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olympicoscar
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The most wide open World Cup I've ever seen. Been watching one way or another since 1962.
Group A: Brazil would have to lose to Cameroon to be denied a Group of 16 berth. Despite all the upsets, can't see that happening. Mexico and Croatia would have to play to a draw for that to happen. That's possible. In that case Mexico would advance. Either Mexico or Croatia advances with a win. If Mexico wins Brazil automatically qualifies. Mexico has looked like the stronger team and should win.
Predictions: Brazil and Mexico
Group B: Real easy. Two teams have already qualified, Netherlands and Chile. This game is just a preliminary between two teams that can win the Cup if things go right for them.
Predictions: Netherlands and Chile in that order after they play to a tie.
Group C: Columbia has already made it to the next round. Japan is not physical enough to beat Columbia and Japan's best hope is for a draw. But since they need to win to advance, they will likely leave themselves open for quick strikes and Columbia should finish with 9 points to win the group. Greece just seems to be hanging on without much of an attack. Can't see any better than a tie with the Ivory Coast, but likely a loss.
Predictions: Columbia and Ivory Coast
Group D: What a group. England is already out. Costa Rica is already in. Impossible to have believed before the tournament started. I can see England winning this game if only for pride. Costa Rica has little to lose. Unless they lose bad, they're likely to top the group. That leaves Italy and Uruguay for the other spot. Uruguay looks like a different team with Luis Suarez. Italy needs only a tie to advance. I honestly think the Italians will be playing for a tie, but that's usually fatal. I like Uruguay to beat Italy and advance.
Predictions: Costa Rica and Uruguay
Group E: France is all but in with 6 points. They play Ecuador and neither team is a sure thing. France would have to lose this game by a few goals and Switzerland would have to beat Honduras also by a large margin. Both are not likely to happen. Even Honduras has a chance if they really beat Switzerland by a large margin. This leaves this group wide open. I'll count Honduras out. Nothing they've done has convinced me that they will win a game. If Switzerland gets even a draw, if forces Ecuador to win to advance. Real difficult to call this one.
Predictions: France and Switzerland
Group F: Argentina is already through and Bosnia is out. That leaves it up to Nigeria and Iran. Iran could advance with a win over Bosnia, which is possible. Nothing less than a win would save them. They play great defense. Nigeria needs a point against Argentina and if Argentina rests some players, that's also possible. Tough one to call, but Iran lacks a decent offense, therefore I can't see them winning against Bosnia.
Predictions: Argentina and Nigeria
Group G: If Germany and US draw, then both advance. Would Germany rest it's star players. Not likely since they haven't made it through. A draw is the best the US can hope for. Germany would win the group with a draw. Portugal is in a bad position. Goal differential is the enemy. The 4-0 loss to Germany is a killer. They must beat Ghana to have any chance and Ghana also must beat Portugal for them to have any chance. Ghana is likely favorite, but neither is a sure thing. US must be careful if they lose to Germany because of goal differential which is only 2 at this point. Anything can happen when these 4 teams meet.
Predictions: Germany and US.
Group H: Belgium is through to the next round. Russia plays Algeria and must win to advance. This seems like the most likely scenario. If South Korea beats Belgium by a larger margin, they would advance instead of Russia. Algeria could draw against Russia and advance, assuming that So Korea loses. A lot of possibilities here. Hard to believe that Algeria can finish second.
Predictions: Belgium and Russia
Who plays who if my predictions are correct.
Brazil vs Chile
Columbia vs Uruguay
Netherlands vs Mexico
Costa Rica vs Ivory Coast
France vs Nigeria
Germany vs Russia
Argentina vs Switzerland
Belgium vs USA
Just a hunch, but I'll pick Argentina to win the cup. European teams don't do well in South America.
Group A: Brazil would have to lose to Cameroon to be denied a Group of 16 berth. Despite all the upsets, can't see that happening. Mexico and Croatia would have to play to a draw for that to happen. That's possible. In that case Mexico would advance. Either Mexico or Croatia advances with a win. If Mexico wins Brazil automatically qualifies. Mexico has looked like the stronger team and should win.
Predictions: Brazil and Mexico
Group B: Real easy. Two teams have already qualified, Netherlands and Chile. This game is just a preliminary between two teams that can win the Cup if things go right for them.
Predictions: Netherlands and Chile in that order after they play to a tie.
Group C: Columbia has already made it to the next round. Japan is not physical enough to beat Columbia and Japan's best hope is for a draw. But since they need to win to advance, they will likely leave themselves open for quick strikes and Columbia should finish with 9 points to win the group. Greece just seems to be hanging on without much of an attack. Can't see any better than a tie with the Ivory Coast, but likely a loss.
Predictions: Columbia and Ivory Coast
Group D: What a group. England is already out. Costa Rica is already in. Impossible to have believed before the tournament started. I can see England winning this game if only for pride. Costa Rica has little to lose. Unless they lose bad, they're likely to top the group. That leaves Italy and Uruguay for the other spot. Uruguay looks like a different team with Luis Suarez. Italy needs only a tie to advance. I honestly think the Italians will be playing for a tie, but that's usually fatal. I like Uruguay to beat Italy and advance.
Predictions: Costa Rica and Uruguay
Group E: France is all but in with 6 points. They play Ecuador and neither team is a sure thing. France would have to lose this game by a few goals and Switzerland would have to beat Honduras also by a large margin. Both are not likely to happen. Even Honduras has a chance if they really beat Switzerland by a large margin. This leaves this group wide open. I'll count Honduras out. Nothing they've done has convinced me that they will win a game. If Switzerland gets even a draw, if forces Ecuador to win to advance. Real difficult to call this one.
Predictions: France and Switzerland
Group F: Argentina is already through and Bosnia is out. That leaves it up to Nigeria and Iran. Iran could advance with a win over Bosnia, which is possible. Nothing less than a win would save them. They play great defense. Nigeria needs a point against Argentina and if Argentina rests some players, that's also possible. Tough one to call, but Iran lacks a decent offense, therefore I can't see them winning against Bosnia.
Predictions: Argentina and Nigeria
Group G: If Germany and US draw, then both advance. Would Germany rest it's star players. Not likely since they haven't made it through. A draw is the best the US can hope for. Germany would win the group with a draw. Portugal is in a bad position. Goal differential is the enemy. The 4-0 loss to Germany is a killer. They must beat Ghana to have any chance and Ghana also must beat Portugal for them to have any chance. Ghana is likely favorite, but neither is a sure thing. US must be careful if they lose to Germany because of goal differential which is only 2 at this point. Anything can happen when these 4 teams meet.
Predictions: Germany and US.
Group H: Belgium is through to the next round. Russia plays Algeria and must win to advance. This seems like the most likely scenario. If South Korea beats Belgium by a larger margin, they would advance instead of Russia. Algeria could draw against Russia and advance, assuming that So Korea loses. A lot of possibilities here. Hard to believe that Algeria can finish second.
Predictions: Belgium and Russia
Who plays who if my predictions are correct.
Brazil vs Chile
Columbia vs Uruguay
Netherlands vs Mexico
Costa Rica vs Ivory Coast
France vs Nigeria
Germany vs Russia
Argentina vs Switzerland
Belgium vs USA
Just a hunch, but I'll pick Argentina to win the cup. European teams don't do well in South America.
