Day 14 Fearless Predictions

Wow, what drama as the United States scored a late goal to secure their passage to the Round of 16 while elminating the Slovenians who lost to England, 1-0. The Americans victory sees them leap frog England into first place in Group C and into a quadrant of South Korea, Uruguay and Ghana for a place in the Final 4. Not many would of had that before the tourney. As you can see, when I choose the games with my head rather than my heart, thank you Greece, I actually can pick one or two. Day 14 sees Group E & F up for grabs with only the Netherlands having secured a spot into the last round. All the pressure will be on the Italians in their match against Slovakia. Onto the picks!

Day 14

Paraguay - New Zealand

You have to be impressed with the All-Whites who have secured two points from their first two matches and find themselves with a fighting chance to qualify for the Round of 16 if they can secure victory against Paraguay. Paraguay can secure first place in the group with a victory and will look to do so to avoid the Dutch in the next round. The dream dies for the Kiwis, but what a ride it was.

Paraguay - New Zealand (2-0)

Slovakia - Italy

Slovakia can secure their passage into the Round of 16 if they beat Italy and New Zealand fails to beat Paraguay. The key during this match revolves around who will control the midfield battle between both sides and if Andrea Pirlo will be fit for the Italians. Usually the Italians excel in the third group game and I assume that they will be able to do the job against Slovakia and set up a match-up versus the Dutch.

Slovakia - Italy (1-2)

Cameroon - Netherlands

Cameroon have already been assured of an early flight home, while the Dutch, with a point, will secure first place in the Group. I do not expect many of the Dutch veterans to be in the squad and I expect to see a youthful squad led by Hunterlaar, Babel and Elia. Furthermore, this is Cameroon's final attempt to salvage some pride for their nation after a horrendous showing at the World Cup. Regardless I see the Dutch playing well and cruising into the last 16.

Cameroon - Netherlands (0-2)

Denmark - Japan

It comes down to this, winner takes all for a place in the Round of 16. The Danes played extremely well in their match against Cameroon and I expect them to take the game to the Japanese. Japan have been resilient themselves but hardly have they attacked with any flair or conviction. They can still hold out but they know they need a victory to get to the knock-out stage.

Denmark - Japan (1-0)

OVERALL RECORD

21-19

Who Can Still Qualify?

Group A

Uruguay need only a draw to progress to the next stage in first place. Should they lose and France or South Africa draw, they will qualify in second place. Should they lose and one of France and South Africa wins, it will come down to goal difference.

Mexico need only a draw to progress to the next stage in second place. Should they lose and France or South Africa draw, they will qualify in second place. Should they lose and one of France and South Africa wins, it will come down to goal difference.

France require a win over South Africa; and for Uruguay and Mexico not to draw; and to secure a superior goal difference to the losing side of the other fixture, in order to qualify in second place.

South Africa require a win over France; and for Uruguay and Mexico not to draw; and to secure a superior goal difference to the losing side of the other fixture, in order to qualify in second place.

Group B

Argentina need only avoid defeat against Greece to qualify in first place. Defeat is fine, too, unless it is by three or more goals, and South Korea win, in which case they will finish third. Second place is possible if they lose by a high margin to Greece but are not leapfrogged by South Korea.

South Korea are guaranteed to qualify in second place if they win and Greece drop points; or if they win by a higher margin than Greece; or the same margin whilst preserving a goals scored superiority.

Greece will finish second if they secure more points than South Korea. If they win and South Korea win, then it comes down to three-way goal difference, in which the Greeks must score two goals more than the Koreans.

Nigeria must beat South Korea and hope that Greece lose to Argentina. Only this set of results will see them qualify in second place while scoring more goals than both Greece and South Korea.

Group C

Slovenia will qualify for the next stage with a draw against England. They can also qualify in second place - or even first - with a narrow defeat, providing that Algeria win only by a slim margin against the United States.

United States will guarantee qualification with a win over Algeria, and will finish first if Slovenia can only draw at the time, or if England win by a narrow margin. A draw will be enough if Slovenia beat England, or if Slovenia and England draw while the USA preserve a better goal record than England. The only scenarios that see the USA finish first instead of second is if they secure a better goal difference than Slovenia whilst the Europeans draw with England; or if England beat Slovenia and the USA retain a better goal difference than them. Meanwhile if the USA lose they are definitely out.

England are guaranteed to progress if they defeat Slovenia. They can also qualify in second place if both matches end in a draw and they score three more than the United States do in their tie with Algeria (e.g. 3-3 and 0-0.) Defeat eliminates England entirely, as does a draw if either USA or Algeria pick up a win. First place is possible for England only if they win and the USA and Algeria draw, or Algeria win.

Algeria cannot win the group but can qualify in second if they beat the USA and Slovenia win; draw; or lose by a significantly greater margin than Algeria currently possess.

Group D

Ghana need only avoid defeat to qualify. If Serbia beat Australia and Ghana and Germany draw, Ghana finish second. If Serbia beat Australia and Germany beat Ghana, Ghana finish third.If Australia draw with Serbia and Ghana retain their goals scored advantage over Serbia in a one-goal loss, Ghana qualify in second; a larger margin of defeat results in a third place finish. If Australia beat Serbia and Ghana lose, Ghana qualify in second place.

Germany will qualify in first place with a win over Ghana, assuming Serbia fail to beat Australia by a three goal margin. A draw with Ghana will see them through in second if Australia and Serbia draw; or if Australia win without repairing their goal difference. Any other scenario results in elimination for the Germans.

Serbia will qualify with a win over Australia. They will finish second in doing so unless Ghana and Germany draw; or if Germany win and Serbia can repair their goal difference over them. A draw will be sufficient for Serbia to qualify in second place if Germany lose; or if Germany win and Serbia secure a better goal record than Ghana.

Australia will qualify in second place if they beat Serbia and Ghana beat Germany. They can also qualify in second if they win and Ghana and Germany draw, providing that Australia  can overcome a mammoth goal difference margin of seven; or if Germany beat Ghana and Australia can overcome a their goal difference margin vis-a-vis the Africans. Realistically Australia need a win, and a Ghana win.

Group E

Netherlands have already qualified and are likely to finish first. They will only finish second if they lose and if the winner of the Denmark-Japan fixture can secure a better goal record than the Dutch.

Japan will qualify in second place with a draw or a win against Denmark. They can win the group if the Dutch lose and the Japanese can secure a superior goal record while winning versus Denmark.

Denmark will qualify in second place with a win against Japan - no other result will suffice. They can win the group if the Dutch lose and the Danes can secure a superior goal record while winning versus Japan.

Cameroon are eliminated.

Group F

Paraguay Paraguay will qualify for the next stage in first place with a win against New Zealand. They can also finish second if they lose and Italy and Slovakia draw; or if Slovakia beat Italy while repairing their goal difference deficit over the Paraguayans. Any other scenario results in elimination.

Italy will qualify with a win over Slovakia. They will also qualify if they draw and Paraguay defeat New Zealand; or if they draw while Paraguay and New Zealand draw, while scoring more than New Zealand. Should Italy and New Zealand both draw by the exact same scoreline then a drawing of lots will take place to determine qualification. Italy can only finish in first place if they win, while Paraguay and New Zealand draw and Italy achieve a better goal difference than Paraguay. Or, if Italy win, New Zealand win, and Italy achieve a better goal difference over New Zealand.  Any other scenario will result in elimination.

New Zealand New Zealand will qualify in first place with a win over Paraguay unless Italy also win with a bigger scoreline. They can also qualify in second if they draw and Italy and Slovakia draw, and while doing so also score more than Italy (e.g. 1-1 and 0-0.) Should New Zealand and Italy both draw by the exact same scoreline then a drawing of lots will take place to determine qualification. Any other scenario will result in elimination.

Slovakia cannot finish first. They will finish second if they win and New Zealand fail to beat Paraguay. They can also qualify in second place if they win and New Zealand defeat Paraguay, providing that the Slovakians can repair their goal difference deficit over the South Americans.

Group G

Brazil have already qualified for the last 16. A draw is all they need to clinch top spot.

Portugal need only a draw to qualify, but a win will see them top the group. They will also qualify if they lose and Ivory Coast fail to win. They can still lose in the event of an Ivory Coast victory so long as the two results don't result in a swing of nine or more goals. Should Portugal lose 3-0 and Ivory Coast win 6-0 then lots will be drawn to determine who progresses.

Ivory Coast require a win, coupled with a Portugal defeat, which ensures a minimum nine-goal swing to progress. A 6-0 victory and a 3-0 Portugal defeat will be mean a drawing of lots.

North Korea are eliminated.

Group H

Chile only need a draw against Spain to qualify as group winners. They will also progress even if the lose and Switzerland fail to beat Honduras. A win will guarantee top spot.

Spain will qualify top of the group if they defeat Chile by even a single goal and Switzerland do not beat Honduras by two goals or more. If Spain can only draw with Chile, they will only progress if Switzerland fail to beat Honduras. If Spain lose, they can still advance provided Switzerland also lose by an equal or bigger margin.

Switzerland will make the last 16 if they defeat Honduras and Spain can only draw with Chile. If Switzerland only manage a draw, they can still go through if Spain lose to Chile. Switzerland can finish top of the group if they win and Spain beat Chile, but they must have a better goal difference than both Spain and Chile. If Switzerland and Spain are levelled on points, goal difference and goals scored, the Swiss will go through having beaten Spain.

Honduras cannot finish top of the group. They can only finish second if they beat Switzerland and Spain lose to Chile, and they record a better goal difference than the Spaniards.

Day 10 Fearless Predictions

The Dutch are in the Round of 16, and we have 15 more cards to punch to the Big Dance, while Cameroon became the first team to be eliminated from the World Cup. That is the Cliff's Notes version of what happened on Day 9 of the World Cup. Day 10 sees the last two world champions in action as Italy and Brazil take to the field in the later games. Onto the action.

Day 10

Slovakia - Paraguay

Slovakia's Robert Vittek is two goals away from becoming Slovakia's all-time leading goal scorer. I am willing to put a wager that he is not going to accomplish the task in this game against a stout and defensive Paraguayan side. Paraguay looked better than Italy in their first match of the tourney and I expect them to squeeze a victory out of the affair with Slovakia.

Slovakia - Paraguay (0-1)

Italy - New Zealand

The Italians looked past their best in their match against Paraguay and for the majority of the game were outplayed by the South Americans. New Zealand, on the other hand, battled till the very end and grabbed a valuable point against Slovakia that was one of the most exciting moments of the tournament. The Italians should beat the Kiwis, but this World Cup has been so difficult to predict. However, with everything said, Italy should win.

Italy - New Zealand (2-0)

Brazil - Ivory Coast

Brazil is in action against the Ivory Coast for the late game of the day. Brazil struggled to break down the North Korean defense but eventually Maicon struck for the breakthrough and Brazil coasted till the end. Ivory Coast should expect Didier Drogba to resume his spot in the starting line-up but African teams at this World Cup have only won one game out of 11. This should be a fun game, and I see Brazil edging for victory.

Brazil - Ivory Coast (2-1)

OVERALL

12-14

Day 5 Fearless Predictions

I am going to congratulate myself for climbing above .500. Now, if only I could make some money on my selections. Day 5 sees favorites Brazil in action and lightweights New Zealand and North Korea take to the field.  Hopefully the North Koreans back in Pyongyang will be able to watch the game.

Day 5

New Zealand - Slovakia

The Kiwis are in action for the first time in a World Cup since 1982 and will be battling Slovakia for a chance to top Group F after Italy and Paraguay battled to a 1-1 draw. I see the Slovaks easing to victory with a goal and assist from Napoli star Marek Hamsik.

New Zealand - Slovakia (0-2)

Ivory Coast - Portugal

Hands down the game of the day and probably the most important game for both teams at the World Cup. Victory for either the Ivory Coast or Portugal will put that team in pole position for second place in Group G behind Brazil. I believe that Sven's team will be able to put away the Portuguese and walk away with a 2-1 victory with Captain Courageous Drogba on song.

Ivory Coast - Portugal (2-1)

Brazil - North Korea

The samba boys are in action for the first time and will be facing the North Koreans and the 'People's Rooney' in Jong Tae-Se. Brazil will have difficulty breaking down the North Koreans, only in the first half. Expect the floodgates to open in the second as Brazil should win comfortably.

Brazil - North Korea (3-0)

OVERALL RECORD

6-5

Day 4 Fearless Predictions

Finally, our first dominant World Cup performance. Thank you Germany. Let's move ahead with Day 4, where we will see the defending champions Italy in action coupled with the Dutch, Danes, Japanese, Paraguayans and Cameroonians. And now unto the picks.

Day 4

Netherlands - Denmark

Without Arjen Robben the Dutch could struggle against their sternest test in the group stage. I expect Sneijder and van Persie to pick up the slack for the Oranje and see them walking away with a 3-1 victory against the Danes who might be missing Nicolas Bendtner.

Netherlands - Denmark (3-1)

Japan - Cameroon

So far African teams in the tournament have one win, two losses and one tie. Let's even things out and give the Lions the victory over the Japanese. I see E'too snatching two goals in a key victory for Cameroon before their big matches against the Dutch and Danes.

Japan - Cameroon (0-2)

Italy - Paraguay

Italy will be missing Andrea Pirlo and I feel that the squads creativity will be lacking with his absence. This match has the potential to be an absolute dogfight between two defensive organized squads. Therefore, I see this match ending in a draw. Both teams cancel each other out.

Italy - Paraguay (1-1)

OVERALL RECORD

4-4

Group F Preview

Overview:

Group F appears to be rather straightforward with Italy expected to top the group leaving Paraguay and Slovakia battling for the second spot while New Zealand in all probability will bring up the rear. The Italians are the defending World Cup champions but many of the pundits probably do not see the Italians repeating their fine form of 2006. Marcelo Lippi recently changed Italy's formation from a 4-3-3 to a 4-3-1-2 to favor the skills of Andre Pirlo. The problem is that Pirlo is currently injured and will not feature at the World Cup till the final group stage game. Furthermore, Italy appear to be lacking a creative replacement for Pirlo as Lippi has failed to recall Totti or Cassano for the Italian squad. Paraguay qualified for the World Cup with the second best defensive record in the South American region. Unfortunately a hideous crime has robbed the World Cup of one of Paraguay's best offensive talents in Salvador Cabanas. Cabanas was shot in the head outside a bar/nightclub in Mexico. Even with the loss of Cabanas, Paraguay still possess a formidable strike force in the form of Nelson Haedo Valdez and Oscar Cardozo. However, Paraguay still lacks a creative midfielder to pull the strings. Slovakia have been touted in the press as a potential dark horse for the World Cup. Slovakia plays a neat intricate passing attacking form of football that will focus on the strength of the team, the midfield. Marek Hamsik is an absolute stud in the middle of the park and a host of the big clubs will be looking for his services if he performs at this upcoming World Cup. Just a quick history lesson but the 1976 Euro Cup Winners Czechoslovakia had a majority of their players from Slovakia, maybe lightning can strike twice. New Zealand are one of the weakest teams at the tournament and although they did well to qualify for South Africa courtesy of a play-off against Bahrain. New Zealand will struggle in this group and realistically all they can hope for is a point.

Players To Watch:

Italy - Fabio Cannavaro - In my opinion Italy will be at its best if Mr. Fabio is at his best. After a sub-par season with Juventus, the Italians are looking for major improvements in the play of Cannavaro. Keep in mind that in their 2006 triumph Cannavaro was voted Player of the Tournament.

Paraguay - Oscar Cardozo - Nicknamed the Bamboo Tree because of his 6 foot 4 inch frame, Cardozo offers a target for the midfielders of Paraguay. He just came off a successful season with Benfica and perhaps will be snatched up by one of the EPL teams that prefer the use of a target man.

Slovakia - Marek Hamsik - Perhaps the heir apparent to Kaka's vacant throne as the best creative midfielder in the Serie A, Marek Hamsik is the key player for the Slovakian national team. Already being courted by the big boys of Europe and as stated earlier a big World Cup will lead to a big pay day.

New Zealand - Ryan Nielson - Nielson is the only member of the Kiwis who plays their football in a major league, as he is currently with Blackburn Rovers in the EPL. Nielson is also a former member of D.C. United and the MLS.

Projected Order Of Finish:

Italy

Paraguay

Slovakia

New Zealand