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July 23 2010
by tnib

Guest Post: Brian Hatch Reviews Football at Fenway

The beer was cold. The crowd was loud. The rain held off. The infield at Fenway disappeared under fresh turf. There were languages I didn’t understand. On the heels of the World Cup, European soccer made its way to Fenway Park Wednesday night. As anyone could probably tell you, the popularity of soccer in the U.S. ebbs and flows, and the powers that be at Fenway were smart to schedule the match following the World Cup to build on the increased interest as of late. My biggest question heading to the match was easily what type of crowd could I expect? The answer turned out to be quite obvious.

Much like the crowds that fill Yawkey Way and Lansdowne Street during Sox games, the loyal supporters of both Celtic FC and Sporting Clube de Portugal came out of the woodwork. It might as well have been St. Patty’s Day in Beantown, as one of the primary colors for both teams is green. Fenway became a sea of jerseys and flags…and more importantly, not a single vuvuzuela was heard by my ears. It was tough to determine who was cheering for whom at times, but that just made it all the more enjoyable to watch the crowd.

The fans of both sides were passionate and loud, but it never veered toward obnoxious. I attended with a few buddies, one of whom is of Scottish heritage. Based on that fact, we became Celtic FC fans for the day. Sitting on third base line, in seats I could never afford for a Red Sox game, we were surrounded by fans young and old. There were chants I could barely decipher, although another buddy of mine had done his research via fanchants.com, and he was able to join in from time to time.

The game was well played from our vantage point, with Celtic getting a goal via penalty kick in the 72nd minute, and Sporting equalizing less than ten minutes later with a nice header after the ball deflected off the crossbar. The match was tied after 90 minutes, and even though it was classified as a “friendly” match, it went to penalty kicks to determine the winner. And frankly there was no way the crowd was going to leave Fenway with a tie on the board. Celtic finally prevailed 6-5, and the Bhoys supporters flooded the streets celebrating the win.

Football at Fenway was a resounding success, and I personally hope another 42 years doesn’t pass before we get to see it again. In a city renowned for their rabid fan base, getting to watch two great football teams battle on hallowed ground shouldn’t be a once in a lifetime experience. Hopefully I’m not alone in that opinion.

*Photo by Brian Hatch

June 28 2010
by tnib

World Cup: Knockout Part 2, and, Well, the Refs

This hasn’t been a good tournament for referees. Most U.S. fans are familiar with the bad calls the national team faced in the group stages, but the two calls that affected games Sunday were even worse. First, a goal from a Frank Lampard shot that clearly went over the goal line, which would have tied their game with Germany, was disallowed, and then in the later game, the first Argentine goal was clearly offside. England played very poorly in the second half (and any time you give up four goals you can’t really blame a bad call), and Mexico was outplayed by Argentina, but regardless of their effect on the final result it’s disgraceful to have such poor refereeing.

Much of the discussion about “fixing” the officiating has centered around the use of instant replay. While I personally think replay on goals would be a good thing (or adding extra officials to serve as goal judges), I am surprised that the calls which seem obvious and are made correctly in most other games are being missed in this tournament, which is the biggest spectacle for the sport. I watch a decent amount of soccer, and the three worst-officiated games in my memory were all in the World Cup. While it’s possible I am remembering these games because they were more important than the English Premier League games I watch the rest of the year, I think it’s fair to question why the referees, who should be the best in the world, have made so many more blatant mistakes in the World Cup than in league games. I don’t pretend to know the answer, but it’s something I haven’t seen much discussion of.

On to the games:
Monday, June 28
10:00 AM: Netherlands v. Slovakia
One thing the World Cup tournament setup is pretty good at is separating the quality teams from the weaker ones for the early rounds and beginning of the knockout rounds. Unless a strong team suffers a surprise loss (like England did) or on the rare occasion two strong teams get put in one group (see Brazil and Portugal), most of the matchups in the round of 16 are one-sided. But, this is of course a good thing, as it makes the later matches more exciting.

This game is currently in halftime as I write this, and the Netherlands are leading 1-0 on a great Arjen Robben shot. With Robben back and close to 100% I don’t see the Netherlands losing this game, and I think they could present a strong challenge to Brazil (or certainly Chile if they can pull off an upset).

2:30 PM: Chile v. Brazil
Much has been made of Brazil’s “new style” of play, which is a more defensive, physical style rather than the stylish, flashy “joga bonita” they are famous for. This game today against Chile will be the first real test of this. While they did play Portugal, that game didn’t matter much for either team, so it’s tough to draw conclusions from it.

Have the South American teams really been dominant this World Cup? As it stands now, all five South American teams have advanced to at least the round of 16, with four of them winning their group. Brazil and Argentina are surely two of the best teams in the world; no one denies this. But only one of the South American teams in the knockout round had to defeat a strong team on the way there, and in that game Chile lost to Spain, but both advanced due to Switzerland’s draw with Honduras. Uruguay has looked good, but was in a weak group with Mexico, South Africa, and a French team that fell apart. Paraguay’s group included the other European team to underperform, Italy, along with Slovakia and the worst side in the tournament, New Zealand (with whom Paraguay tied). Even Argentina has yet to face a team stronger than Mexico, and looked vulnerable at times in that game until they scored an offsides goal.

Brazil and Argentina are likely to progress deep into the tournament, but the oft-repeated “South American dominance” idea is greatly overblown.

Tuesday, June 29
10:00 AM: Japan v. Paraguay
This will be the first test for Paraguay, and it’s not even a particularly big one. Japan does have strength and seems to work well as a team, though, so I like them in this game.

2:30 PM: Spain v. Portugal
Here’s the game I’m waiting for. Portugal has plenty of talent, but it’s tough to tell exactly how much since they are some of the worst divers and embellishers in the tournament. While this can be effective, it depends on getting calls from the refs, which doesn’t always happen. There’s also some element of “crying wolf” that may prevent Portugal from getting legitimate fouls called, which is fine in my opinion, since diving is essentially cheating.

Spain has played very well in all their games. Even in their loss to Switzerland they had many more good opportunities than the Swiss and far outplayed them, but just didn’t find the goal. They are great passers, and while their finishing at times can be suspect, they spend so much time with the ball that they usually only need one goal to win.

June 26 2010
by tnib

World Cup: KNOCKOUT!

So, it’s here. Just 16 games remain in the World Cup, and you don’t need an expert, or even me, to tell you that they’re all important. With France and Italy falling short, there are some surprise teams hanging around, and of course Landon Donovan and company are through as group C winners, so you’ll see bandwagon-hoppers multiply as well as columns like this drivel be hashed and re-hashed as writers tell us how far they have their fingers in their ears.

Let’s get to the games before I get any more upset.

Saturday, June 26
10:00 AM: Uruguay v. South Korea
I’ll admit I don’t know much about either of these teams. Uruguay has looked impressive in the group stages, but was facing poor competition in a disgruntled France, inconsistent Mexico, and South Africa, who’s only there because they’re the home side. They’re likely the best of that group, but have certainly had a lucky run of opponents so far.

I haven’t watched any of South Korea’s games. Sorry. But, I didn’t expect them to do much and I think they’ll lose against Uruguay. They were second, but only had four points, beating a poor Greece team, getting trounced by Argentina, and drawing with Nigeria with help from Nigeria’s striker Yakubu missing the easiest chance of the tournament (though he did get a penalty moments later).

2:30 PM: United States v. Ghana
While the USA barely made it into the knockout stage, it does seem that they are a dangerous team, as two goals were disallowed and they had numerous other chances. While finishing is a skill, I can’t help but think that they got unlucky with both the bad calls and the ball just not bouncing the right way, and if they can produce as many quality chances against Ghana as they have this tournament so far, they should be able to put more of them away.

Most of the odds-makers have this match as close to even, but I’d give the edge to the USA. I think the odds-makers are overrating the “home continent” effect, as it’s not a particularly short trip for Ghanaians, there are a lot of Americans at the World Cup, and it’s questionable how many South Africans would root for Ghana. Some prediction systems don’t even account for Michael Essien being out, and he is one of the best players in the world. I also think the U.S. is being underrated. But it should be a good match, as both teams play positive football, and while they’ll both be wary of mistakes, they should move forward.

Sunday, June 27
10:00 AM: England v. Germany
I’m very excited for this game. Germany has played well this tournament (they always do) and play a skilled yet physical game, and while England hasn’t played as well, they have numerous star players and it just takes them working together to produce a great performance. I kind of doubt that will happen, as I think there are a lot of egos on that England team, but it will be fun to watch them implode.

I’d like to direct your attention to German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and point out first, his awesome name, and second, this outfit he is wearing. The English blog I link to makes fun of it, but I’m kind of into it. Kind of Elfish. Let your freak flag fly, Bastian.

2:30 PM: Mexico v. Argentina
I think Argentina can lose in this tournament against a team with a strong defense which can keep Lionel Messi somewhat in check and score with quick counterattacks. Mexico isn’t that team, though. Argentina is really fun to watch, however, and it’s worth it to watch the Best Player in the World in every game he plays. So do it. Or else.

June 24 2010
by tnib

World Cup Group Stage: The Last Games

The final round of the group stage isn’t likely to hold as much drama as group C did, but there are some interesting scenarios, especially in group H, as well as the possibility of some Cinderella teams making it in if they can come up with one more strong performance. Let’s take a look.

Thursday, June 24
10:00 AM: Italy v. Slovakia, Paraguay v. New Zealand

So for some reason Group F plays before Group E, but I am guessing maybe it’s because Group E’s teams are more interesting, or perhaps because group E includes Japan, or something. Anyway, the 10:00 AM group is pretty, as New Zealand’s surprise draw with Italy (and Italy’s terrible performance so far) leaves the group pretty open. Paraguay is likely to get in, as they have the edge in points, goal differential, and they play New Zealand, who are (theoretically) the worst team in the tournament. They win the group with a win and would also win it with a tie as long as Italy doesn’t win by more than one goal. Winning the group would let them avoid playing the dangerous Netherlands, as they’d match up instead with Denmark or Japan.

If the Paraguay game goes as it’s supposed to, Italy can be in with a win or draw against Slovakia, while Slovakia would need a win to leapfrog Italy and New Zealand. Italy is likely to take second in this group, but the Netherlands shouldn’t be scared of them just because they are the defending champions, as this is the weakest team Italy has fielded in a while, their starting keeper is out (though their backup is also good), and while their performance so far is disappointing and surprising, it’s tough to call it shocking.

2:30 PM: Netherlands v. Cameroon, Japan v. Denmark
Netherlands is all but assured of taking the top spot here, as they would have to lose and someone would have to win big in the other game for them to finish second. Between Japan and Denmark, Japan has the lead in goal differential, so it’s possible they will be playing for a tie, while Denmark will need to win and should be pushing forward. The problem with this for Japan is that defense isn’t exactly their strength, so the Danish attack could break them down given enough time. With the Netherlands likely to field a B team, all eyes should be on this game.

Friday, June 25
10:00 AM: Brazil v. Portugal, Ivory Coast v. N. Korea
Portugal beat North Korea badly enough that they are in unless they lose by about six goals to Brazil. They’re far too good for that, so it’s all decided except the seeding in this group. Unfortunately, group H is mostly up in the air, so there’s not much advantage to winning this group for either Brazil or Portugal. So you’re likely to see a boring morning as both teams will avoid cards, play backups, and look ahead to the knockout stage.

North Korea was the first “team that no one expected to perform well” to actually perform like that, giving up seven goals in an absolute shellacking by Portugal. The Ivorians played better, but with Didier Drogba not at 100% it was always going to be tough for them to advance. This game doesn’t matter, but might be more fun to watch than the other one.

2:30 PM: Chile v. Spain, Switzerland v. Honduras
Usually I am pretty good at figuring out the different scenarios in these final group stages. But this one is a doozy. I spent about 20 minutes playing with it in my head and still wasn’t sure, so I turned to the internet to help.

Chile is on top of the group with six points. Spain and Switzerland each have three, and Honduras has zero. Spain is probably the best team of the group, but they lost to Switzerland somewhat unluckily in a game they dominated, and as Switzerland is likely to beat lowly Honduras, Spain will probably need a win to advance. Unfortunately for Chile, they are only up by two in goal differential over Switzerland, so if they lose to Spain and the Swiss win by more than one, Chile would finish in third on goal differential and miss out on the group stage. If they lose 2-1 and Switzerland only wins 1-0, though, they would be through on the third tiebreaker, which is total goals scored (they also hold the fourth tiebreaker over Switzerland by virtue of their 1-0 victory over them).

Because Chile can win the group with a draw or with a 2-1 loss, they are likely to play an attacking style (even though they could win with a 0-0 draw), which should make for a very exciting match. Switzerland may look to pile on the pressure in the hopes of winning by multiple goals, which would increase their chances of winning a tiebreaker. If you’re confused, just watch the games—it will be explained to you as the picture becomes clearer. Heck, watch the games anyway.

June 22 2010
by tnib

World Cup Group Stage: The Last Matches

Here’s where the World Cup gets awesome. While there may be some games that don’t matter for anything other than pride, the final matchups in the group stages are definitely some of the more interesting games on the whole. It’s particularly fascinating how, due to the tiebreaker system, teams can have different goals other than simply winning—for example, if they are trailing in goal differential, they will have to win by more than one; or perhaps if they are already assured a place in the next round, they will be simply trying to get through the game without being carded or injured.

Without further ado, here’s an examination of what teams will be playing for in the first two days of the final group stage matches (Note: the final matches of each round are played simultaneously so the teams don’t know the results of their group-mates before their own match):

Tuesday, June 22
Group A: South Africa v. France, Uruguay v. Mexico, 10:00 AM ET
Uruguay and Mexico both have four points, and South Africa and France both have one. If Uruguay and Mexico draw, they’re both in; however, the runner-up in the group will likely go on to play Argentina, while team that wins the group would play either South Korea, Greece, or if everything breaks right, Nigeria. Uruguay is currently leading the group on goal differential, so don’t expect Mexico to play for a tie because even if they lose, France or South Africa would have to win their match by a few goals to overtake them. Uruguay has looked like the stronger team thus far, but it’s certainly anyone’s game.

As for the other game, it could be a bit of a snooze. Either team would need to win and make up at least four in goal differential to take the second spot in the group. But on the other hand, both teams should have a decent amount of pride to play for—the French after their striker was sent home and two of their coaches resigned, and the team refused to practice in protest, and South Africa in what will likely be the home side’s final match. Of course, South Africa isn’t a very good team, and France seems in complete disarray, and either side advancing is an extreme long shot, so who knows what will happen.

Group B: Argentina v. Greece, South Korea v. Nigeria, 2:30 PM
Argentina is nearly a lock to win this group, being three points and +five in goal differential ahead of both Greece and South Korea, and even if they step off the gas a little they should handle Greece. Nigeria was unlucky to lose both its games, especially the second, which they had to play a man down for the last 60 minutes. But if Nigeria can win and Greece loses as expected, Nigeria will be through and given a clean slate against (probably) Mexico or Uruguay. South Korea’s 4-1 loss to Argentina seemed a much more likely result than their 2-0 win over Greece, so I like Nigeria to take this one and sneak into the round of 16, provided they keep their composure.

Wednesday, June 23
Group C: Algeria v. United States, England v. Slovenia, 10:00 AM
If you’ve read this far, you’re either related to me (Hi, Dad!) or you have likely paid enough attention to the World Cup to know about the controversial disallowed goal in the U.S.’s previous game against Slovenia (or both, since I know my Dad follows sports). So I won’t waste time going into that (for a better writer’s take that essentially echoes my opinion, check out Joe Posnanski’s article). Fortunately for the U.S. team, if they beat Algeria as they should, they’ll get into the next round no matter what happens between England and Slovenia. Even if they draw, they could still be in if England loses or draws, and England has looked quite unimpressive and lethargic after Stephen Gerrard’s goal in the first game. Not only is this exciting because of my nationality, but the U.S. team really seems to play a positive brand of football with a minimum of diving and acting, which is a style of play I tend to support.

The more interesting game from a neutral standpoint is the England/Slovenia match. England is a team full of stars that has been underperforming thus far, looking disorganized and lacking leadership. Slovenia, on the other hand, is lending credence to the idea that teams who work together and work hard can do better than teams full of talent, as they are generally sound defensively and have taken advantage of opponents’ mistakes. Their run may end if they meet a team with more skill that can, you know, keep their back line intact (I’m looking at you, Oguchi Onyewu), but they’re certainly a good story and I have to say I’ll be pulling for them (it doesn’t hurt that England didn’t select anyone from my favorite English Premier League team, and includes stars from rivals Chelsea and Manchester United).

Scenarios? If Slovenia wins or draws, they’re in. If they lose, they’d need the U.S. to lose or draw. England needs to win, or draw and hope for a U.S. loss.

Group D: Serbia v. Australia, Germany v. Ghana, 2:30 PM
It’s unfortunate for Ghana that they could only manage a draw against Australia, as now they have to play Germany and, unless they win, will need help from Australia to advance. Unless Germany has a player sent off, they’re likely to win handily, as they are one of the best teams in the tournament. That would give them the inside track to win the group, as they have a much better differential than Serbia (the other contender). If Ghana can draw, Germany could miss out on the second round altogether with a Serbia win, so look for the Germans to play hard.

Australia looked like a tough team coming in, and have turned in two nearly opposite performances. I wrote them off after their game with Germany, as they looked quite bad, but it now seems likely that Germany just played very well, as Australia was able to draw Ghana with only ten men. But because of their awful game against Germany, Australia will need to win, hope Germany wins, and make up the five-goal difference between them and Ghana to advance. They’re a long shot.

I think the World Cup is nearly perfectly paced. They cram 48 games into the first two weeks, and while there are many story lines woven among them, it’s tough to catch them all without taking a vacation, and you don’t need to since they’re not all great and important games. But as time goes on, the games become more important and fewer, with more time to rest, analyze, and plan your next trip to the bar to cheer. By July 11, the vuvuzelas will be at full volume.

June 15 2010
by tnib

My World Cup Viewing Schedule: Part 2

The World Cup has begun, and while few of the games thus far can be described as “classic,” it has been very enjoyable unless you’re Glenn Beck, or if a little buzzing makes you freak out. (Note: this is why the rest of the world makes fun of the United States.) So let’s get to more excitement.

There were few surprises until today when Switzerland beat Spain, throwing a wrench into that group. Now that the groups’ second games have started, we’ll start to get a better picture of which games matter and which don’t, but I’ll still let you know what I’m planning to watch at this moment in time.

Thursday, June 17
7:30 AM ET: South Korea v. Argentina
I didn’t watch South Korea’s first match, given that it was before I woke up on a Saturday, but from what I can see in their highlights and stats, they pretty much dominated Greece. That said, Argentina is a much stronger opponent and looked strong in their 1-0 victory over Nigeria, which would have been 3- or 4-0 if not for some great goalkeeping. This could end up being a battle for top of the group and should be a good game, so DVR it.

10:00 AM: Nigeria v. Greece
Nigeria has a mountain to climb, but they can still recover from their loss to Argentina with a good showing in the other two games. Losing by just one point helped for sure, as this is the kind of tight group I could see coming down to goal differential* or even further tiebreakers. Nigeria has much more quality than Greece though, so Skip this one.

*The tiebreaker after the group stages are, in order: 1. Goal differential. 2. Number of goals scored. 3. Points in head-to-head games, 4. Goal difference in head-to-head games, 5. Drawing of lots. I don’t think it has ever happened, and it would be difficult for it to happen, but how much would it suck to miss out on the next round due to the drawing of lots? With only three games in the first round it does seem possible at the very least—say if two teams tied their head-to-head game, lost one other game 2-1, and won the final game 2-1.

2:30 PM: Mexico v. France
This is an important game, especially for France. Both Mexico and France have one point, but since France didn’t score against Uruguay and Mexico scored once against South Africa, Mexico currently holds the edge if Mexico and France were to draw in this game (confused yet?). Uruguay is leading the group in points and goal differential, so they look to be the front-runners…unless they lose to Mexico, of course. In any case, both Mexico and France will be looking to put their underwhelming first game behind them. Watch this one.

Friday, June 18
7:30 AM: Serbia v. Germany
Germany was very strong in their first game (though Australia was also incredibly disappointing), and Serbia were probably slightly outplayed by Ghana and lost on a penalty kick. While Serbia is likely stronger than Australia I think the Germans will cruise here. They’re fun to watch, but I’m not going to get up early. Skip.

10:00 AM: USA v. Slovenia
While the USA drew their match with England on the English keeper’s mistake, I felt that after the first goal they allowed, the USA had a great game and fully deserved a goal. My Man of the Match was right-back Steve Cherundulo. I’ll certainly be watching this one, though I don’t really know anything about Slovenia.

2:30 PM: Algeria v. England
England is fun to watch, even if I dislike most of their players for their roles on their English club teams, and they may need this game to keep pace with the rest of the group. I’m going to watch Manny’s return to Fenway that evening, so I may have to leave early, but I’ll try to watch this one.

Saturday, June 19
7:30 AM: Japan v. Netherlands
Japan won their first World Cup match outside of Asia, so good for them. I’ll DVR this and hope the Netherlands can take care of business.

10:00 AM: Australia v. Ghana
I know they just run the matches pretty much in alphabetical order of the groups, but you’d think they could come up with something better for this slot than this game. The Socceroos need to greatly improve on their awful showing against Germany, but I really doubt they will, especially with Tim Cahill suspended due to a red card. Skip.

2:30 PM: Denmark v. Cameroon
I thought Denmark played pretty well against the Netherlands, but if they don’t get the three points here they’ll likely miss out on the next round. I was disappointed with Cameroon’s showing, so hopefully they can improve upon that. I’ll check this one out. Watch.

Sunday, June 20
7:30 AM: Paraguay v. Slovakia
I don’t know anything about either of these teams. Paraguay did play quite well against Italy, but they were helped by Italy playing defensively. Since Slovakia tied their game against New Zealand, I’d have to favor Paraguay in this one. But it’s still not an attractive match. Skip.

10:00 AM: New Zealand v. Italy
I don’t expect New Zealand to even attempt an attack. This’ll be a stinker. Skip.

2:30 PM: Brazil v. Ivory Coast
This game should make up for the previous two lackluster games on Sunday. The Ivorians didn’t score against Portugal, but they also received only 25 ineffective minutes from their best player, Dider Drogba. If he has recovered more from his broken arm, he should be able to help and maybe the Ivory Coast can pull off a surprise. In any case, Brazil is a great team to watch and it should be fun seeing them attempt to break down the Elephantine defense. (See what I did there?)

Monday, June 21
7:30 AM: North Korea v. Portugal
North Korea played a very defensive game against Brazil, and Brazil wasn’t able to break through until the 55th minute. Expect more of that against another talented team offensively, and another snoozer. Skip.

10:00 AM: Switzerland v. Chile
Switzerland didn’t have the better of the game against Spain, but they played excellent defense and got a surprise goal to pull off the win. I doubt their luck can hold out two games in a row, but Chile isn’t quite Spain either. Watch this one, as this group is really anyone’s for the taking.

2:30 PM: Honduras v. Spain
Well, Honduras probably won’t take the group, but who knows? I’ll note that Spain only brought on Cesc Fabregas as a sub in the early parts of the European tournament in 2008, but when it became apparent he was their most dynamic player they started playing him more and more and he won them the tournament. I am not sure why, two years later, they forgot that, given he has only improved in his games with Arsenal since then, especially his goal-scoring. If he spends the entirety of this game on the bench, it will be a mistake. DVR this.

There’s my schedule for the second set of group play matches. Hopefully we’ll see a few more surprises that will make the final set even better.

Photo courtesy of whatleydude via Creative Commons License

June 10 2010
by tnib

My World Cup Viewing Schedule: Part 1

As you have probably heard by now, the World Cup begins tomorrow in South Africa. While these games are mainly in prime time in that country, plus I imagine most of South Africans are taking a one-month vacation, unfortunately those of us with normal jobs here in the U.S. must pick and choose which matches to skip, DVR, or take off work for. Here’s one fan’s schedule:

Friday, June 11
10 AM, EDT: South Africa v. Mexico
This is the first game of the tournament, and will certainly be full of fanfare, neat ceremonies, and pretty colors, and the home fans are sure to be pumped up. But unless you’re Mexican, it won’t be much fun to watch as the home team is likely to lose. (They’re not very good.)
Verdict? DVR

2:30 PM: France v. Uruguay
France is far removed from its championship team of 2002, and only made the Cup on the strength of Thierry Henry’s hand. As an Arsenal fan, I’ll always watch them as long as Diaby, Gallas, Clichy, Henry, and Sagna are on the squad, but I don’t expect them to go too far in this tournament. Uruguay is even worse, though, so France should cruise.
Verdict? Skip

Saturday, June 12
7:30 AM: Greece v. South Korea
Greece isn’t particularly good and plays a negative defensive style. South Korea hasn’t won a game away from Asian soil. Oh yeah, and the game is at 7:30 AM on a weekend. Skip.

10 AM: Nigeria v. Argentina
Can Nigeria put up a challenge to Argentina? They didn’t qualify in 2006, but did make the knockout round twice in the 90s. Argentina certainly has plenty of talent, including the best player in the world, Lionel Messi, but it’s still a big question whether they can put that together. But what else are you doing on Saturday morning? Here’s an excuse to go out to your favorite pub for breakfast and a Guinness. Watch.

2:30 PM: USA v. England
Hopefully you didn’t go anywhere after securing your spot in the bar for the morning game, because here’s the marquee matchup of the group stages. There’s enough coverage of this elsewhere, so I won’t go into great detail, but suffice to say you should be sure not to drink TOO many Guinnesses (and definitely don’t switch to the whiskey yet) so you’ll be reasonably coherent for this game. Can’t miss.

Sunday, June 13
7:30 AM: Slovenia v. Algeria
FIFA did a good job of scheduling the matches of interest to the Western Hemisphere later in the day. This would be of some interest to USA fans as both teams are in their group, meaning they’ll likely need to beat one of them to advance, but neither are expected to advance. DVR.

10 AM: Ghana v. Serbia
I have some interest in African teams, and Serbia has some impressive players, but either team progressing very far would be a surprise. Serbia didn’t win a game in 2006, and Ghana made it through a tough group into the round of 16 but was then beaten by Brazil 3-0. With Ghana’s best player, Michael Essien out, they can’t have much chance. I’ll probably watch this, but only because it’s a Sunday. Watch.

2:30 PM: Australia v. Germany
Germany is a favorite to win it all, but have suffered a spade of key injuries and have a goaltending question. The Socceroos were one of my favorite teams from 2006 because I felt they showed a lot of heart, not to mention they rarely, if ever, dived. This may not be close but should be a hard-fought game, with potential for a great one. It should be positive, skilled soccer and a showcase for those American fans who think soccer players are a bunch of whiners. Watch.

Monday, June 14
7:30 AM: Denmark v. Netherlands
Here’s where it gets tricky. Unless you have Flag Day off, you’re going to have to go to work during this game. Now, maybe you can roll in an hour late and catch the whole thing. But probably not. So you’re going to have to make some decisions. Anyone who thinks soccer is boring NEEDS to watch the Netherlands play and should definitely DVR this match, even though they’ll likely beat Denmark. The Dutch have plenty of skill and play a very exciting attacking style, and coming from the traditions of total football they have players who can make runs and score from every position. While one of their most dynamic players, Arjen Robben, is battling a hamstring injury and may not play in this match, they’ll certainly have enough quality without him in Wesley Sneijder, Robin van Persie, and Dirk Kuyt to make it through to the group stage, where if they are playing well they can wreak havoc on even the best defenses.

10:00 AM: Cameroon v. Japan
Cameroon is again a strong African team, and has suffered fewer injuries than Ghana, so I think they have a good chance to advance in a weak Group E. Japan is somewhat of a question mark, as like South Korea they received a huge home advantage when they hosted the World Cup, and haven’t won a World Cup match outside of their home soil. Cameroon is a team to watch, but not in this match. Skip.

2:30 PM: Paraguay v. Italy
Italy is a great team, regardless of some of Lippi’s questionable roster choices. They’ll win this game easily. Skip it.

Tuesday, June 15
7:30 AM: Slovakia v. New Zealand
Oh man. New Zealand is bad. They’ve only made one World Cup previous to this one, and two of the players on their roster aren’t even on a pro team. Only nine play outside of Australia. Slovakia isn’t very good either, as this is their first World Cup. Regardless of who wins, neither is advancing. Skip.


10 AM: Portugal v. Ivory Coast
This should be a great game. Even though Ivory Coast star Didier Drogba broke his arm and is questionable for this match, Ivory Coast has some solid players and should provide a tough matchup for Portugal. While Portugal has Cristiano Ronaldo, they had to defeat Bosnia and Herzegovina in a playoff to qualify for the World Cup and this game could go either way. DVR.

2:30 PM: Korea DPR v. Brazil
While no one is quite sure what to expect from North Korea, it’s fair to assume they won’t beat Brazil. Skip this one.

Wednesday, June 16
7:30 AM: Chile v. Honduras
Some think Honduras could surprise, but Chile will likely prevail. The race for second place in group H should come down to Switzerland and Chile. This is far too early to get excited for. Skip.

10:00 AM: Spain v. Switzerland
Spain is one of the most dynamic teams in this World Cup, as well as one of the healthiest. They won Euro 2008 with Cesc Fabregas only playing as a sub. He’s now two years older and though he’s returning from a broken leg, he has shown a lot more poise and leadership in his last two years at Arsenal. Like, for example, in his last game he scored a penalty on the aforementioned broken leg. I’m going to make it a point to watch all of Spain’s games this year. DVR.

2:30 PM: Uruguay v. South Africa
Ouch. The two weaker teams of one of the weakest groups face off here. Skip it.

That should allow you to plan your schedule out for the next week. Be sure to set your DVR and watch these pages for more recommended games. I’ll take you through the rest of the group stages soon.

Photo courtesy of Brion Vibber via Creative Commons License

Themed by Hunson and Five Gorillas