Every team in the World Cup now has one game under their belts, and unsurprisingly, some teams are pleased with where they currently stand, while others are scratching their heads wondering what they're going to have to do in order to move on. Let's take a look at the first set of group play games, and what we might be able to expect from this point forward.
Team That Should Be Most Pleased With Their Performance
South Africa
Not very many people were giving the South Africans a chance in this group, but after their 1-1 draw with Mexico in the World Cup opener, the Bafana Bafana are right in the thick of things. If they can manage to pull off a shocker against Uruguay (which is being played currently), then South Africa may be able to extend their stay in this tournament. At any rate, still being in the hunt has given the home fans something to cheer about, which is good for the country as a whole.
Outlook: They still have a lot of work to do; a tie against Mexico was great for the morale of the team and country, but they will have to get a win against either Uruguay or France to feel good about their chances of moving on. Obviously, getting a win today against Uruguay seems like the easier route. I'd like to see it happen, but I wouldn't put money on it.
Team That Should Be Least Pleased With Their Performance
Spain
They didn't play a terrible game (nothing went their way today), but the co-favorites to win this tournament should be very disappointed with the result. Switzerland goalie Diego Benaglio played an excellent game, but Spain had a plethora of chances, and just didn't capitalize on them. Apparently, the pressure of being the favorites did affect Spain a little bit.
Outlook: This probably won't prevent Spain from moving on, but they no longer have the cushion that I'm sure they thought they'd have at this point. They should be able to take care of Honduras, so the game against Chile (who already has three points) will be the crucial game. The Spanish will definitely be rooting for a tie in the Switzerland vs. Chile game so that Spain will be able to gain some ground on the leaders. If Spain uses this as motivation, they should be fine.
Best Game So Far
Slovakia vs. New Zealand (ended in a 1-1 tie)
It's a shame that many people were not even awake in the U.S. to watch this game, because it definitely defined the term "last minute drama". Down 1-0 with two minutes in extra time already gone, New Zealand fullback (yes, fullback) Winston Reid saved the day for the Kiwis by heading in a goal in the 93rd minute. It's the first point ever scored by New Zealand in a World Cup, and it could very well be their last for awhile. Regardless, it's still great, and a must see if you haven't seen it yet.
While much of ESPN's (and this blog's) attention has been focused on the World Cup, there has been a lot of other worthy sports stories to talk about. The biggest non-soccer headline today is that Michigan State coach Tom Izzo has decided not to take the Cleveland Cavaliers head coaching job. I think that this was a good decision on Izzo's part. Sure, in the NBA he could have made more than twice the amount of money that he is currently making, but along with the extra money comes a whole new set of headaches that you don't have as a college coach. One of those headaches is dealing with the players. In college, the coaches actually coach. In the NBA, coaches essentially babysit and make sure everyone plays nice with each other. Even if Lebron were to stay and Izzo were to take the Cavaliers coaching job, Lebron would still be the de facto coach of the team. Izzo is the kind of guy who wants to actually coach kids make them better. The NBA is not that kind of game, so I think it was a wise decision by Izzo to stay in East Lansing.
Tomorrow is the start of the U.S. Open, and for the first time in a very long time, Tiger Woods isn't the overwhelming favorite to win. Golf needs Tiger back. I know that the World Cup is kind of overshadowing it, but the U.S. Open has been getting very little media attention. It's being played at Pebble Beach, possibly the most revered golf course in the United States other than Augusta National, and even that isn't getting as many people as usual excited. We've been through this before, and we're going through it again; golf needs Tiger Woods on his game to get the casual fan interested. It's not enough for Tiger to be in the tournament anymore; now he needs to be in the hunt for the win for people to tune in. For golf's sake, I hope he does well this weekend.
For whatever reason, the polls don't seem to be working. Maybe it's just my computer, so if it's also a problem for all you guys, please let me know so that I can try and get it fixed. Thanks everyone.
- K. Becks
Showing posts with label new zealand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new zealand. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
World Cup Preview: Groups E and F
In today's news, Rafael Nadal won his fifth French Open by defeating Robin Soderling of Sweden. Soderling beat Nadal at last year's French Open, so this is actually bigger news that most would think (in other words, Nadal was not the hands down favorite in this year's match). It is clear that Nadal is healthy now, which raises the question "can he challenge Federer at Wimbledon?" The answer to that question will come in a few weeks, when that tournament begins. As for the Memorial Tournament, the fan favorite and always colorfully dressed Rickie Fowler couldn't quite pull off the win. It was a valiant effort however, and he made sure that people will know his name from here on out with his great play this weekend, as well as his unique wardrobes throughout the tournament.
Now, onto my World Cup Groups E and F preview.
Group E
Teams: Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon
Match to Watch
Netherlands vs. Cameroon (Thursday, June 24th)
With Dutch star Arjen Robben's health now in question, this game could be huge. The Netherlands are favored to win this group, but without a healthy Robben, it gets a lot more interesting, with both Cameroon and Denmark capable of pulling off an upset against the Dutch. Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o makes everything exciting, and without Robben, the Dutch give away an offensive advantage that would make them the overwhelming favorite in this game.
Player to Watch
Samuel Eto'o, Cameroon
Eto'o is good, and he knows he's good. He will demand the ball in lots of key situations, and for good reason. He is the top goal scorer on the team, and is one of the best strikers in the world. If his team can get him the ball with room to work, then he will definitely produce some goals worthy of ESPN's highlight reel. Cameroon needs Eto'o to do well if they want to advance to the knockout round.
Final Standings
1. Netherlands- Whether or not Robben will be one hundred percent healthy is pure speculation at this point. With that being said, the Dutch are still the favorites to be atop the standings at the end of group play.
2. Cameroon- Cameroon has the potential to do very well in this year's World Cup, but they also could perform very poorly. Playing on their home continent will be a boost, but they will need Samuel Eto'o to score goals and hope that the defense doesn't give up too much.
3. Denmark- The Danes play a great team game. If their solid defense is too much for Eto'o and Cameroon to handle, then they have the possibility of moving on in this group instead of the Indomitable Lions.
4. Japan- Japan will need to hope that someone steps up as a scorer, because as of now, they don't have a go-to guy. With scoring happy Cameroon and the Netherlands in their group, it may be hard for Japan to keep up.
Group F
Teams: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia
Match to Watch
Italy vs. Slovakia (Thursday, June 24th)
It's the old vs. the new. Italy is likely the strongest team in this group, but is an older team. Slovakia is composed of young, quick players who will be energized in every match they play. This is the third game for both teams, so it's possible that Italy may want to rest its veteran players, giving Slovakia a chance to make this one interesting.
Player to Watch
Daniele De Rossi, Italy
There are no real "global stars" in this group, so taking one of the best players on arguably the best team in the group will usually give you a decent player to watch. De Rossi will create the chances that Italy's forwards get, and considering the opposition he will face, he may look better than he really is by the time the Round of 16 is set.
Final Standings
1. Italy- The Azzurri aren't the team they were in 2006, but they are still good enough to make it out of this relatively weak group. They will likely play around with their line-up a bit, because they still need to find answers to a few questions if they plan on making a deep run again.
2. Paraguay- Slovakia could be tough, but Paraguay should be able to move on. They are a tough, physical team, and will look to intimidate the young Slovakian team into making mistakes.
3. Slovakia- In four years, this team could be serious contenders at the World Cup. However, for now, their players lack the experience to move on to the next round. They will be an exciting team to watch, though.
4. New Zealand- They should just be happy to be in the World Cup. If they get more than one point in this World Cup, they should be commended for an outstanding effort.
- K. Becks
Now, onto my World Cup Groups E and F preview.
Group E
Teams: Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon
Match to Watch
Netherlands vs. Cameroon (Thursday, June 24th)
With Dutch star Arjen Robben's health now in question, this game could be huge. The Netherlands are favored to win this group, but without a healthy Robben, it gets a lot more interesting, with both Cameroon and Denmark capable of pulling off an upset against the Dutch. Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o makes everything exciting, and without Robben, the Dutch give away an offensive advantage that would make them the overwhelming favorite in this game.
Player to Watch
Samuel Eto'o, Cameroon
Eto'o is good, and he knows he's good. He will demand the ball in lots of key situations, and for good reason. He is the top goal scorer on the team, and is one of the best strikers in the world. If his team can get him the ball with room to work, then he will definitely produce some goals worthy of ESPN's highlight reel. Cameroon needs Eto'o to do well if they want to advance to the knockout round.
Final Standings
1. Netherlands- Whether or not Robben will be one hundred percent healthy is pure speculation at this point. With that being said, the Dutch are still the favorites to be atop the standings at the end of group play.
2. Cameroon- Cameroon has the potential to do very well in this year's World Cup, but they also could perform very poorly. Playing on their home continent will be a boost, but they will need Samuel Eto'o to score goals and hope that the defense doesn't give up too much.
3. Denmark- The Danes play a great team game. If their solid defense is too much for Eto'o and Cameroon to handle, then they have the possibility of moving on in this group instead of the Indomitable Lions.
4. Japan- Japan will need to hope that someone steps up as a scorer, because as of now, they don't have a go-to guy. With scoring happy Cameroon and the Netherlands in their group, it may be hard for Japan to keep up.
Group F
Teams: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia
Match to Watch
Italy vs. Slovakia (Thursday, June 24th)
It's the old vs. the new. Italy is likely the strongest team in this group, but is an older team. Slovakia is composed of young, quick players who will be energized in every match they play. This is the third game for both teams, so it's possible that Italy may want to rest its veteran players, giving Slovakia a chance to make this one interesting.
Player to Watch
Daniele De Rossi, Italy
There are no real "global stars" in this group, so taking one of the best players on arguably the best team in the group will usually give you a decent player to watch. De Rossi will create the chances that Italy's forwards get, and considering the opposition he will face, he may look better than he really is by the time the Round of 16 is set.
Final Standings
1. Italy- The Azzurri aren't the team they were in 2006, but they are still good enough to make it out of this relatively weak group. They will likely play around with their line-up a bit, because they still need to find answers to a few questions if they plan on making a deep run again.
2. Paraguay- Slovakia could be tough, but Paraguay should be able to move on. They are a tough, physical team, and will look to intimidate the young Slovakian team into making mistakes.
3. Slovakia- In four years, this team could be serious contenders at the World Cup. However, for now, their players lack the experience to move on to the next round. They will be an exciting team to watch, though.
4. New Zealand- They should just be happy to be in the World Cup. If they get more than one point in this World Cup, they should be commended for an outstanding effort.
- K. Becks
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