game was, frankly, pretty boring, especially in comparison to the first. While there were a few moments of inspired play by both teams, it mostly seemed to be two teams afraid to lose, rather than trying to win. Maybe they both figured they still get to play South Africa and can get their win there, but don't be so sure, especially with how they played. France clearly waited too long to get Thierry Henry in the game, and while Franck Ribery made some great runs, they just didn't seem to be on the same page as a unit. How ironic was it to watch Henry complaining about a missed hand ball call? Uruguay didn't play nearly as inspired as I'd hoped, though it was every bit as physical. That won't go over well, especially in its upcoming game with South Africa, and could backfire against an equally physical team in Mexico. Both teams have to be disappointed in the result, while Mexico has to be happy that France and Uruguay tied, and South Africa has to be thrilled after the first day. This has suddenly turned into an even more interesting group than I expected.
Saturday is the big one, at least, the first big one. In a game no one is really paying attention to, Greece will meet South Korea in what could be a really competitive game. It may not be exciting, but it should be interesting. Greece defends like crazy and South Korea is in non-stop motion. Whoever comes out on top in this one is going to get some needed momentum. Now, whether I'm up at 4:30 to watch it, we'll see.
Then comes Argentina against Nigeria, which should be fantastic. I'm starting to feel like I undersold Argentina and it could be better than I think. And who isn't excited to watch Messi play? Nigeria should generate a lot of local support and is a really entertaining group. This should be a wide-open, fast-paced game that will be a lot of fun to watch. I'll definitely be tuned in.
Then comes England-U.S.A. Is this the biggest match of the tournament? No, it's only been hyped that way. But it should be a great one and a great measuring stick for the United States. What will be really interesting is how the U.S. will react if it is buried by England. I think the Americans will have success attacking England, but I worry about the U.S.A.'s defense handling the likes of Rooney, Lampard, Gerrard, etc. In the end, I think England wins an entertaining one. I'll go with 3-2.
See you in the morning!

It Begins!

First off, I went to the Sounders game with my brother last night, a way of getting even more jazzed up (if that's possible) for the start of the World Cup. At that point, my brother pointed out that someone else had a blog called Mike's Musings. So, that wouldn't do. I credit my brother with coming up with the new name of this blog, which fits well.
I'll try to talk about the Sounder game later, but right now, I'm just too excited. I woke up this morning and immediately flipped on ESPN and the images from South Africa were thrilling. I'm always weary of TV coverage of the World Cup, but so far, I've been impressed. Kudos to ESPN for hiring an international staff, including a South African, to serve in the studio. He talked about it being emotional, and he's right. The first World Cup in Africa, in a country with so much dramatic history, is so exciting, and you can't help (unless you're Mexican) but pull for South Africa to at least play well. The emotion is heightened by the news of the death of Nelson Mandela's great granddaughter, as if he hasn't suffered enough tragedy. He truly deserved to be there.
Like the Mariners game last weekend, this World Cup is especially emotional for me as it's Satchel's first. Sure, he won't remember it at all, just as I don't remember the 1978 World Cup. He may pay attention to about a few seconds of it. He'll be cranky, happy, funny, angry, beautiful. He'll be the same as always. But to get to share even a little bit of this with him, whether he's aware of it or not, is really a thrill for me. Of course, it would have been more thrilling if he would have gotten up at his usual 8:30-9 a.m. instead of 7, which means it's going to be a long, long day for daddy, but it's still great.
I'll be blogging semi-regularly during games, so keep checking back in. So far it's been an entertaining game, with South Africa holding its own and lucking out by a horrible offsides call.

Mike's World Cup Prediction Spectacular!

This time tomorrow, I'll be up watching the first match of the World Cup as South Africa takes on Mexico. I can't wait! That's followed by France against Uruguay before a triple header on Saturday headlined by England-U.S.A. The greatest month in sports is less than 24 hours from kicking off!
With that said, you've all enjoyed my group previews I'm sure, so you're sure to love today's entry, my World Cup predictions. Some will love me by the end of it, some will hate me. And some will continue to take a wait-and-see attitude.
And with that, I give you how the World Cup will (to paraphrase coaching legend Tyrone Willingham) definitely, possibly, probably, might, could, will, should, maybe play out.

Group Stage
Group A
Predicted order of finish: 1. France; 2. Uruguay; 3. Mexico; 4. South Africa.
Key match: Mexico vs. Uruguay, June 22.
Player of the Group: Hugo Lloris, GK, France.
Explain yourself!: France is a popular choice to be one of the real disappointments of South Africa, especially with the recent drama over the decision to bench Thierry Henry for the opener. But I'm not buying it. This is still the most talented team in the group and yes, maybe it shouldn't have even qualified, but here France is and the French have reached the final two of their last three trips to the World Cup. But if they lose to Uruguay on Friday, I'll sing a different tune (and they could!). South Africa is clearly the weakest team and is likely the first host nation to not advance out of group play. But fan support is always a big deal, and if it helps carry South Africa over Mexico in the opener, which would be a true shocker, then anything is possible. But likely, the second spot will come down to Uruguay and Mexico, two evenly matched squads with a few stars surrounded by talented role players. I'm going with Uruguay because I think it's outstanding attackers up front (Diego Forlan, Sebastian Abreu, Luis Suarez) will beat out a Mexican team still trying to figure out the mix of young, inexperienced players with very old veterans.

Group B
Predicted order of finish: 1. Argentina; 2. Nigeria; 3. Greece; 4. South Korea.
Key match: Greece vs. Nigeria, June 17.
Player of the Group: Lionel Messi, F, Argentina.
Explain yourself!: Argentina is far and away the best team in this group, even with coach Diego Maradona doing what he can to screw things up. With the best player in the world in Messi surrounded by an entire lineup of stars, this team is too good not to win the group. The real question is who comes in second? South Korea is one of the best Asian teams, and has been for a long time, but has never won a World Cup match away from Asia, and I just don't see that continuing here. If it can beat Greece in its opener on June 12, maybe it can break that streak, but I don't see it happening. So then it comes down to a defensive-oriented Greek squad against offensive-minded Nigeria. Greece struggled to qualify and hasn't played well leading up to the World Cup, while Nigeria, which missed the 2006 tournament, will have plenty of local support and I see the Super Eagles getting to the knockout stage.

Group C
Predicted order of finish: 1. England; 2. United States; 3. Algeria; 4. Slovenia.
Key match: Algeria vs. Slovenia, June 13.
Player of the Group: Ashley Cole, D, England.
Explain yourself!: Everyone will look to the England-U.S. match as the big one - and it is - but I don't see it as being the real key to the group. The Three Lions are clearly the best team in the group, and even a draw with the United States probably won't be enough to cause the Brits to not win the group. England is loaded as usual, and even with the usual injury issues and drama, there should be enough there to get through. For me, the big match is Algeria and Slovenia. Whoever wins that one is going to have some momentum and confidence. They're both being overlooked, and the winner could get some decent crowd support when it goes against the United States. I think Algeria wins it, setting up a huge final match against the Americans with the winner advancing. But I think this is the Cup that the U.S. finally impresses. That doesn't mean they go a long way, but they at least look like a world-class team, and I just can't see it not failing to move out of group play in what is essentially a pretty weak group.

Group D
Predicted order of finish: 1. Germany; 2. Serbia; 3. Australia; 4. Ghana.
Key match: Australia vs. Ghana, June 19.
Player of the Group: Mesut Ozil, MF, Germany.
Explain yourself!: A very balanced group that could be one of the most competitive. Still, even with star Michael Ballack out and some key players coming off poor club seasons, I can't see Germany not finishing on top. This is the most talented team in a talented group, tough, determined and experienced and should get through relatively unscathed. Australia returns much of the same team that impressed at the last World Cup, but that means this is an older group that has not played well lately. Ghana will have the crowd behind it and is a popular choice to make a deep run, but I actually think this is going to be a big disappointment for the Black Stars. I think losing star Michael Essien is a really big deal and Ghana's traditional trouble of turning a talented roster into a cohesive unit will continue. Serbia isn't getting a lot of attention - maybe because it's not a very entertaining team - and some think it could be the weakest in the group, while others think it could be the strongest. I pick in between, better than Australia, not as good as Germany, but good enough to move on.

Group E
Predicted order of finish: 1. Netherlands; 2. Cameroon; 3. Denmark; 4. Japan.
Key match: Denmark vs. Cameroon, June 19.
Player of the Group: Wesley Sneijder, MF, Netherlands.
Explain yourself!: Another group considered fairly top heavy, but I think a little more balanced. Netherlands is the best team, with too much attacking power to not move on. There's a possibility it might not win the group, but it's remote. There's too much talent in this group and I can see some pretty one-sided matches. Japan just is not up to the level of the other three teams. It never plays well away from Asia and won't have a lot of fan support, and I just can't picture a scenario where the Japanese are anything better than last. That leaves Cameroon, a very popular local team and a popular pick to be a sleeper squad, against Denmark, a team trying to make up for missing out on the 2006 tournament. Denmark is a strong defensive team but will struggle to score goals, while Cameroon has more balance and, with the crowd behind it, should have enough to make it to the second round.

Group F
Predicted order of finish: 1. Italy; 2. Paraguay; 3. Slovakia; 4. New Zealand.
Key match: Paraguay vs. Slovakia, June 20.
Player of the Group: Gianluigi Buffon, GK, Italy.
Explain yourself!: Maybe the most predictable group in the field. Italy is easily the best team here, balanced, typically strong in the back, well coached and with the motivation of trying to be a rare World Cup repeat winner. No question the Azzuri win this group. New Zealand is by far the worst team in South Africa, and may not even score, much less win. I've obviously got an interest in Slovakia as I'll be blogging about the first-time World Cup entrant for the Sounders, and this is an interesting, young team. But it just isn't ready to move beyond group play. That leaves Paraguay, a team that looked good in qualifying, has a nice balance of offense and defense and simply needs one of its attackers to get hot. Even if one doesn't stand out in group play, Paraguay should be good enough to move out of group play.

Group G
Predicted order of finish: 1. Brazil; 2. Portugal; 3. Ivory Coast; 4. North Korea.
Key match: Brazil vs. Portugal, June 25.
Player of the Group: Luis Fabiano, F, Brazil.
Explain yourself!: The Group of Death should be nothing if not entertaining. OK, North Korea has no shot at all of advancing. That's clear. In fact, it probably shouldn't even win a point. It's the weakest link, goodbye! Brazil is the tournament co-favorite, as usual, and even with a style that isn't quite as striking as the Brazilians are normally known for, this is still a fabulous team. A lot of people like Ivory Coast, and I do too, but not as much with Didier Drogba dealing with a broken arm. Yes, you can play with a broken arm. No, you can't play that well. For all the hype Ivory Coast has received, it's really never done much internationally, and I think that continues in South Africa. Portugal did not look good in qualifying, but was without superstar Cristiano Ronaldo for much of it. He's back and healthy and is going to have a great tournament. Can Portugal beat Brazil and win the group? Probably not, but it should be a great game, with plenty of Portuguese swear words flying around.

Group H
Predicted order of finish: 1. Spain; 2. Switzerland; 3. Chile; 4. Honduras.
Key match: Chile vs. Switzerland, June 21.
Player of the Group: David Villa, F, Spain.
Explain yourself!: Sigh. This is going to be a really fun group to watch, and I wish I felt differently. Spain, no question, is going to win the group. It's just too good and should have little problem finishing on top. Some people pick Honduras to finish second, but I think there may be too many slow, older players to keep up with some of the speed and athleticism of this group, and while Honduras may play well, it's not going to advance. That leaves, sigh, Switzerland and Chile. I soooo want Chile to advance. I think it's going to be one of the most entertaining teams in the tournament and its game against Spain should be fun to watch. But no one is paying attention to Switzerland, and that scares me. This is a good team, with a good keeper, solid forwards, good midfielders. Chile can attack like crazy but its defense - like the United States - is a real issue and I think at some point, in a group with so many attacking players, that's going to be a big problem. So I'm taking Switzerland, with the caveat that I think Chile is going to go a long way at the 2014 World Cup, when this young group is just a little older.

Second round
France vs. Nigeria: Should be a really interesting match, as Nigeria will have a lot of support to knock out a team that isn't very well liked or respected. This is a good Nigerian team that has a lot of motivation, but I just can't get past the feeling that France is being overlooked for how good it is, and I'm taking the French to win despite a lot of adversity. Winner: France.
England vs. Serbia: This will be a physical, close match between a couple teams solid on defense. England will likely have the crowd support and more offense. Expect the Brits to attack and Serbia to hold them off for awhile, but eventually Wayne Rooney is going to find a way to get through and score, sending England on to the quarters. Winner: England.
Germany vs. United States: Maybe the most important match ever for the United States, and I think it will play well. Germany's got a strong defense but I think the Americans will find a way to attack and make things really tough. But Germany has the better team, and the U.S. defense scares me. One of the German strikers is going to get through a couple times, and end what is a decent showing for the Americans. Winner: Germany.
Argentina vs. Uruguay: An interesting matchup of neighbors with a long history. This game won't lack for offense or storylines and will be a fun one to watch. Maradona will get up for this one, and if he can keep his zaniness in check, and just allow his talented team to play, it should be fine. Go with Argentina in a game with a few goals scored. Winner: Argentina.
Netherlands vs. Paraguay: This might be the most one-sided of the second round matches. I like Paraguay, like their balance, but don't think its up to the level of a lot of these teams that have advanced. Justo Villar, Paraguay's keeper, should keep his team in it for awhile, but Netherlands is relentless and should wear down its opponent, and move on. Winner: Netherlands.
Brazil vs. Switzerland: Not exactly the most marquee matchup that Brazil could get, but you gotta win the games that you draw. Switzerland is going to be spent getting through its group and just doesn't have the talent to measure up to Brazil (few do). The Brazilian defense has little trouble with the Swiss attack and Brazil's counterattack proves too much. Winner: Brazil.
Italy vs. Cameroon: A fun matchup that should be very competitive. Cameroon, with the crowd behind it, will attack Italy's vaunted defense and really challenge keeper Gianluigi Buffon. But Buffon is great, and Cameroon may grow frustrated, opening up an opportunity for Italy to counterattack and get through in a match that could easily end 1-0. Winner: Italy.
Spain vs. Portugal: Wow, what a second-round match. This should be a great one between neighbors. There won't be a shortage of offense, as Cristiano Ronaldo and company will match Spain's attack. Strong midfield play should be something to watch. The difference for me will be Spain's defense, including great keeper Iker Casillas, which should be just enough to survive an upset bid in the best match of the tournament thus far. Winner: Spain.

Quarterfinals
Netherlands vs. Brazil: A marquee matchup that will have more spectacular scoring chances than any match thus far. The Dutch are going to attack Brazil's defense nonstop, and Brazil will do likewise. So it will come down to which backline holds up under the pressure. The guess here is it will be Brazil's, which is simply better. Winner: Brazil.
France vs. England: Should be a great matchup between teams that don't like each other. England is going to feel plenty of pressure in this game, and I can see the Brits getting ahead of themselves. After all, no one expects much from France. But the French keep it close and England's chemistry begins to fail under the pressure, allowing France to pull off the upset. Winner: France.
Germany vs. Argentina: Two long-time powers go at it in a back-and-forth match that may not quite live up to the hype. Messi has had a spectacular tournament so far, but the German defense gives Argentina some issues, the German strikers Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose continue to surge in South Africa. And this may be the one where Maradona drops the ball, allowing Germany to move on. Winner: Germany.
Italy vs. Spain: Another great win, with the vaunted Italian defense under explosive pressure from Spain, which is really rolling. The Spanish play with a load of confidence in this match, and Italy, desperately trying to repeat as champs, can't quite hold up. Winner: Spain.

Semifinals
Brazil vs. France: There's no way France can win this match, right? Brazil is loaded, as balanced as its ever been and Kaka, who has been relatively quiet in the tournament, is still one of the world's best. France shouldn't even be in South Africa. But....I picked France to win it all in 2006, and got ridiculed. No, the French didn't win it all, but they made it to the final. And I'm just feeling them again this time, I don't know why. I don't even like France! But I think this is a true Cinderella team, and I think it pulls of a shocking upset here. Winner: France.
Germany vs. Spain: This has been a nice run for Germany, which didn't receive the kind of attention it usually does entering a World Cup. The Germans overcame a lot to get this far, but one thing they can't overcome is Spain, which is just too relentless and overpowers Germany's backline, moving on to its expected spot in the final. Winner: Spain.

Third place
Brazil vs. Germany: Who cares? Winner: Brazil.

World Cup Final
France vs. Spain: I like this French team. But I'm also not crazy. France rides a lot of momentum into this one and enjoys the underdog label. But Spain is just too good and takes control of this match quickly, getting the crowd behind it and putting France on its heels. The Spanish don't let up, turning this into one of the more one-sided World Cup finals, and finally living up to the talent and hype its received. Winner: Spain.

World Cup Group H Preview

The last group to be previewed could be the most entertaining, and I'm not just saying that because Chile is in it. OK, so I have a vested interest in Chile doing well, but it's also one of the most relentless attacking teams in the tournament. Add to that the world's top-ranked team in Spain, another offensive team in Honduras and Switzerland, featuring future Seattle Sounder Blaise Nkufo, and you've got one of the most intriguing groups at the World Cup. There should be no shortage of goals in this group, so that alone makes it worth watching. Add to that the fact that there should be great competition for the second spot in the group, and this may be the foursome to watch.


Chile
This is only the second appearance in the World Cup for Chile since 1982, and the first since 1998, so the country, including the Allende household, is going nuts. But it hasn't won a World Cup game since it hosted the 1962 tournament and made it to the semifinals. But it helps that this is a sleeper team with a ton of offense that finished second in qualifying behind Brazil, a result that included La Roja's first-ever win over Argentina. This is a team loaded with offensive players and with a coach in Marcelo Bielsa who believes if you ain't attacking, you might as well be sleeping. One of the youngest teams in the tournament, it finished second to Brazil in scoring in qualifying and won many key games on the road, giving it plenty of confidence that it can win in South Africa.
Coach: Marcelo Bielsa. A terrific tactician who believes in all-out attack and is nicknamed El Loco, translated to the Mad Man. And he often seems mad, yelling at his players but getting results. He failed as Argentina's coach in the 2002 World Cup but clearly has this team clicking. His decision to rush a group of young players to the senior team has paid off.
Players to Watch
Claudio Bravo: An athletic, quick keeper who is emerging as one of the top in the world, he played every minute of qualification. Starter for Real Sociedad in Spain, he won't be overwhelmed by the Spanish attack. Coming off a knee injury, though, and he'll be under constant pressure given Chile's focus on attack. He's the team's captain.
Humberto Suazo: Starred in Mexico before moving on to Zaragoza in Spain, he's the top scorer on this squad. The 5-foot-7 forward scored a South America-high 10 goals in qualifying, though his production could be slowed by an injury that could keep him out of the opener. This is his opportunity to make a big name for himself internationally.
Mark Gonzalez: The fastest player on the team, he plays on a wing and his speed gives opponents trouble. Played at Liverpool and Real Betis in Spain, but had a mediocre season at CSKA Moscow.
Rodrigo Millar: Often overlooked among his higher-profile teammates, he's a fast, creative midfielder who can get upfield and score and could be the surprise player for Chile. Stars for Chilean power Colo Colo.
Alexis Sanchez: Just 21, he is the emerging star for Chile and could be one of the breakout players of the World Cup. A fast, attacking forward who has been on fire lately, he played regularly for Udinese in Serie A and will likely be moving even higher soon.


Honduras
Honduras loves American Jonathan Bornstein. Why? Because Bornstein's late goal in a meaningless game for the United States against Costa Rica forced a tie, which pushed Honduras ahead of the Costa Ricans in qualifying and into the World Cup. So, thank you Mr. Bornstein! This is only the Hondurans' second trip to the Cup, having gone winless in 1982. This is another heavily-offensive team that is constantly moving forward and is very dangerous. But it's also an aging team without much depth and it has not played well recently, so it will have to stay healthy and fresh to get through this group. The fact that forward Carlos Costly, who scored six goals in qualifying, will miss the tournament with injury, isn't a good start.
Coach: Reinaldo Rueda. A Colombian who is a national hero in Honduras for getting his team to South Africa, he believes in attacking like nuts, but is going to have to keep his aging team from collapsing, literally.
Players to Watch
Wilson Palacios: The best, and most well-known, player on the team, he was outstanding in qualifying. Not much of a scorer, he is a creative midfielder and a strong defender who has played very well at Tottenham Hotspur in the EPL.
Carlos Pavon: He's 36-years-old but still a strong striker who led the team with seven goals in qualifying. But he's also missed plenty of opportunities that make you wonder if he's missing them on purpose. I mean, I'm not saying the fix is on, but you gotta wonder.
Amado Guevara: The captain of the team and a former MLS MVP for the MetroStars. Another creative midfielder who pushes the attack forward.
David Suazo: A powerful forward who plays for Genoa in Serie A after being perpetually injured at Inter Milan. With Costly out, and Pavon old, he'll be counted on to be the main scoring threat for Honduras.
Maynor Figueroa: The most experienced of a thin group of defenders, but who needs defense, right? He'll have plenty of pressure in this group but has faced pressure before playing for Wigan in the EPL. He had an outstanding club season and could be the target of some bigger clubs, especially with a strong performance here.


Spain
Not much is known about these guys, but we hear they're pretty decent. OK, actually, this is the top-ranked team in the world and, along with Brazil, the co-favorite to win it all. Spain has been on the cusp for so long, it's hard to believe it's never won a World Cup, but despite having qualified nine times in a row, it's never made it past the quarterfinals. Another thing Spain has never done is lose to any of the teams in this group, going a combined 21-0-5. The Spanish dominated qualifying, outscoring foes 28-5, after winning Euro 2008. The only stumble was a shocking loss to the United States in the Confederations Cup last summer, but somehow Spain has moved on, continuing to show an amazingly dangerous attack, ridiculous midfield play and a strong back line. In fact, that's its only loss in its last 47 games. ...47 games! But, Spain has had very talented teams before and failed in the World Cup, and injuries are a definite issue, and. ...never mind, this team is ridiculously good, including keeper Iker Casillas, maybe the best in the world. So, he fits right in here.
Coach: Vicente del Bosque. He took over this team after it won Euro 2008, and just continued to roll with it. Not a bad gig to have. He was a very successful coach at Real Madrid and is noted for his ability to make a team of stars mesh well, which is pretty much the only thing he has to do with this team. He's won 96 percent of his games for Spain, which is kind of hard to fathom.
Players to Watch
Fernando Torres: Often hurt, including right now, but always great, the Liverpool striker is one of the world's best. Explosive, good on the ground and in the air, if his knee is even close to right, he's fabulous to watch.
Xavi: Might be the best midfielder in the history of Spain - which is saying a lot - he's an amazingly good ball handler and passer who leads the way for Spain and for Barcelona. But he also has a torn calf muscle that could severely limit him and would be a shame. ...unless you're the one playing Spain, in which case, party!
Cesc Fabregas: Is coming back from a broken leg so may not be ready, but if he is, he's another superstar to add to the mix.
David Silva: A midfielder for Valencia, he'd be the best player on most other teams but here he's just another talented attacker amongst of group of talented attackers.
Marcos Senna: See above, talented, but a reserve here who could make some noise if injuries continue.
Santi Cazorola: Provides great depth to a team that may need it.
Jesus Navas: Another talented reserve who could make a bigger name for himself if given the opportunity.
Joan Capdavila: It's not pronounced Joan, so give him a break. The 32-year-old from Valencia is often looked at as the weak link of a great defense, so there will be pressure on him to show he can be part of the gang too.
David Villa: Saved the best for last, as he's only the best attacker on the best attacking team in the world. Scores an average of two goals every three games, he's the leading scorer in La Liga over the last six years, the top scorer in qualifying, the top scorer in Euro 2008 and is as sure a finisher as there is in the world. Stars at Valencia, where he scored 21 goals this season, he is the favorite for the Golden Boot award, if he's able to see the ball enough with so much talent around him.


Switzerland
The Swiss actually lost to Luxembourg in qualifying - Luxembourg! - and looked dead in the water. But then things somehow turned around and here they are. A talented, successful coach leads this very young team that has some talent but is definitely considered a sleeper that will have to be at the top of its game to get through this group.
Coach: Ottmar Hitzfeld. Hitzfeld knows how to win, having won seven Budesliga titles and a Euro Cup with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. My life-long dream is to own a riding lawnmower. Hitzfeld's life-long dream was to coach the Swiss national team. One of us has achieved their dream. He keeps his team organized and prepared, so there won't be any surprises for Switzerland.
Players to Watch
Alexander Frei: Switzerland's all-time leading scorer is coming back from a broken arm and may not be ready to really contribute. Very experienced on the highest levels of play, the Swiss need him at the top of his game.
Tranquillo Barnetta: I don't know what to make of his name, but he's a really good midfielder and a key player in leading Bayern Leverkusen on an unbeaten run in the Bundesliga. He's creative and a strong attacker who was nominated for the Best Young Player award at the 2006 World Cup.
Blaise Nkufo: The one guy Seattle fans will be paying attention to as the 35-year-old scorer will be joining the Sounders after the World Cup. Born in the Congo, he refused to play for Switzerland for four years before Hitzfeld convinced him to come back. Nkufo then scored five times in qualifying, so good choice. This is his first and last World Cup and, mostly, Sounders fans just want him to stay healthy.
Xherdan Shaqiri: Just 18 and only a member of the national team since March, he did help lead FC Basel to two Swiss league titles and will be looking to move on to a higher level soon.
Philippe Senderos: He's a slow but solid defender who is physical and the leader of the Swiss back line. He has played poorly at club level as Arsenal dumped him on Everton, and Everton dumped him on the bench.
Benjamin Huggel: While Barnetta is busy scoring, it will be up to defensive midfielder Huggel to slow down the likes of Xavi, Humberto Suazo and Wilson Palacios. Thanks a lot, Barnetta.