Countdown To Heaven On Earth

Six days until I rise at 6 to watch Mexico and South Africa kick off the 2010 World Cup, and I am brimming with excitement, even as some frailties on the part of the US defense make themselves evident, leaving me with a bad case of jitters about Wayne Rooney and the rest of the Three Lions.

Speaking of jitters, injuries to big-name players continue to mount, which has to add jitters to the stomachs of national team coaches. Rio Ferdinand, England captain and defensive anchor, down with an injury. Didier Drogba, for the Ivory Coast, broke his arm, and is most likely done for the tournament, although the federation hasn't yet confirmed. Andrea Pirlo for Italy is resting at home, although reports do not indicate that injury is severe enough to preclude his participation.

I think England will miss Ferdinand, although they should still win the group, much as I would love to see the US stage an upset. The Ivory Coast will surely miss Drogba, but I'm not going to change my picks at this point, and I think that they will find the goals to make up for his absence, but it could be that the loss will be insurmountable against Brazil and Portugal--not so much against North Korea, who lost the use of a striker for the tournament because they listed him as a goalkeeper on the official roster they submitted to FIFA.

And so I have completed my picks for the Group Stages, and it is on to the Round of 16!

ROUND OF 16

JUNE 26, 2010

WINNER OF GROUP A VERSUS RUNNER-UP OF GROUP B (MEXICO VERSUS NIGERIA)

There will be immense expectations on the shoulders of Nigeria to do well, and they should receive tremendous support. I would like to see them win. However, Mexico seems to be in fine form at the moment, with strong results in their recent friendlies (including being rated by many as the better side in their loss to England). Mexico is young and talented, and I think they get a 2-1 victory to advance to the quarterfinals and set off a heck of a lot of honking down the hill from my apartment on Mission Street.


WINNER OF GROUP C VERSUS RUNNER-UP OF GROUP D (ENGLAND VERSUS GERMANY)

Not where these two teams would have expected to meet, and the attention paid to this match will be high. The loss of Rio Ferdinand will be hard, and England will have to play at their sharpest against a German team that is consistently strong. But if the US is not going to win the World Cup, and I don't think it is quite our time yet, then I want England to win, so sentiment will shape this prediction of a 3-2 victory for England.


JUNE 27, 2010

WINNER OF GROUP D VERSUS RUNNER-UP OF GROUP C (GHANA VERSUS UNITED STATES)

The loss of Michael Essien for Ghana will make a difference in their battle with Germany for victory in the group, but Germany lost a corresponding midfielder named Michael (Ballack), so they cancel each other out, and I am sticking with Ghana as the surprise pick. And I see them taking the next step to the quarterfinals, as the US has shown too many flaws on defense. So I am afraid this would be the end of the road for the Americans. 1-0 for Ghana.

WINNER OF GROUP B VERSUS RUNNER-UP OF GROUP A (ARGENTINA VERSUS FRANCE)

Not the team for France to run into if they wanted to make a run to the quarterfinals. Leo Messi serves as an avenging angel for the Irish and puts France to the sword with a hat trick of spectacular goals. 3-0 Argentina.


To be continued tomorrow. . .