BZZZZT Part IV: Bride of the BZZZT

(click image for legibly-sized brackets)

We're into the quarter-finals now, after a rousing series of games in the Round of Sixteen. The quarter finals promise a new set of matches, including a few that pit the true Cup Contenders against one another. I've got 12 games for you: 8 that have just been played, 4 to look forward to this weekend.

----------------------------------------------
USA 1-2 Ghana
First matter of business: The United States was eliminated, losing 2-1 against Ghana. Trust me, I'm as upset about that as you are. How did it happen? As expected, the USA conceded a goal early, letting the ball get stolen deep in their own territory after the rest of the team had already started the attack. The mistake cost them, and they went into the locker room at halftime down 1-0. Still, the Americans rallied, playing clearly the better game in the second half. They were rewarded for their efforts with a penalty kick in the 62nd minute, which Donovan nailed. Ghana had a few good opportunities after that, but for the most part, the second half was all America. Despite this, we were unable to put the finish on a game-winner. One problem was the American forwards, who have yet to score a goal (despite that being, y'know, their job). Altidore is the biggest under-performer, with absolutely no hustle - he simply sat in the opponent's box and demanded perfect service (which he then failed to capitalize on). With the game tied 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes, the game went into a 30-minute overtime. Once again, Ghana scored early, after a rather ugly scrabble between two defenders and one attacking Ghanian. This time, there was no rally - the States looked deflated and exhausted, and overtime ended with the score 2-1 against. I wish I could say the better team won, but they really didn't. Ghana advances, and will play Uruguay on Friday.

Uruguay 2-1 South Korea
Somewhat in line with my expectations, South Korea struggled to contain Diego Forlan and the Uruguayan attack. The real story, though, is Uruguay's defense, which came together to shut down Korea in the box and force them to rely on long, outside shooting. It was pouring rain the entire game, which always makes things more unpredictable. The first goal came in the eighth minute, with Forlan slipping a cross past the keeper, who came out to intercept, letting the ball through to Suarez for an easy goal. Down 0-1, Korea pushed forward on offense, but Uruguay remained composed and effective on defense, letting the Koreans handle the ball but repeatedly turning away incursions into the penalty area. There was a danger of the game becoming dull, until Korean striker Lee sailed above the Uru defense and headed a poorly-cleared ball into the net for a goal. With the game now tied, Uruguay came back alive on offense, with Suarez finally putting away the game-winner after beating two Korean defenders and bending it into the far corner.

Germany 4-1 England
The much-anticipated showdown between Germany and England ended up looking more like Germany versus Poland, with the English appearing generally slow, lazy, and unimaginative. Not to be harsh, of course. The first goal came with Klose practically wrestling his way past the last British defender for a short finish past British keeper James. As the commentator noted: "That would be embarrassing if they [the English defenders] were 13 or 14." A second goal by Podolski (Klose & Podolski, my two favorite Germans) exposed more weakness in the English defense, as Mueller drew the entire team's attention down the middle only to feed the wide open and unmarked Podolski on the wing, who hammered home a tough shot to put the Germans up 2-0. But the British weren't ready to give up quite yet: After a free kick on the periphery, a long cross found Upson wide open, and he headed it in for a textbook goal: 2-1. Another opportunity came barely seconds later, when Germany lost the ball in the midst of their attack. Lampard found himself with space and fired a laser of a shot that ricocheted in off the top bar with so much spin that it promptly bounced back out. The German keeper, Neuer, snatched it immediately, and the ref mistakenly ruled it "no goal". The Brits went into the half feeling very much robbed of a goal that could've tied the game for them. In the second half, Mueller scored two more goals for Germany, so it ended up being a moot point. British fans will try to tell you that if it'd been 2-2, they would've played differently, they would've rallied and won it, but I was rooting for England, and let's be honest: They got out-played. 4-1 was the final score, and you can argue that it should've been 4-2, but either way it's Germany who will be playing in the quarterfinals.

Argentina 3-1 Mexico
No real surprises here: Argentina's offense came out swinging and put away the win by a substantial margin. But in reality, the game was much closer than the scoreboard indicated. Mexico got some good chances early, and over the course of the game managed as many shots on goal as the Argies. But it was the Argentine's whose goals went in: first a header by Tevez off a pass from Messi (who I mention only because he's the quote-unquote Best Player in the World, despite an utter lack of goals scored) in the 26th, then a one-on-one by Higuain after a huge defensive mistake in the 33rd, then a laser by Tevez again after some neat footwork to develop space in the 52nd. Mexico scored a goal of it's own in the 71st minute, but by that time it was too late, and the Mexicans knew it. There's little point in noting that Argentina's first goal was clearly off-sides, and should've been called back. Maradona's boys in the baby-blue stripes continue on to the quarterfinals.

Netherlands 2-1 Slovakia
They had something to cheer about in Holland this week, with the Netherlands pulling a 2-1 win over Slovakia. Key to this win was striker Arjen Robben, who was finally back on the pitch after a hamstring injury that had sidelined him since the tournament began. He scored the game's first goal in the 18th, breaking free on a looooong pass before breaking to the center and finishing past three Slovaks with his left foot. Slovakia tightened ranks after that, and the game began to look fairly equal, though the Netherlands stayed on the attack and kept their goalkeeper out of danger. They didn't score again until the 84th minute, with Kuyt (apparently pronounced "Cowt") showing great composure by forgoing a one-on-one in order to feed Sneijder (pronounced "Snyder"... seriously guys?) an easy open-net goal. Slovakian star Robert Vittek pressed the attack hard in the closing minutes, and earned a last-second penalty kick, which he scored (making him the highest-scoring Slovakian ever), but the referee called time just seconds later, with the final score 2-1 in the Netherlands favor.

Brazil 3-0 Chile
This is another game where the final score doesn't do a very good job of representing how the game went. Chile and Brazil are, in a lot of ways, very similar teams. The difference is simply that Brazil has better players. They had more control, more speed, more muscle, more enthusiasm - only slightly more, but game-changingly so. Chile simply had no arena in which to take refuge. Brazil was good on set pieces, with a header by Juan off a corner kick. They were good on the break, with a three-man offensive dashing up the left wing and giving Fabiano an clean finish on the goal. They were good at ball handling, with Ramirez dribbling straight down the center before passing Robinho an easy goal. Brazil looks like the team to beat in this World Cup as they have in so many others - a combination of the raw talent of Argentina with the coordinated offense of the Germans. Chile had a decent team, but Brazil brought an excellent one.

Paraguay 0(5)-0(3) Japan
I promised you a close match, didn't I? This one remained scoreless through 90 minutes of regular time, and stayed that way through 30 minutes of overtime. When this happens, the game comes down to a penalty shoot-out, with each team taking five opportunities to score. The crucial mistake came with Japan's third penalty kick, delivered by defender Yuichi Komano, skipped off the bar and over the goal. As soon as I heard a defender was going up for the kick, I knew it meant trouble for Japan - that's just common sense. After examining his stats (most notably, his lack of any goals scored in the competition thus far), I'm still scratching my head. Japan's last chance came with Paraguay's Oscar Cardozo facing off against Japanese goalie Eiji Kawashima in a scene reminiscent of the final fight of a Kurosawa film. Cardozo and Kawashima face each other, each studying the other's stance, watching for any slight indication of their plan. A beat goes by in silence and then, as if the referee's whistle has broken some kind of spell, both charge forward. There's a decisive stroke, a single blow, and it's all over. "The East Wind," remarks Kawashima, "rustles the sakura blossoms of my homeland." He coughs blood and collapses. Cardozo walks off the field without looking back, a single tear on his cheek.
Okay, so the last bits didn't happen, but it was still pretty suspenseful. Both teams can be proud of the way they played, though only Paraguay will be advancing to the next stage.

Spain 1-0 Portugal
And this last game, between Iberian rivals Spain and Portugal, proved to be the most predictable of the Round of Sixteen. Remember how I said that if Portugal wanted to win the game, they'd have to throw out their conservative, nothing-wagered-nothing-lost style in favor of a strong attack? Well, they didn't change styles, and as a result, they didn't win either. Portugal focused on defense the entire game, trying not to make errors at the expense of being unable to capitalize on Spain's mistakes. The numbers, while frequently misleading, tell the whole story here: 61% possession for Spain, with 19 shots, 10 of which were on-target. Portugal managed only 39% possession, and got 9 shots, only 3 of which required saving. The game's lone goal came in the 63rd minute, with David Villa penetrating the defense and taking a shot straight into Portuguese goalkeeper Eduardo. The ball bounced off him and straight back to Villa, who took a second shot, this time finding the back of the net. Excellent play by Spain, who cruise into the quarterfinals after a tense but ultimately nonthreatening game.
-------------------------------------------------

So that's what happened; now, what will happen:

Netherlands vs. Brazil - July 2, 10:00am
The first major conflict between true contenders, this game will be a very tough showdown for both sides. Questions remain about the Netherlands' ability to defend: up until now, they've gotten by by slowing things down in the midfield and using smart, controlled coverage to limit their opponent's options. The same methods might work against Brazil, but when a mistake is made (and there surely will be at least two or three) Brazil will be able to capitalize like no team the Dutch have faced so far. Brazil's defense has been solid but unremarkable. This game could turn into an offensive gunfight, or both teams could take the cautious route and limit the game to very few goals. I'll say 3-2 Brazil, though I'm hoping for a Dutch upset all the same.

Uruguay vs. Ghana - July 2, 2:30pm
Ghana may have all of Africa behind them, but all the buzzing in the world won't stop Uruguay's Diego Forlan from styling all over the back of the net. I'm predicting a 2-0 win for Uruguay: 2 because Uruguay's offense is good, 0 because their defense is, too. Accuse me of sipping the Haterade if you like, but Ghana doesn't seem to have a strong enough team to make it past their very dangerous South American opponents.

Germany vs. Argentina - July 3, 10:00am
This is the game that has the soccer fans salivating: two very good teams bringing two very different play styles onto the field. Germany's offense is looking like a well-oiled machine of the Panzer variety, with quick tactical play on the wings and in the midfield. Argentina uses a more free-form method, focused on beating defenders and finding space on the move. Both teams have played dominantly enough (German loss to Serbia excepted) that their defenses have yet to see a major challenge. Whoever puts together their strategy to score first will probably score second as well. I'm going to predict a 3-1 win for Germany, taken with the grain of salt that I simply like them more.

Paraguay vs. Spain - July 3, 2:30pm
The last game of the quarter-finals pits favorite Spain against major underdogs Paraguay, and I'm predicting the usual outcome: Spain will win handily. Paraguay was, I'll admit, a slightly better team than Japan, but Portugal was a better team than either of them, and Spain beat them without much trouble. On the flip side, Paraguay may well have the balls that Portugal did not: If they can put away an early goal, they may just hang on for the upset. I'm not betting on it, though. 2-0 Spain, and that's my conservative estimate.


Okay, so those're my predictions for the next round. The next game isn't until Friday, meaning that for the first time in weeks, I won't have a single soccer game to watch tomorrow. I hope you'll tune in to a few of the games - Germany/Argentina looks like must-watch soccer, though my prediction is almost certainly horribly wrong. It's almost over, people: only 8 more games until I go back to writing about something other than soccer.

Next Time:
-Semifinals, of course

BZZT Part Trois - Night of the Living BZZT

(open the picture in a new tab if you want it to be legible...srry.)


The Group Stage is over! And there are plenty of surprises here. I'll walk through the teams that qualified, and summarize the games that got them there.

Most significantly for you, I imagine, is that the United States of America are in! If you watched this game (which you should've), you were rewarded with everything you'd want from soccer - blistering attacks, stalwart defense, questionable refereeing, and a dramatic last-second game-winner to guarantee the States' place in the next round. Algeria were no pushovers, but they didn't really have a chance to make it in, and they played with something less than full enthusiasm. Donovan's goal in injury time came off a powerful shot that the keeper just couldn't hang on to, letting him just tap it in for the finish. America finished first in Group C.

Our opponents in the next match are Ghana , the only African team to make it through. Despite a 0-1 loss to Germany in their last match, Ghana beat out Australia for second place in Group D. I hate to say it, but Ghana's in very much on the work of other teams: If Germany hadn't trashed Australia so thoroughly (4-0), it would be the Socceroos making it. Still, Ghana will be a tough opponent for the USA, playing a very physical, very athletic game.

{THE GAME: Ghanaian Grudge Match}
{SATURDAY, 2:30 PM- A rematch from the last Cup (in which Ghana eliminated the Americans), the USA looks to be the stronger side, provided they can avoid giving away goals early. Ghana may face foul trouble against the aggressive but average-sized Americans.}

Speaking of Germany, they're in too, as the top-ranked team in Group D. Their last game was a 1-nil win over Ghana, which saw somewhat of a return to form after their uncharacteristic loss to Serbia in the previous round. Germany still hasn't looked like itself these last two games - unlike their dominant win against Australia. It remains to be seen whether they can sort themselves out in time for the upcoming match against England, but a core cadre of veterans with World Cup experience (including Podolski and Klose, who missed the Ghana match) may prove the key in unlocking England's defense.

By the way, England are the other team that made it out of Group C, beating the possible-upset by Slovenia with an early goal. It's sort of a shame to see the Green Dragons go down like that, but a USA-England finish is just what I was hoping for. England's play has been rather drab so far (1-1, 0-0, 0-1) - their strikers, especially Rooney, will need to find something if they want to advance. After all, there're no ties in the elimination stage.

{THE GAME: The Blitz Part II }
{SUNDAY, 10 o'clock AM - The biggest face-off between Germany and England since Spitfires went out of style. Germany's offense, assuming they show up, look like more than a match for Greene's slippery fingers. Unless England mounts an offensive of their own, they could well be over-run.}

With C and D Groups out of the way, it's time to look ahead to the next stop on the US' bracket: Uruguay. The tiny South American nation has a history of doing well in the World Cup, and 2010 is no exception, with them topping Group A in a 1-0 win over Mexico. Uruguay's hopes rest with Diego Forlan, by far the most highly-billed player on their team. He's delivered so far, with two goals and ten opportunities. Still, it may be Uruguay's defense that give them the edge: they have yet to allow a goal.

Uruguay's opponents will be South Korea, who have done much better than their northern cousins. The squad tends to rely on short, quick passing, and have been putting up some impressive figures on offense: three goals by players named Lee, and two by players named Park. South Korea held off Nigeria for a 2-2 draw, which squeaked them out of Group B in second place. There are still questions to be answered about Korea's defensive game - they've allowed 6 goals in the last 3 games, more than any other team that qualified.

{THE GAME: Big Trouble in Little Korea}
{SATURDAY, 10 o'clock AM - This match looks to be a battle between different styles: South Korea's very team-oriented approach against Forlan&Friends'(co) one-on-one. South Korea will struggle to find the right balance between shutting down Uruguay's offense while still keeping their attack going. Against the same Uruguay we've seen so far, they may well fail at both tasks, giving us an echo of their 4-1 loss to Argentina.}

Argentina, it almost goes without saying, qualified first in Group B. They've looked very strong so far, putting on dominant performances against all opponents - one of only two teams (the other is the Netherlands) to win all three matches in the group. Their last victory, a 2-0 win over Greece, appeared almost effortless. Argentina is known for their star striker, Lionel Messi, who has yet to score a goal in this competition. That's not to suggest he's under-performing, though: smart play on Messi's part practically handed his teammate Higuain the hat trick against Korea. With a solid chance for a run to the semifinals, don't expect him to remain scoreless much longer.

Their first obstacle is our hometown heroes, Mexico. No matter what Arizona thinks, Mexico's given a good showing this year, with their surprise 2-0 win against France triggering that team's meltdown. Their last game, a 0-1 loss against Uruguay, showed them playing well, but without enthusiasm - a common situation when the outcome doesn't much matter. Mexico has great strength from the bench, with some of their best offensive numbers being put up by substitutes. A line-up change may well be in the works, though I've always said if it ain't broke...

{THE GAME: Hispanic Showdown - Norte contra Sud}
{SUNDAY, 2:30 PM - South America versus North, in a match sure to set record viewing levels on Univision. Argentina is a strong favorite here, and their deadly offense will be a good match-up against Mexico's careful, purposeful defending. Mexico will find their counter-attacking opportunities few and far between, and it will take every ounce of experience to make sure these don't go to waste.}

That's all for Groups A-D. Next up is the Netherlands, who sealed the deal with a 2-1 win against Cameroon. The Dutch coach later apologized for his team's "sloppy" play; apparently his definition of sloppy involves allowing the only goal against them of the tournament. The Dutch have gotten a lot of press for their dangerous offense, which is advertised as the best in the tournament, and features a slew of talented forwards and midfielders. Despite this, they play a very good team game, and do a good job keeping the field open. There are occasional moments of weakness when facing a fast counter-attack, but it hasn't stung them - yet.

If anyone knows how to sting a top team, it's Slovakia. The east end of the former Czechoslovakia won a stunner yesterday against Italy's Azzurri, winners of the 2006 Cup. Robert Vittek, at 28 years old, is the unlikely star of the show, with selfless play and plenty of muscle in the box. The 3-2 nailbiter (with three goals scored after the 80th minute) left Italy in last place and propelled Slovakia to second in Group F.

{THE GAME: The Legend-Killers}
{MONDAY, 10 o'clock AM - The Orange have shown that their offense can bring the heat, but the defense continues to look shaky. Meanwhile, Slovakia have already rubbed out one famous European team, and have every tool in their arsenal to make it two. If Slovakia win, their first World Cup appearance will bring new life to Eastern Europe as a soccer region. If the Netherlands win, they become underdogs for the first time in the tournament: They'll be facing either Brazil or Chile next.}

The Netherlands' unlikely Group E rivals turned out to be Japan, who score the second spot after their 3-1 win over Denmark. Japan's only loss, to the Netherlands, went 0-1, but showed that the Samurai could stifle even a top-rated offense like the Dutch. Japan is, in some ways, the converse of South Korea: though they have much the same focus on ball movement and team play, Japan shines on defense, letting only two goals past them in the group stages. The game against Denmark was a rare view of Japan's offense coming to life, with a back-to-back pair of beautiful free kick goals setting the stage.

Japan will need that kind of offensive spark against Paraguay. Despite being ranked first in Group F, the team won only one match, against Slovakia. Their final game was a nil-all tie against New Zealand, who played a heroic defense and leave the tournament undefeated. On paper, Paraguay appear to be the most defense-oriented of the South American teams, allowing only 1 goal but scoring only 3. Much of that could stem from the group they were in, however: In the match against Slovakia, Paraguay showed its fangs, and against New Zealand were constantly on the attack.

{THE GAME: Samurai Showdown}
{TUESDAY, 10 o'clock AM - This could be the most closely-contested game of the round, and will certainly be an interesting watch. Like the Uruguay-South Korea, it features teams with very different styles, but similar records. Japan will need to play sharply in the mid-field, and not resort to disorganized counter-attacks on the break. If Paraguay is allowed to stay in possession and on the attack, they have all the talent needed to win.}

In a group stage that saw both France and Italy fall apart, Spain was able to keep it together, coming in first of Group H with a 2-1 win against Chile. The win showed that their early loss to Switzerland was a fluke, and nothing more. Spain's two goals came from an ultra-long range shot off a bad keeper challenge and a clinical finish from just inside the box. The second goal came with a bonus: a red card to Chile, forcing them to play a man down for over half the game. While Spain's offense can take full credit for those goals, it's unclear if, had the card not occurred, the Chileans would've been able to come back. As it was, they managed a single goal against the Spaniards, showing that there may yet be problems to iron out in the backfield.

Spain's opponents will be Portugal, a team that has played anything but consistently. Their first game was a 0-0 tie against the Ivory Coast that lead to questions about their ability to attack. The next match, against North Korea, appeared to put that question to bed, with Portugal coming away with 7 goals - as many as Argentina scored in the entire group stage. But then, against Brazil, they did it again: 0-all. While Portugal clearly has the capability to attack, they seem loath to take the risks needed to make use of it. Hence, when playing teams with a credible attacking threat (read: Not Kim Jong-il-land), they bunker down, playing extremely conservatively even when they should be going for the jugular.

{THE GAME: Duel in Iberia}
{TUESDAY, 2:30 PM - The last game of the round is a fight between neighbors Portugal and Spain. Spain has shown they can come out and win against challenging teams like Chile. Portugal has shown they can tie - and there's no such thing as a tie anymore. With Spain appearing to learn from it's loss to Switzerland, there's little hope of Portugal pulling off the same sort of upset here. Defense is out - if Portugal wants the game, they'll need to throw caution to the wind.}

Despite losing to Spain, Chile still made it to the final round, with Switzerland failing to secure the win they needed against Honduras. Chile won their first two games narrowly, 0-1 each time, and lost their last (to Spain) by the same margin. However, they were hampered somewhat by a red card in the first half, and one could still make the case that they are the better team than Spain. Or 'were', perhaps: three Chilean starters (Ponce, Medel, and Estrada) will be unable to play in their next match after a rash of fouls, both real and imagined, against Spain.

And that's a real shame, because even at full strength, they'd be hard pressed to beat Brazil. Yes, they qualified (was there ever any doubt?), and despite only managing to tie Portugal 0-0, remain the most confident-looking team in the Cup. Brazil has a superb team, as evidenced by the number of players they have with only one name: Kaka, Maicon, Lucio, Robinho, Elano... Still, their best may be Luis Fabiano (who I'm sure will drop to just 'el Fabio' soon enough). On a team of stars, it's hard for any one to shine, but if Brazil keeps up their performance, they'll have a shot to win it all.

{THE GAME: Treaty of Tordesillas}
{MONDAY, 2:30 PM - Chile faces Brazil in a battle to reach the quarter-finals. Chile, already the weaker side, will play without three of her starters, who were lost to costly yellow cards against Spain. No doubt about it, they will need to dig deep if they hope to win against heavily-favored Brazil. The Brazilians have made it clear they intend to play at 100% - unlike certain European teams (*cough*France*cough*), they know that a win here is nobody's birthright.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Well that's all for now. If nothing else, watch the game tomorrow - it's a Saturday afternoon, so there's really no excuse.

Next Time:
-Quarter-Finals! Unless I have something un-soccer-related to talk about before then.

BZZZZZZZZZT Part Dos: The Return of BZZZZZZ

Well, the second set of games have been played, and as promised, I've got recaps and a look ahead at the final stage of group play. For those of you not savvy to the vagaries of the World Cup (and who can't be bothered to read the previous entry's explanation), the teams are divided into groups of 4, and play a game against each other member of their group. A win is 3 points, ties are 1, and 0 for a lose. Goal difference (gd) is the tie-breaker. Two best from each group advance, two worst go home.

Each team has played two games so far, meaning there's only one to go. The next game is make-or-break for most teams, and completely irrelevant for a couple.

So, I'll save you the trouble of skimming any of my usual comments and get straight into things:
----------------------------------------
Group A - South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France
(My Picks: South Africa & Uruguay)
RSA 0-3 URU
FRA 0-2 MEX
Poor South Africa. Apparently, all the vuvuzelas in the world can't save you from being thrashed when you play lazy defense. Forlan looked great, scoring a great goal in the first half. The Bafana Boyz had a chance to rally in the second, but with about 15' to play, their goalkeeper was sent off on a harsh but technically justified red card. Forlan made the penalty, and some other Uruguayan got a final goal in injury time. Tough lose for the Southricans, who stand a good chance at being the first host country to ever get knocked out in the group stage. The Urus look very sharp on offense - something we didn't get to see much of in their opening tie against France.
Meanwhile, Mexico shocked France with a 0-2 win. Despite playing well individually, the French never seemed to be on the same page, leading to some very poorly executed attacks and general confusion on defense. Mexico rallied behind some experienced veterans, and in the second half caught France napping on a long pass that they all thought was offsides. It wasn't, and Hernandez ran with it for a one-on-one against the goalkeeper, beat him easily, and buried it in the back of the net. Mexico scored again on a penalty kick late in the game, but it almost didn't matter: France showed no sign of trying to fight their way back into it.

Group A Current Rankings:
Uruguay - 4 pts & +3 gd
Mexico - 4 pts & +2 gd
France - 1 pt & -2 gd
S. Africa - 1 pt & -3 gd
The final matches pit Uruguay and Mexico against each other to assure their spot at the top - a draw would mean they both advance. France plays South Africa, and both need a stunning win to make it. Remember, even in the most probable scenario, Mexico would have to lose and France would have to win by a combined margin of 4 goals. I don't care to comment on France's recent drama in training, but it seems unlikely to me.

Group B - South Korea, Greece, Argentina, Nigeria
(My Picks: South Korea & Greece)
ARG 4-1 KOR
GRE 2-1 NGA
Argentina looked pretty unconvincing in their first game, but any doubts that they would live up to the hype quickly abated following their 4-1 win over South Korea. Argentina's offense looked like a well-oiled machine, and even though their first point was an own-goal off a Korean defender, the other three were all lovely. Higuain made the other three for the elusive hat trick, but the real credit goes (I hate to admit) to Messi for some great feeds.
Greece looked poor in their first game, against Korea, and for the first third of their second looked even worse. Nigeria scored an early goal off a set piece, placed perfectly over a two-man wall. The game-changer came in the 33rd minute: after a scuffle for the ball at midfield, the ball goes out, and Nigeria's Kaita, for no obvious reason, decides it's a good idea to push/kick his Greek opponent in full view of the referee. He's (rightfully) ejected, and Greece claws back for a 2-1 win against the Super Eagles (who sound like they're named after an F-15 variant, but aren't). It's Greece's first ever World Cup win, and they deserve to celebrate it, but they can't expect their next opponents, Argentina, to make the same dumb mistake Nigeria did.

Group B Current Rankings:
Argentina - 6 pts & +4 gd
South Korea - 3 pts & -1 gd
Greece - 3 pts & -2 gd
Nigeria - 0 pts & -2 gd
Argentina is essentially on cruise control, unless their game against Greece gets badly out of hand. They'll probably rest some of their starters; good news for Greece, who would benefit even from a tie. Barring an Argentine meltdown, South Korea needs to beat or tie Nigeria to take the second spot, while Nigeria (though not technically eliminated) would need a resounding win to advance. The real betting is between whether Greece or South Korea will advance, to which I ask, "what's more likely: Korea beating Nigeria, or Greece beating Argentina?" You can answer that one yourself.

Group C - England, United States, Algeria, Slovenia
(My Picks: USA! USA! USA!... and England)
SLO 2-2 USA
ENG 0-0 ALG
If you didn't watch the USA's game against Slovenia, (#1: shame on you, but #2) there's no adequate way to describe my feelings for that game's referee. If you're really interested, you can watch the entire game online, either on ESPN or (I'm 90% certain) somewhere on Youtube. Suffice it to say he should have his referee's certificate revoked and his whistle taken away. And I don't just say that because of the goal he called back - I felt this way before the 70th minute.
Anyway, let's not dwell on the past. Aside from the shenanigans, it was a great game, with Slovenia's Green Dragons (A Tolkien reference? I wish...) coming up strong in the first half on some very nice offense that left the Americans looking a little bewildered. They must've said something right in the locker room, though, because the US came into the second half swinging, with Donovan drilling a beauty into the top of the net from the extreme edge. It wasn't until the 81st minute, though, that the Americans equalized off a great play in to Bradley (the coach's son, in fact). Whether or not the final goal was legitimate (and not to be biased, but it was), coming back from two down is an accomplishment in itself. To their credit, Slovenia played a great game, and have consistently punched above their weight thus far.
The other game, England versus Algeria, was expected to be a blow-out win for the Brits, but apparently no one told the Algerians that. The Desert Foxes came out with a strong defense and, somewhat surprisingly, a pretty good offense, too. They definitely made the British worry in the backfield, and that was crucial for keeping their offense off-balance. The other crucial factor, of course, was the Englanders (is that a word?) themselves, who looked thoroughly... well... dull. Rooney especially has failed to perform, but the blame is shared equally by a team that, despite no small amount of talent, seems incapable of scoring goals.

Group C Current Rankings:
Slovenia - 4 pts & +1 gd
USA - 2 pts & 0 gd & 3 goals total
England - 2 pts & 0 gd & 1 goal total
Algeria - 0 pts & -1 gd
On Wednesday, 10 o'clock eastern (I'm telling you so you'll know), the USA plays Algeria, with a win guaranteeing them a spot. England will play Slovenia at the same time, and a win for either team likewise gives them a spot. The US could hypothetically tie and still advance, but it'd be tricky. Algeria isn't technically out, but it'd take a miracle.

Group D - Serbia, Ghana, Germany, Australia
(My Picks: Australia & Germany)
GER 0-1 SER
GHA 1-1 AUS
This was a tough day for Germany fans, who, after a 4-0 win over Australia, probably figured Serbia would be a walk in the park. The German players probably thought that, too, but they came out and played a pretty good game. Unfortunately, this is another match where the ref was a deciding factor. In this case, he seemed to have just come from refereeing a ballet competition - at the first sign of physical contact between opponents, the cards were flying everywhere. He handed out 6 yellows in the first half, with two of them going to star German forward Klose. Serbia took advantage of being a man up and hammered one in at the end of the first half. Still, in the second half, Germany dominated the field, and for a moment, you could forget they were playing 10 against 11. Lukas Podolski (an old favorite of mine from the last Cup) had a great chance, with a penalty kick in the 60th minute, but it's deflected by a very skilled Serbian keeper.
Later on, Ghana played Australia. In some ways, it was much the same story as the Germany game: Australia got a red card in the first half, but played the better game despite being a man down. Luckily for them, they'd scored early in the first, off a great set piece. When a hand ball (which I still think was unintentional) was called against an Australian defender for blocking a goal-scoring opportunity in the box, it all went south - Australia lost a man, and Ghana made their penalty kick, tying the score at 1-all. Australia controlled the second half but didn't take the lead back, leaving them in last place in the group.

Group D Current Rankings:
Ghana - 4 pts & +1 gd
Germany - 3 pts & +3 gd
Serbia - 3 pts & 0 gd
Australia - 1 pt & -4 gd
Germany will play Ghana in their final match, with a win essentially securing the top spot in the group for either team. Australia needs to beat Serbia, and soundly, but will still need help from Ghana in order to make it through. Serbia could yet take first, and Ghana could still fail to advance, but either Germany or Australia will be eliminated. My money's on Australia. As before, though, anything can happen.

Group E - Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon
(My Picks: Japan & Denmark, though the Dutch are cool too)
NED 1-0 JAP
CAM 1-2 DEN
Not much happened in the first half of the Netherlands/Japan game, so let's ignore that. (While we're on the subject, the Dutch have a pivotal role in Japanese history, which has almost no bearing on this game.) Early in the second half, the Netherlands found a man wide open on the periphery, and managed a laser from long range for the only goal of the game. Japan never found itself in the same rhythm they did against Cameroon, and their goalkeeper saw a lot more excitement, but for what it's worth, keeping the Dutch to one goal is pretty good.
Denmark was looking for a win against Cameroon, having lost to Holland earlier. Cameroon, meanwhile, was fighting to just stay in the Cup, and were facing elimination. Eto'o scored early, the Danish defense looking utterly useless, but the Vikings answered back with a beauty of a cross past the keeper. The game was tied at the half, but at 61 minutes, Denmark found another, beating a lazy defense and sneaking a strong left foot into the corner. Cameroon had the majority of the shots, but it was Denmark that capitalized on them, and Cameroon becomes the first team eliminated.

Group E Current Rankings:
Netherlands - 6 pts & +3 gd
Japan - 3 pts & 0 gd
Denmark - 3 pts & -1 gd
Cameroon - 0 pts & -2 gd
Cameroon gets to play against the Netherlands, but even if they win, the Dutch will take one of the two open spots. The second will be either Japan or Denmark (since one of them must earn points from the game). Japan has an advantage here: they can play for a tie, which will preserve their edge in goal difference and beat out Denmark.

Group F - Italy, Paraguay, Argentina, Slovakia
(My Picks: New Zealand & Slovakia)
SLV 0-2 PAR
ITA 1-1 NZA
The main story of the Slovakia/Paraguay game was Paraguay's offense. Slovakia played decently enough, but had no fire, no drive. They looked slow, especially compared to a very fast, very dangerous Paraguay. There's no single stat that explains the difference - in fact, Slovakia had more time of possession (52% vs 48%) - but from watching it, the outcome was never truly in doubt. Paraguay moves to the top of the group with the win, while this lose puts Slovakia in a very tenuous position.
New Zealand is not a land known for soccer. Sheep, yes, landscape, yes, rugby, yes - the All-Blacks are one of the winningest rugby teams in history. Their soccer counterparts, the All-Whites, are ranked 78th in FIFA (and there are only 32 teams playing - even being in the Cup was an upset.) Italy, on the other hand, are not only ranked 5th, but are the defending champions from 2006. And so, when New Zealand received a clumsy deflection just a few steps outside the Italian goal and buried it, the Azzurri were understandably shocked. And then when New Zealand bunkered in, they were equally shocked at their own inability to score. Eventually, they did - a penalty kick off a rather weak foul in the box - but New Zealand didn't give up. In fact, they almost won it with a last second shot that drifted just inches wide. The 1-1 tie is a small scandal for the Italians, but in New Zealand it's being heralded as their most important moment in soccer history.

Group F Current Rankings:
Paraguay - 4 pts & +2 gd
New Zealand - 2 pts & 0 gd*
Italy - 2 pts & 0 gd*
Slovakia - 1 pt & -2 gd
*(Technically, Italy and New Zealand are tied so thoroughly that if the groups ended as they are now, FIFA would have to use a random drawing to determine who will advance. I figured I'd give it to the Kiwis.)
Paraguay sits atop a rather thin lead, but can probably beat New Zealand for the top spot (never say die though, Zealanders!). It will come down to Slovakia against Italy, where a win for Slovakia will put the Azzuri not just out of the tournament, but at the bottom of their group. Again, anything can happen, and my dream New Zealand-Slovakia finish is still an (admittedly distant) possibility.

Group G - Ivory Coast, Portugal, Brazil, North Korea
(My Picks: North Korea is BEST KOREA. Also, Ivory Coast)
BRA 3-1 CIV
POR 7-0 PRK
Poor North Korea. I heard a rumor that this game was actually broadcast live in North Korea, and it couldn't've gone worse for the poor guys. After going into halftime with them down one, I came back afterward and thought the 7-0 scoreline had to be a mistake. I didn't watch the second half, so I can't tell you what went wrong, but North Korea must've made some bad errors. Apparently the Portos scored 3 goals in 7 minutes, which would be pretty soul-crushing. Better luck next time, Best Korea.
Brazil, in the meantime, was predictably excellent against the Ivory Coast. There was a great goal by Fabiano, followed later by a not-so-great goal by Fabiano ("Two hand-balls? Eh, play on,"), followed by another great goal by Elaino. Even Cote d'Ivoire got in on the action, with a textbook header that the Brazilian keeper didn't even bother diving after. But then things turned ugly, with a dispute over a foul getting as close to a fight breaking out as I've seen (in soccer, anyway). What's more maddening is that it concluded with an Ivorian running into Brazil's Kaka, clutching his own face, and falling over, which the ref somehow interpreted as worthy of throwing Kaka out of the game (and consequently, the next one as well). Ugly, ugly play by the Africans.

Group G Current Rankings:
Brazil - 6 pts & +3 gd
Portugal - 4 pts & +7(!) gd
Ivory Coast - 1 pts & -2 gd
North Korea - 0 pts & -8 gd
North Korea, sadly, is the worst team so far, standings-wise. In a weaker group they may've had a chance, but in the "Group of Death," they've been eliminated. They'll be playing Ivory Coast in their last game, with a chance at getting at least one win to cheer about. Even if Ivory Coast wins, they'll still need a combined goal-difference shift of 9 goals in order to beat Portugal for the second spot. It's not happening - I guarantee Brazil & Portugal will advance, or I'll... um... I dunno. Do something ridiculous.

Group H - Honduras, Chile, Spain, Switzerland
(My Picks: Switzerland and Not-Spain)
CHI 1-0 SUI
ESP 2-0 HON
I just realized I've been working on this since 4:30, and it's 10 o'clock now, so I'll cut to the chase on this one: In the first game, Chile played well, and the Swiss had good defense, but not good enough. In the second game, Spain is good and Honduras isn't. It's a shame this group's second set of games were so boring, but I guess it makes up for last round's excitement.

Group H Current Rankings:
Chile - 6 pts & +2 gd
Spain - 3 pts & +1 gd
Switzerland - 3 pts & 0 gd
Honduras - 0 pts & -3 gd
Honduras can still get into the next round, though it'd take a stunner - specifically, a 5-0 win over Switzerland, whose goal allowed last game was their first in a ludicrously long time. What's more likely is a three-way points tie, with Spain beating Chile and Switzerland beating Honduras. If that happens, it'll come down to goal difference - not the place the Swiss would like to be. They'd prefer it if Chile beats Spain, which (assuming they at least tie Honduras) will give them the second spot in Group H.

Anyway, that's it for now! Tragically, the games are played simultaneously in the final round, and I'll be busy in the mornings all this week, so I will end up missing (try not to cry, Kurt, try not to cry) three quarters of the games in the final stage. This is especially bad, considering one of those games is the USA's almost-must-win match against Algeria. Never fear, though - ESPN is posting them online, so as long as I'm careful not to hear the score beforehand, nothing is lost. And naturally, I'll be giving another report going into the elimination stage.

Next Time:
Round of 16. Oh yeaaaaaa.

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZBZZZZBZZZBZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

First of all: yes, I'm posting again, yes, I graduated, and no, I don't have a job. But all that stuff can wait, because we've got more important things to talk about. SOCCER!

Now to be perfectly honest, I almost never watch soccer. I could care less about the Premier League, or the Confederations Cup, or the MLS, or any of the other thousand different leagues, tournaments, and venues in which soccer is played. But the World Cup is something completely different - a quadrennial challenge of national spirit watched the world over. Basically, it's like the Olympics, if the Olympics mattered.

For those of you not watching the World Cup, I forgive you. It's not exactly the most straightforward tournament, and the games that've been played so far don't really count for too much. You see, the Cup is broken down into two parts: a series of group round-robins, followed by a single-elimination bracket.

It's the group stage that's the tricky part. The teams are organized into 8 groups, A-H. Each team plays every member of their group once, with the two top teams advancing to the elimination stage. At the moment, we've just completed the first round of group play, meaning each team has played one of their three games in the group stage.

So, regretting that you haven't been keeping up? Well you're in luck, because I'll personally catch you up on all the action so far, so you can get right into it for the start of round two. ESPN has been streaming the games online or, failing that, you could always use those primitive 'television' thingies.
------------------------------
Group A - South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France
(My Picks: South Africa & Uruguay)
RSA 1-1 MEX
URU 0-0 FRA
The Cup opened with South Africa vs. Mexico, a tough break for the host country, who are not expected to advance. I'm rooting for them, though, and they did well, scoring early on the higher-ranked Mexicans to a roar of vuvuzelas. They answered back, however, and the game ended as a 1-all tie. Neither team played especially well, though Mexico had some very good opportunity to win it ruled offsides.
I missed the Uruguay-France game, which ended up being okay, because it was a nil-all tie. Uruguay's defense apparently proved quite frustrating to the French, who are decently ranked.
I might as well explain my picks for the tournament: I generally pick countries based on whether we (the USA) like them or would benefit from them winning, with no regard for how likely they are to win. After all, I follow global geopolitics year-round, and only watch soccer once every four years. In this case, I just want Mexico and France to lose, though it would also be nice to see the host country showing the rest of the world that Africa doesn't universally suck at everything. With the group completely tied, both underdogs have good chances, but they'll need at least one more upset to advance.

Group B - South Korea, Greece, Argentina, Nigeria
(My Picks: South Korea & Greece)
KOR 2-0 GRE
ARG 1-0 NGA
South Korea looked great in their match against Greece. Though visibly the smaller team, they used quick ball movement and intelligent strategy to style all over the Greeks, who looked slow and unmotivated by comparison. South Korea deserved the win, and it's nice to see our allies from south of the DMZ taking the lead in their group. It was not a good showing for the Greeks, who are facing a tough economy at home.
At first, I didn't care who won the second game - and then Argentina took the field. Man, I'd forgotten how much I hate them. Everything from their perfect wavy hair to their baby-blue striped uniforms to their effortless skill just ticks me off. Sadly, skill counts for a lot, and they coast to a 1-0 win over Nigeria. At least they're not Brazil, I guess.
The group is split, with SoKo slightly ahead on account of goals scored. Thursday's game of Argentina vs. Korea will determine which team takes first, but even a loss leaves the Asian Underdogs a good chance of advancing. Meanwhile, Greece will have to turn their game around for a chance against Nigeria, otherwise they're almost certainly out of the tournament.

Group C - England, United States, Algeria, Slovenia
(My Picks: USA! USA! USA!... and England)
ENG 1-1 USA
ALG 0-1 SLO
The only game you probably watched, England vs. USA, was well-summarized by the headlines the day afterwards: "USA Wins 1-1! Best Tie Against the British Since Bunker Hill." Both teams played smart, conservative games, with the USA remaining fairly passive but looking good on the breakaway. England, though clearly the better team, was frustrated by a solid defense and a brick wall named Howard in goal. Still, it would've been 1-0 without Clint Dempsey's exploratory shot in the 40th minute, which dribbled past the English keeper on an unlikely blunder. Calling the tie luck would be wrong, though - the States generated good opportunities throughout, and neither team should feel disappointed about the outcome.
The next game, Algeria against Slovenia, looked to be a 0-0 tie for most of the game, but Algeria, with strong support in the stadium, made a costly error when they had a man ejected for a hand ball. Seven minutes later, Slovenia put the numerical advantage to use, winning a single goal and the top spot in the group.
Both the USA and England are expected to win on Friday, but a loss to either of them would put them in a very tenuous position. Slovenia, with an upset in either of their next two games, could yet dethrone either of the English-speaking favorites.

Group D - Serbia, Ghana, Germany, Australia
(My Picks: Australia & Germany)
SER 0-1 GHA
GER 4-0 AUS
Once again, my top picks are playing each other in their first game. I was incredibly disappointed by Australia's performance - they not only looked slow and incompetent, they looked downright uninterested, and didn't show any enthusiasm for the game. The Germans, my pick to win the 2006 Cup (they got 3rd), put on a brilliant show, with veterans Podolski and Klose scoring the first two goals and their young new players making two more against a defense that had largely given up. Best-looking team of the Cup so far.
Meanwhile, Ghana wins a comfortable 1-0 victory over Serbia. Ghana and their neighbors in the Ivory Coast are the two top-ranked African teams, and drew large crowds. Meanwhile, Serbia is apparently not as good at soccer as they are at invading their fellow Yugoslavian states.
The group continues Friday and Saturday, with what should be an easy match for Germany against Serbia. Australia needs to get their heads in order for their game against Ghana, where a win would put them back in the tournament, but a lose essentially eliminates them.

Group E - Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon
(My Picks: Japan & Denmark, though the Dutch are cool too)
Tragically, this group has three teams I'd like to root for, and only two can win. The Netherlands, favored as having the strongest offense in the tournament, definitely showed it here, dominating a conventional but determined Danish defense. They looked weak in the backfield, however, with Denmark making a number of good opportunities off of breaks. It wasn't until an unlucky own-goal sunk Danish hopes that the game began to take a definitively Dutch swing, and a late strike by Holland sealed the deal.
Meanwhile, Japan looked to have a tough game against the bigger, more athletic Cameroons. That seems to be a theme with Asian teams, doesn't it? Like South Korea, they played a smart, fast game, with great control, and at half-time were up by one against a very confused-looking Cameroon. Despite very muscular play, Cameroon never came together as a team to get their attack in order, and Glorious Nippon held their lead until the end. Nice to see a US ally giving a good account of themselves.
The next matches on Saturday pit Japan against the Netherlands, while Denmark plays Cameroon. Denmark must win both of their next two games, while Japan just needs one of their two. If the Dutch continue to play as they have, however, one of the two will almost certainly be eliminated.

Group F - Italy, Paraguay, Argentina, Slovakia
(My Picks: New Zealand & Slovakia)
ITA 1-1 PAR
NZA 1-1 SLV
I missed the Italy-Paraguay game, not that I cared. In any event, the result couldn't've pleased me more, with strongly-favored Italy only managing a tie against a time they were expected to win against.
The New Zealand-Slovakia (don't confuse them with Slovenia, they'll get mad) game, on the other hand, I did watch, and it was great. Slovakia played a great offense, taking chances throughout and being rewarded for it early. The All-Whites, however, didn't panic, and kept up their relaxed, careful game plan. I would almost say they were too relaxed; even as the final seconds ticked down towards a 0-1 lose, they played like they were in a friendly training match. The appearance of nonchalance was a bluff, though: when the tying goal was scored in injury time, literally seconds away from defeat, the New Zealanders (figuratively) exploded in celebration.
The group is completely tied: one point each, one goal each, one goal allowed each. The next games are Sunday, with Slovakia playing Paraguay and New Zealand playing Italy. Both can win, though they'll need to play sharply. In a group this close, anything can happen.

Group G - Ivory Coast, Portugal, Brazil, North Korea
(My Picks: North Korea is BEST KOREA. Also, Ivory Coast)
CIV 0-0 POR
BRA 2-1 PRK
I missed the Ivory Coast-Portugal game, but apparently I wasn't missing much. Another nil-nil tie, with both teams disappointing fans the world over. Cote d'Ivore has gotten a lot of press in Africa (where people still read newspapers), and are considered one of the stronger African teams. Portugal, of course, is European, and thus inherently over-hyped.
The surprise nail-biter of the round was Brahuehuehue vs. Norkia. I'm a little surprised North Korea is even playing in the Cup, considering they're running around sinking South Korean destroyers and generally doing their usual "threat to world peace" act. But play they did, and they actually made a game out of it against the predictably top-ranked Brazilians. For the first half, North Korea played brilliant yet fundamental defense, keeping in their positions well and thoroughly shutting down the much-vaunted Brazilian game.
In the second half, though, they apparently forget how to do anything but defend, and let Brazil pound shot after shot against them. When one finally went in (curling in beautifully from the back line, quite possibly by accident), North Korea was forced to do what it does worst: attack. With fewer men in the backfield, they ended up letting another goal in, and Brazil was threatening to run away with it, until North Korean striker Ji Something-or-other took an excellent breakaway past a sleeping Brazil and scored one for the Dear Leader. The 2-1 game may've gone Brazil's way, but it wasn't the blowout the world was expecting. If they keep up this level of play, North Korea could do very well.
Brazil plays Ivory Coast Sunday afternoon for a chance to secure their spot at the top of the group. More interestingly, North Korea plays Portugal early Monday morning, needing an upset to have a chance. I don't usually root for belligerent autocratic dictatorships, but they've just been so darn fun to watch I'll make an exception. It's definitely nice to see them displaying some sportsmanship on the world stage - if they can't keep it civil at the UN, at least they do at the World Cup.

Group H - Honduras, Chile, Spain, Switzerland
(My Picks: Switzerland and Not-Spain)
HON 0-1 CHI
Honduras played Chile, and since they're both south of the border I don't much like either of them. Chile looked great on offense, sending attack after attack against a very harried-looking Honduran defense. One of them eventually found it's way to the net, a very textbook cross that played out perfectly. Honduras couldn't answer, giving Chile the win. Generally I like Central America over South America, but my main concern in this group is beating Spain, and a solid Chile seems the best chance of that at the moment.
I'm actually typing this while watching the Spain-Switzerland game, so that it gets out before the second round starts. The first half was all Spain, dominating the Swiss, who despite their reputation seemed quite tenuous on defense. Part of that comes from their offense, who managed only one shot on Spain and seemed to practically abandon possession in favor of bunkering down. It only takes one goal to lose a game, and without a credible threat against them, Spain's offense can press even further forward.
In the second half, Spain picked up essentially where they left off, earning numerous corner kicks but failing to capitalize against the tall Swiss. Switzerland has had only a few good chances, but GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL! and they've just scored, in the 53rd minute! It was quite a scrappy goal, with the keeper facing a two-man breakaway and leaving the ball hanging in the center for an easy finish on the open goal. After the goal, Switzerland has found new strength, finally able to muster a threat on offense now that they have some breathing room. Spain is still controlling the pace of the game, however. Spain now with a one-on-one against the Swiss keeper, in the 60th minute, covered beautifully! - Spain simply cannot put it in the net. Switzerland is known for their defense, though - they haven't conceded a goal in their last 457 minutes of play. Spain needs more from their corners; they've been taking most of them short, in fear of the beefy Switz guards. They're still out-shooting Switzerland 5:1, with 15 shots, but only 4 have been on-goal. Another shot now, minute 69, off the crossbar! Can the Swiss hang on? 18 shots, now - Torres has breathed new life into the Spanish offense. The Swiss defense is physical: too physical for the ref, who give them their second yellow card. Suddenly a flurry of shots from Switzerland, with the first ricocheting off the near post. The Swiss strikers have worked very well together, when they've had the chance. Another Spanish shot goes 6 inches wide, at the 78th minute. They're getting desperate, now; Spain needs this. The Swiss are beginning to slow, too, their defense worn out by the pass-based Spanish attack. 7 minutes to play, now, with the Swiss converting a good opportunity into a corner. Unlike Spain, they're not afraid to send it into the fray, but the shot doesn't materialize, and it's back on defense for them. Spain goes up for an open-goal header, but #13 shoves him off it: Switzerland's physical defense preventing the opportunity. 3 minutes left before injury time - Torres misfires, and a few more seconds tick away. Now he's got another chance, a breakaway with no-one behind him, but he loses control of the ball, and it rolls out for a goal kick. 1 minute left. Zero - and a whopping 5 minutes of injury time are added! There's another yellow for the Swiss, this time on the goalkeeper, who's accused of time-wasting. At this point, it may well be worth it; 3 minutes of play left. At any rate, the Swiss keeper has earned his keep, playing very assertively the whole match. There's another yellow! Handball, on Switzerland, for a free kick just outside the box - it's recovered wide, and there's only 20 seconds to go. One last corner for Spain: they have to go to the center with this, and they do! But it's cleared easily by Switzerland. The clock winds down, and there's nothing to be done. Switzerland wins! A real shocker, and the best game so far in the tournament.
ESP 0-1 SUI
The group is in turmoil. Switzerland plays Chile next, on Monday, but the real test will be on the 25th, when Chile plays Spain. Spain can't lose another game - even a tie would be disastrous.

So, that's the first round. I'm off to get my license renewed, but I'll be back for the first game in the second phase, South Africa against Uruguay, at 2:30.

NEXT TIME: ROUND TWO!