Day 15 Fearless Predictions

Day 14 saw the defending champions Italy finish behind New Zealand in Group F, think about that for a second. New Zealand have three players who currently don't have professional contracts while the Italians are well the Italians, amazing. So here we go with the final round of group games as Groups G & H come to their conclusion. Three spots are up for grabs with the Brazilians having already punched their ticket for the next round.

Day 15

Portugal - Brazil

The Brazilians have already secured passage to the Round of 16, and may rest some of their players in this match-up against Portugal. However, Brazil's second team still could challenge for a World Cup, especially when it is held outside of Europe. The Portuguese are virtually assured of qualifying for the next round due to their romp over North Korea. This game, I am hoping, will be entertaining and filled with attacking skill and flair.

Portugal - Brazil (0-2)

North Korea - Ivory Coast

Can the Elephants upstage the Portuguese and beat North Korea by a score greater than 7 and make it into the second round? Highly doubtful, but the Ivorians should dominate the North Koreans. My concern is for the safety of the North Korean players especially after their poor showing in the Portugal match.

North Korea - Ivory Coast (0-3)

Switzerland - Honduras

The Swiss will be looking for a win in their match-up against Honduras and hope for a Chilean victory over the Spanish to give them a chance for the Round of 16. Even with a tie and a Spanish loss the Swiss will still make the next round of play. Honduras are virtually all but eliminated from the World Cup and might look to squeeze a result to satisfy their fans.

Switzerland - Honduras (1-0)

Chile - Spain

The Chileans with a victory or draw will make it 5 for 5 for South American teams advancing to the Round of 16. Meanwhile, the Spanish will look to beat the Chileans to avoid playing Brazil in the next round. This will be an attacking game that could see goals and excitement throughout the park. A perfect game to end the group stage.

Chile - Spain (2-3)

OVERALL RECORD

22-22

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 11 Fearless Predictions

Italy ties New Zealand and with that we have officially welcomed you to the World Cup of randomness. I am not sure what to make of all these supposedly football powerhouses playing so poorly, maybe they are just not very good. Regardless, the Brazilians looked great in their victory over the Ivory Coast and Paraguay continued South America's fantastic form with a deserved victory over Slovakia. Day 11 sees the Iberian peninsula in action while Chile & Switzerland will look to seize control in Group H. Onto the picks!

Day 11

Portugal - North Korea

With Brazil's victory over the Ivory Coast, the Portuguese need to win this game and win the game convincingly in order to secure second place in the group and a potential first round match-up against the winner of the Chile & Switzerland match-up later in the afternoon. I expect Portugal to overcome North Korea with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring his first goal for Portugal in 18 months.

Portugal - North Korea (2-0)

Chile - Switzerland

The winner of this game will be in pole position to finish in first place in Group H. Chile play a very attacking possession style of football. The spine of the team is the same as the 3rd place team from the 2007 U20 World Cup in Toronto, and the majority of those players are playing in Europe's top leagues. The Swiss will keep their defensive structure and try to hit Chile on the counterattack or via the set-piece. Keep in mind that the Swiss have not conceded a goal in their previous 5 World Cup matches, phenomenal.

Chile - Switzerland (1-0)

Spain - Honduras

Perhaps everyone has overrated Spain, but this is still an immensely talented team that won the Euro in 2008. However, could they be tired? The majority of their players play in La Liga and the Champions League, and participation in both competitions is strenuous and energy sapping. Regardless Spain should and must win against Honduras. I expect the Spanish to play a little more direct, not always looking for the perfect goal, and eventually dominate Honduras.

Spain - Honduras (3-0)

OVERALL RECORD

14-15

Day 6 Fearless Predictions

Day 6 sees Group H finally take the field for their first games at the World Cup. Furthermore, the Bafana Bafana are back in action against Uruguay. After Day 6, every team will have at least played one game, so be sure to expect an updated Panos Rankings coupled with a State of Play piece on the quality scene on the pitch at the World. Onto the games!

Day 6

Honduras - Chile

Everything about this game screams wide open attacking football. Both teams love to attack and all we can hope for is our first wide open game at the World Cup. But for some reason nothing is going according to plan, so with absolutely no logic I see Chile scoring twice and beating Honduras in the early match.

Honduras - Chile (0-2)

Spain - Switzerland

Brazil was not quite Brazil against a determined North Korean squad, so here is hoping that Spain can re-affirm its favorite status with an exquisite performance of attacking flair. The Swiss are missing several key players in Frei and Behrami and will find it tough against a Spanish side that is also missing Iniesta and Torres.

Spain - Switzerland (2-0)

South Africa - Uruguay

The Bafana Bafana are still undefeated in 16 games now after their opening round match against Mexico. Buoyed by the vuvuzelas and the rowdy crowd I expect South Africa to score an early goal and hold for the victory. Uruguay are currently lacking creativity in the midfield and with the red card to Nicolas Lodeiro their options are limited.

South Africa - Uruguay (1-0)

OVERALL

7-7

Group H Preview

Overview:

Here we are with the final group left to be previewed with Group H. Group H contains one of this year's World Cup favorites, Spain. La Furia Rioja will be a treat to watch in South Africa especially considering the offensive firepower that is at their disposal. Led by their midfield, Spain will rely on Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas to pull the strings in the middle with David Villa and Fernando Torres asked to score the goals. Spain is led by their captain Iker Casillas who has constantly been rated as one of the top keepers in the world. Switzerland, Chile and Honduras will be expected to battle for the second spot behind Spain. The Swiss are led by the former FC Bayern gaffer Omar Hitzfield. Hitzfield has instilled a sense of discipline within the squad yet with such a young squad perhaps the time for the Swiss success will come in four years. The Chileans are an interesting story. Their coach is ex-Argentina supremo Marcelo Bielsa and he has led the team to second place in COMMEBOL qualifying. However, the Chileans have yet to remedy a leaky defense and this could potentially lead to their downfall. Chile will also look to Humberto Suazo for the goals and I fully expect a strong tournament from this forward. Honduras have qualified for the World Cup only once before in 1982 and thanks to a 92nd minute goal from the US against Costa Rica they were able to punch their ticket to South Africa. Honduras are led by Wilson Palacios, Amado Guevara and Maynor Figueroa. Guevara is an ex-TFC player who asked for his release from the MLS club in order to prepare for the World Cup and this would undoubtedly be his greatest highlight in professional football.

Players To Watch:

Spain - Xavi - Quite simply the best creative midfielder in the world, Xavi will be responsible for pulling the strings for the Spanish. The Barcelona star will have free reign from the coaches of Spain and much is expected from his at this tournament.

Switzerland - Gokhan Inler - Inler currently plays for Udinese in the Italian Serie A and with a strong World Cup he will not be playing their anymore as one of the big teams will surely snatch him up. Inler is of Turkish decent and is a creative playmaker who is not hesitant to get stuck in with a hard tackle.

Chile - Humberto Suazo - Suazo is a striker who plays in Spain with Real Zaragoza.  This 29 year-old is the key front man for the Chileans and although he is carrying a knock into the tournament he should be ready to go for the first game against Honduras.

Honduras - Wilson Palacios - Palacios might be more well known for his personal life and the numerous kidnappings that have occurred to his family. Palacios plays for Tottenham Hotspur in the EPL and this creative winger represents one of Honduras' greatest talents.

Projected Order Of Finish:

Spain

Chile

Switzerland

Honduras