Brazil Wins Group

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Since Brazil wins the group with no problems with a draw against classic rival Portugal of a score of 0 - 0, it gave some inconveniences for the team leaded by Dunga. Brazil's coach seemed very angry at his team while they had full control of the game but never managed to score a single goal that would have led the victory over Portugal. with this result, the Brazilian national team has been unbeaten with 7 points and advance to the next round of 16 and will face Chile, the other South American team. While Portugal managed to stay in the second spot facing the favorite Spain in the next round. The other teams in the group, Ivory Coast and North Korea were eliminated for the tournament. At the beginning of the match, the Brazilian national team was met with a powerful and offensive Portugal that gave it all in the game with the man of the match being Cristiano Ronaldo putting the Jabulani everywhere in the field.

Portugal was very closed during the match was determined to counterattack from over the field, giving the Brazil's national team a hard time to penetrate the solid defense led by Ricardo Carvalho. Brazil had fresh new faces in the starting lineup with Nilmar, Grafite and Ramires, which they never had the vocational offense expected from Dunga. Julio Baptista, player from Italy's A.S. Roma, substituted Kaká, which he was suspended one game due to accumulation of yellow cards in this tournament. Dani Alves was also another substitute for Elano, recuperating from an injury and Nilmar for Robinho, due to physical fatigue, so the coach gave him a day of rest. Nilmar seemed lost in game but the only attack that he had was he aimed for the goal but that was it, Baptista is not in his best feature but he didn't have any glory, lacking ambition and Alves seemed very incisive in his game, creating much opportunities for score for the strikers but it wasn't the same as Elano's game.

Dunga seemed very nervous throughout the match and looked at the errors committed by his players that almost ceded the victory for Portugal. The Brazilian national team missed Kaká's and Robinho's abilities, but Luis Fabiano did not appear as a striker seemed very uneffective in this match. The advantage is that Brazil will have Kaká and Robinho for the next match in the round of 16 against the one and only Chile. While Brazil also awaits the return of Elano, suffering from a bad injury.

Italy's Disaster

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Italy showed the world the European crisis that most of the powerful teams of this continent are suffering in this 2010 FIFA World Cup by losing 3 - 2 to Slovakia and was eliminated in the group stage four years after their conquest into winning the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Italy's luck came about the same with France, their rival in Germany 2006, in which the Italian team were last in their group, without winning a single game. This situation was similar when France was World Cup Champion in France 1998 and were eliminated in Korea/Japan in 2002 in the group stage. The match was based on much control from both sides, but lacking the occassions to open the score were very minimal and not much luck over the ticking time. In the 15 minute Daniele De Rossi made a huge mistake when he received a pass from a teammate, which the Slovakians took advantage and midfielder Juraj Kucka took advantage and intercepted the ball so that he passed to striker Robert Vittek as he kicked the ball, Marchetti couldn't make the save so the Slovakians were in front of the score of 1 - 0.

With this result, many were mouth opening about what is going on, so in the second half, Italian coach Marcelo Lippi substituted midfielder and the brain of the team Andrea Pirlo for striker Fabio Quagliarella. With the substitutes under Marcelo Lippi's command, Italy controlled most of the match and seemed to be waken up from the nightmare they were suffering and the reaction was incredible by putting three forwards to widen and to score as fast as possible by pressuring the rival more and more, but since as the match became pressured by the Italians, the second goal was scored for Slovakia with a distraction from Italian defender Chiellini and then to put the 2 - 0. When everything seemed impossible, Italy never gave up and put up a big fight at the 81 minute when Antonio Di Natale intercepted a rejection from the Slovakians and scored in the area for the 2 - 1. Italy tried their best to attack from all sides, left, right, and center, but it seemed impossible, but at the 89 minute, Slovakian midfielder Kamil Kopunek surprised everyone with a bad positioned Italian defense to sentence the 3 - 1 score with a fast lateral exit and beated goalkeeper Marchetti. Then, Di Natale surprised out of nowhere with a shot outside the goal area to define the final score of 3 - 2.

This will be always known as one of the biggest upset in World Cup history.

England or Germany?

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Germany has consolidated to be one of the most powerful in international soccer, they were well aware that they were determined to win the group and advance to the next round and they did. with this proud Germany did not think twice and went all out in their offense and in search to open the score against a Ghana that did not put up a fight with the Germans. With this score of 1 - 0 against Ghana, Germany is then the winner of Group D, and will be facing its worst enemy yet, the one and only England. This will be an instant classic match between the two, now that the two have a long history with their soccer over the decades of the World Cups. If either countries move forward to the next round, they will be facing either Argentina or Mexico in the quarterfinals.

The Germans stayed in the top of Group D along with Ghana, now with this they will be facing England and the United States respectively in the round of 16. Germany stay true to the results and showed the world as favorites to win the tournament with determination and teamwork. The Germans goal was to achieve the impossible and they did it, but they did it with less clarity, but it seemed clear to what the Germans were trying to do. The Germans had many occassions to widen even more the score but Ghana was defensive and attentive to the Germans' counter attacks. Mesut Oezil scored at the 60 minute the opening score for the Germans with a great longshot from outside the box, giving a minimum advantage due to the fact that Ghana's defense appeared much distracted.

The first half was much favored for both teams because they were easily aimed at scoring in each other's nets, and both teams had very much chances to widen or to open the scores. Ghana's goalkeeper became a nightmare for the Germans for much of the first half, with an effective safe from Germany's counter attack that Oezil did. While for Ghana, as they were about to score, Germany's captain Philipp Lahm managed to control striker Asamoah's intense header. Germany's chnces to score were very clear and effective, but they did not make it through the net, with Oezil as the attacks organization, Bastian Schweinsteiger as the leader of the midfield, and Cacau as the point striker. Germany has never been eliminated in the group stage, managed to stay alive in this tournament and show the world what Germany is about with a compact team that only looks to defend and to attack at the right time, and its maintaining a rythm according to coach Joachim Loew's philosophy of Germany's playing identity.

Uruguay, Silent World Cup Champion?

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Uruguay defeated Mexico 1 - 0 and both qualify to the next stage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where they will be facing South Korea and Argentina respectively. The Uruguay team were in front of the scoreboard with an intense header from an excellent assist from Edinson Cavani that attempted to the center from the right and Suarez was there with no one marking and led the team to victory and won the group A stage. The Uruguayans came to the World Cup with a famous double striking offense with Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez leading the attack for the South American team. But, with this all talk about Uruguay, the defense has been the most solid in this tournament, they went through the group stage without scoring any goals against the men coached by Oscar Tabarez. With the results of a tie with France 0 - 0, victory over host nation South Africa 3 - 0, and win over Mexico 1 - 0.

The last time that Uruguay was champion of the World Cup was in 1930 and in 1950, and during those times Uruguay was never scored against any team in those World Cups and will they be the champions? We can only hope that this World Cup is definitely for the South American continent. Meanwhile, in the streets of the capital of Uruguay, Montevideo, thousands of fans were celebrating the victory over the Mexican team. With this result, Uruguay managed to win Group A in over 20 years that the South American team couldn't go into the next round. Now, the Mexicans had a sweet and sour pass to the next round, but they are hoping for a miracle because they will be facing Argentina in the next round. These two teams have a history because in 2006, Argentina defeated Mexico with a score of 2 - 1 during the extra time given after tying 1 - 1 in the second half in the round of 16.

Argentina was the third Hispanic team to advance to the next round after defeating Greece 2 - 0 with goals from Martin Demichelis and Martin Palermo. If Uruguay eliminate South Korea and advance to the quarterfinals, they will be facing the winner of Group C with the Group D runner up. The last time that Uruguay managed to go through the quarterfinals was in Mexico in 1970. In my opinion, Uruguay will be the great revelation of this tournament, because they will win the World Cup, so that in 2014 they will return to the final with Brazil and rematch the famous "Maracanazo" in which Brazil is then Champion in 2014.

Chile Defeats Switzerland's Unbeaten Streak

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Chile, one of the best South American teams, defeated Switzerland 1 - 0 and it gave them one step to the knockout round of 16, the match held in the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Port Elizabeth. The only scored goal in the match was made by Chilean striker Mark Gonzalez in the 75 minute with a fantastic header that the goalie seemed impossible to save, by the assist of Esteban Paredes, which he substituted Matias Fernandez. This goal beaten the record of Switzerland's scoreless streak of 551 minutes for the team in World Cups. The plans for coach, Marcelo Bielsa, very much was taken advantage of the explusion by red card for the Swiss player Valon Behrami, who made a foul against Arturo Vidal. This controversial decision from referee Saudi Arabia's Khalil Al Ghamdi, gave Behrami a direct red card due to a physical contact with his arms against Chilean polifunctional player Vidal.

The match was very organized and very much called for many fouls for the Chileans, which gained six yellow cards for the players, especially Carlos Carmona and Matias Fernandez that they will not play against Spain on Friday. There were much goal occassions for both teams to score and to widen the result, but many shots fired on target were erratic impossible to gain any goals and the saves from Swiss player Diego Benaglio upset the Chilean possibilities to widen the score a little bit more. Switzerland established an eye opening record of 551 minutes without any goals scored from the rival teams in the World Cup, overcoming Italy's record of 550 minutes in the World Cup in 1986 and 1990. The last time that Switzerland lost was in the World Cup in 1994 3 - 0 against Spain. This is Chile's second consecutive victory in a World Cup, the last time there was a victory for Chile was in 1962 when they hosted the World Cup at the time.

Awaken Victory

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The "Joga Bonito" style that Brazil exhibits in front of thousands of fans may not glow and demonstrate the ability of the Brazilian cracks, but it has taken us to realize Brazil is destined to go far in this 2010 FIFA World Cup. Brazil stamped their presence in the knockout stage against the African powerful Ivory Coast. Brazil did not brighten up their tactical abilities and did not woo the fans, but the Brazilian team reassured that this is the new and renovated Brazil whenever you like it or not. With this result, it made Brazil walk the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg with a slight breeze. The Brazilian offensive strikers went all out in search for many goals to show the world that they are capable to lift up the World Cup title on July 11 with pride.

Dunga proposed a very aggressive scheme that used the potency of their players to the maximum in an intense match that measured the team's level when it came to defensive and the offense. Brazil's goals were from Luis Fabiano at the 24 and 50 minute, while Elano marked the third goal, but Chelsea's Didier Drogba scored the honor goal. Luis Fabiano ended his dry scoring abilities in six matches, it has been a while since we have seen him showing the audience a spectacular show. Kaká has demonstrated a low level, but with a couple passes managed to change the course of the match rapidly. The first goal was made thanks to the assisting pass from Robinho that developed into the feet of both Kaká and Luis Fabiano, making them understand each other of their way of playing the "Joga Bonito".

The second goal was made excellent play by Luis Fabiano in which made the defenders from Ivory Coast looked like they were expecting Brazil's fantastic way of playing with the stopped balls. Then, Elano scored the third and final goal of the match with a center from Kaká that developed into Elano's great play to date. Aside from Elano's injury, he was replaced by Dani Alves, Kaká was given a red card due to aggressive behavior against an Ivory Coast player. If Brazil wins first in Group G, they will face the second runner up of Group H, who at the moment in Switzerland. But if Brazil comes in second place, they will face the winner of Group H, which at the moment in Chile.

Big Win for the Netherlands

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Without their star player Arjen Robben, a disappointing Holland managed to gain a glorious victory over Japan with a score of 1 - 0 made by Inter's player Wesley Sneijder. With this result, the "orange" team managed to put a place in the knockout round of 16 of this edition of the World Cup. Robin Van Persie made an assisting long pass after a corner kick, leaving Sneijder to be the man at the right place at the right time in the 53 minute. Japan's goalie pushed the ball after Sneijder kicked it ferociously making it impossible for the Japanese goalie to save. Many of the critics blamed the Jabulani ball for its various movements when it comes to measure the distance of shots but maybe it dribbled around a different direction.

Holland was very low in their game level, showing the lack of talent and the ability to demonstrate a showy game. Without Robben, Holland is lacking in the ability to tactically penetrate the defense of any national team that faces Holland. Robben, injured before the World Cup start, has been recuperating from an injury in his left leg. Japan's scheme alignment showed a very cautious but very attentive to the Deutch team making impossible for the rival players to offensively went through the defense. Many of the Dutch players touched the ball slightly making it useless to control the ball and the game, but the team opened several spaces that the japanese took advantage but Holland managed the result effectively.

Holland attacked regularly before the goal, with shots from Wesley Sneijder and Rafael Van Der Vart, but the japanese goalie had his eyes wide open and was very attentive with Holland's stopped ball tactic. After the goal, the game became intense for both sides, because it made Japan go forward and all out provoking several dangerous clear goal shots that could have been a tie. Robin Van Persie missed many situations of scoring a goal but he wasted and never took advantage of the different passes by their teammates.

Since Holland is leading Group E, which Denmark and Japan can reach 6 points, they will be facing Group F runner up integrated by Italy, Paraguay, Slovakia and New Zealand.