Spain 1-0 Portugal
A 63rd-minute David Villa goal proved enough for Spain to beat Portugal and reach the quarter-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. The highly-anticipated meeting between these Iberian rivals, the first in six years, lived up to expectations, certainly in the first half when Carlos Queiroz’s side were unlucky not to be rewarded for their endeavour in Cape Town. La Roja were dominant after the break, however, and El Guaje’s close-range finish ensured they will now meet Paraguay for a place in the last four.
Villa ends Portuguese dreams
Both teams went into the match protecting proud records, with Spain having won 29 of their last 31 matches. Portugal were on a 19-match undefeated run dating back to November 2008, with 20 clean sheets in 24 matches since Queiroz assumed their reins.
Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque named an unchanged side from the one that beat Chile in their final group game, with the inclusion of Xabi Alonso allaying initial fears that an ankle injury would prevent his inclusion. Portugal, conversely, were forced into two changes as injuries to forward Danny and defender Duda afforded starts to Atletico Madrid’s Simao and Hugo Almeida of Werder Bremen.
A high-tempo opening saw Fernando Torres unleash a goal-bound shot that Eduardo did well to parry away, before it was the turn of the in-form Villa to warm the hands of the Portuguese goalkeeper. It was far from one-way traffic, and Tiago’s drive from 30 metres was only palmed into the air by Iker Casillas, with Almeida seemingly set to head into an empty net only for the Spain captain to recover and push the ball to safety at the midway point of the first half.
Soon after, Cristiano Ronaldo unleashed a venomous long-range free-kick which Casillas could again only parry, with the ball somewhat fortuitously avoiding a host of lurking attackers. It was proving an uncomfortable opening period for the Real Madrid custodian, who was captaining La Roja for a record 51st time, surpassing goalkeeping predecessor Andoni Zubizarreta at the head of the list.
The early energy gave way to a slightly more measured pace, with Portugal having the better of the latter exchanges in the opening half. A Seleção das Quinas seemingly resumed where they had left off after the interval. Tiago burst down the left flank with an impressive turn of speed, and his cross looped off the knee of Carles Puyol and over Casillas, only to narrowly bounce the wrong side of the post.
Spain’s pedigree soon started to shine through and on the hour mark, substitute Fernando Llorente directed a diving header straight at a relieved Eduardo. Within 60 seconds Villa grazed the post with a curling drive, with the momentum having well and truly changed hands. Then came what proved to be the game’s only goal. Xavi flicked a short pass from Andres Iniesta to Villa, whose shot was blocked by Eduardo. However, the rebound fell kindly back into the path of Villa who guided the ball home off the underside of the bar.
Spain controlled possession thereafter, as Portugal broke sporadically in their quest to save their South Africa 2010 campaign. Spanish defender Sergio Ramos came within inches of a rare goal after a strong run and shot on the right only to see the impressive Eduardo stick out a strong right hand and turn the ball narrowly around the post. Having joined Argentina’s Gonzalo Higuain and Robert Vittek of Slovakia on four goals at the front of the race for the adidas Golden Boot, Villa was looking to go one better, and his thunderbolt from 30 metres would surely have found the net had it been marginally either side of Eduardo.
Portugal’s stand-out player Ronaldo was kept largely quiet with a late red card to Ricardo Costa compounding the misery. Two principal stars delivered decisive performances for the victors with Budweiser Man of the Match Xavi making a significant contribution as his side enjoyed 61 per cent of the possession, while Villa left Green Point Stadium having settled the outcome.
Paraguay 0-0 (5-3 PSO) Japan
Paraguay squeezed through to the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup™ for the first time in their history as Yuichi Komano’s penalty miss sent Japan crashing out of the tournament. With the game goalless at the end of extra time in Pretoria, South Africa witnessed its first shoot-out and, after Komano had clipped the crossbar, Oscar Cardozo rolled home the winning spot-kick to give the South Americans a 5-3 win and a last-eight tie against either Spain or Portugal.
Paraguay squeeze into the last eight
Neither side had ever reached a FIFA World Cup quarter-final, and perhaps the weight of expectation explained a largely uninspiring contest at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium. Paraguay enjoyed the majority of possession in the early stages but were struggling to find their range as much as their opponents. The game suddenly, albeit very briefly, exploded into life around the 20-minute mark when both goalkeepers were finally awoken from their slumbers. First, Paraguay’s Lucas Barrios turned neatly in the penalty area to escape the attentions of two Japan defenders, before firing straight at Eiji Kawashima. Then, a minute later, Daisuke Matsui crashed a curled long-range effort against the crossbar.
Paraguay almost made their mark in the 29th minute when Roque Santa Cruz found himself unmarked in the area. The Manchester City forward looked surprised to find Claudio Morel’s corner at his feet, and that moment of hesitation proved his undoing as he subsequently flashed his shot wide. Shortly after, Honda’s ball into the box appeared threatening but Carlos Bonet was able to step in and steer the ball to safety. Yasuhito Endo then whipped in a free-kick at pace but Santa Cruz, now on defensive duty, was able to clear the danger with a diving header.
Minutes later, Japan broke at pace and should have done better in a promising situation, with three advancing forwards outnumbering the Paraguay defence. Matsui squared the ball to Keisuke Honda but the CSKA Moscow star chose to ignore the run of the unmarked Yoshito Okubo to his left, instead opting to try his luck from distance. Disappointingly, his left-footed drive finished wide of goalkeeper Justo Villar’s post.
Takeshi Okada’s side began the second half with a team huddle, aware they needed to break free of their first-half shackles if they were to make that crucial breakthrough. But it was Paraguay who fired the first statement of intent as Nestor Ortigoza did his best to change the pattern of the game but his mazy run into the box was eventually smothered by the Japanese defence. It was a rare moment of enterprise in a game that had so far failed to inspire. As Gerardo Martino’s team picked up the pace, only the outstretched boot of Yuji Nakazawa prevented Edgar Benitez from finding the target, while Cristian Riveros could only plant his header into the palms of Kawashima. Marcus Tulio Tanaka was unlucky not to profit from Endo’s dangerous corner or substitute Shunsuke Nakamura’s knock-on, while Santa Cruz’s looping header was easily beaten away as the game drifted towards extra time.
With another Japan huddle dismantled, Shinji Okazaki looped a header just over and Barrios’s firm header was an easy collect for Kawashima, while Nelson Valdez’s toe-poke was smothered. Edgar Barretto’s hooked shot finished a yard over as both sides finally started to loosen up in the additional 30 minutes but after Okazaki went close with a header in the dying minutes, it was left to penalties to decide the seventh quarter-final place. Only one player of nine missed but victory was Paraguay’s by this narrowest of margins.
Angel Di Maria becomes a Madridista!!
Real Madrid released a statement on its website that read as follows:
Real Madrid C. F. and S. L. Benfica have come to terms for the transfer of Angel di Maria. The player will sign a six year contract with Real Madrid C.F.
This comes as a confirmation of a move that had been on the cards right from the moment the transfer window reopened and the fee is reported to be in the range of €25million (£20.3million).
Di Maria is currently playing in the World Cup with Argentina, who have reached the quarter-finals of the competition. The 22-year-old won the double with Benfica last season and was named the league’s player of the year. He started his career with Rosario Central in Argentina before moving to Benfica in 2007 and is viewed as one of Europe’s finest young talents. Speaking about his move, Di Maria said:
It is an honour to know that Jose Mourinho wants to sign me. It will be very nice to play in the same team as Cristiano Ronaldo and many other stars, but for now I’m focused on the Argentina team.
Di Maria who had been linked to a number of top European clubs after catching the eye for Portuguese outfit Benfica in the Europa League last season, becomes manager Jose Mourinho’s first signing since taking charge. Mourinho’s first signing as Chelsea manager was Portuguese full-back Paulo Ferreira, while his first major capture at Inter was another compatriot – Ricardo Quaresma. Both Ferreira and Quaresma were flops at their respective clubs. Let us hope that Di Maria isn’t one such signing.
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
Spain vs Portugal
Set to take centre stage in Cape Town on 29 June is a glittering Round of 16 clash between two neighbours and contenders for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ crown: Spain and Portugal. Standing second and third respectively in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, the eagerly anticipated encounter between the Iberian duo at the Green Point Stadium is the sides’ first meeting at world football’s top table.
Will Fernando Torres finally get off the mark here at South Africa 2010? Or, come the final whistle, will Eduardo still be the only No1 yet to have conceded a goal at the tournament?
The match
Spain-Portugal, Round of 16, Cape Town, Tuesday 29 June 2010, 20.30 (local time)
Expectations are extremely high ahead of the last-16 meeting between two teams considered among the pre-tournament contenders for the coveted Trophy. And with La Roja and A Selecção das Quinas both having had to come through a gruelling group phase, one of the fancied pair will be heading home much earlier than expected.
European champions Spain arrived at South Africa 2010 as firm favourites for the world title along with Brazil, though Vicente del Bosque’s team were given a harsh wake-up call in an opening 1-0 defeat against Switzerland. Showing their mettle, La Selección gritted their teeth and won their next two Group H games against Honduras and Chile to qualify in top spot in their section and avoid a last-16 meeting with Dunga’s charges.
Portugal, for their part, safely negotiated a fiercely competitive Group G also containing Côte d’Ivoire, Korea DPR and Brazil. Carlos Queiroz’s solid side played out a goalless opening draw with Didier Drogba and Co before cutting loose in a 7-0 success over the North Koreans. Following that goalfest, another scoreless draw in their final game against the five-time world champions was enough to secure second spot and a place in the knockout stages.
Both coaches have near-to-full-strength squads from which to choose, though former Real Madrid boss Del Bosque will be without key midfielder Xabi Alonso and defender Raul Albiol. Opposite number Queiroz, who also once held the reins at Los Merengues, welcomes back midfield schemer Deco though cannot call upon the versatile Ruben Amorim.
Players to watch
David Villa v Cristiano Ronaldo
The Spanish striker’s three-goal haul so far at South Africa 2010 has taken his tally at FIFA World Cups to six in total, making Barcelona’s new signing his country’s highest ever scorer in the competition. The flying Portuguese winger, for his part, has struck just once to date in South Africa despite claiming the Budweiser Man of the Match award in each of his side’s three matches. The Real Madrid forward needed a total of 17 shots to score his solitary goal, which came in the demolition of Korea DPR, though Ronaldo can count himself unfortunate to have been denied by the woodwork on two occasions already.
The stat
33 – The Cape Town clash will be the two teams’ first meeting at a FIFA World Cup, but the pair share a lengthy footballing history featuring no fewer than 32 previous matches. Spain have the edge with 15 wins to just five victories for Portugal, though the latter are unbeaten in the duo’s matches at continental finals: drawing 1-1 at the 1984 UEFA European Championship and winning 1-0 at the 2004 edition of the same competition.
What they said
Vicente del Bosque, Spain coach:
Portugal are a great team and they’re about more than just Cristiano Ronaldo. Yes it’s true that Cristiano is one of their best players, but we mustn’t forget that the Portuguese are the only team that still haven’t conceded a goal at this World Cup. That proves that they’re a solid unit and not just a collection of individuals. Their game is based around defensive solidity, pace and counter-attacking, as well as having very skilful players. I foresee a very difficult game, like they all will be for the rest of the competition. Only the best teams are left in it now.
Carlos Queiroz, Portugal coach:
We’re ready to take on anybody. We’ve already played in critical games during qualifying and now we have another all-or-nothing match at a World Cup. That’s why we’re ready to give everything we’ve got on the pitch with only one aim in mind: staying in the World Cup. Portugal’s best is still to come.
Have your say
Will Fernando Torres finally get off the mark here at South Africa 2010? Or, come the final whistle, will Eduardo still be the only No1 yet to have conceded a goal at the tournament?
Paraguay vs Japan
History will be made whatever the outcome when Paraguay meet Japan in the Round of 16 – for whoever prevails in Pretoria will advance to the FIFA World Cup™ quarter-finals for the first time. Having gone beyond the group stage on three of their past seven finals appearances, Gerardo Martino’s Paraguay will be determined to build on their success in finishing top of Group F against a Japan side through to the knockout phase for the first time on foreign soil.
Having managed their first FIFA World Cup wins on foreign soil, can Japan continue their history-making run?
The match
Paraguay-Japan, Tshwane/Pretoria (Loftus Versfeld Stadium), 29 June, 16.00
Previously famed for their tenacious rearguard, Paraguay are not just about defence, their 4-3-3 formation including the vastly-experienced Roque Santa Cruz in attack alongside Borussia Dortmund duo Lucas Barrios and Nelson Valdez. Yet they also carry a scoring threat from midfield as Enrique Vera and Cristian Riveros showed when each scored in their 2-0 win over Slovakia. Opponents Japan have shaken off the lacklustre form they showed in the build-up to this tournament to defeat Cameroon and Denmark en route to the last 16.
Coach Takeshi Okada’s tactical gamble has paid off in style, with Keisuke Honda thriving in a new attacking role. Behind him, Yasuhito Endo and Kakoto Hasebe have bossed the midfield and Japan showed against Denmark that their armoury includes a distinct set-piece threat – two of their three goals coming direct from free-kicks. Of course their tireless approach also gives them a seeming edge in fitness over some of their rivals. While there is likely to be no change in the Japan lineup, Paraguay have to make do without defensive midfielder Victor Caceres through suspension although centre-back Antolin Alcaraz could return after sitting out the last game through an ankle injury. It is the two sides’ first match-up at the FIFA World Cup but they are by no means strangers having met six times previously. The South Americans have recorded two wins to Japan’s one, though the Asians prevailed in the most recent friendly in 2003.
Players to watch
Justo Villar v Keisuke Honda
Injured in the opening minutes of Paraguay’s Germany 2006 campaign, Villar has been seeking to make amends this time and conceded just one goal during the group campaign. The 32-year-old Paraguay captain, however, will have to be wary of Japan’s danger man Honda, the midfielder-turned striker who has scored twice so far. The 25-year-old CSKA Moscow man has quickly become Japan’s new talisman over the past months, scoring six goals which led to six wins.
The stat
4 –South Africa 2010 marks the fourth FIFA World Cup for the 35-year-old Denis Caniza, who made his tenth finals appearance for Paraguay in the 0-0 draw with New Zealand. Hot on his heels are Roque Santa Cruz and Julio Cesar Caceres, who each made seven appearances during the past two FIFA World Cups.
What they said
Roque Santa Cruz, Paraguay forward:
With their pace and agility, Japan are a team hard to play against. They have players who can change the direction of a game so we have to come out very focused and keep running throughout the game.
Yuki Abe, Japan midfielder:
Paraguay’s defence is compactly organised. They have physical strength but are also good on the ball. I think they will be difficult opponents.
The question
Having managed their first FIFA World Cup wins on foreign soil, can Japan continue their history-making run?
Brazil 3-0 Chile
Brazil completed a hat-trick of victories over Chile at the FIFA World Cup™ by beating their South American rivals 3-0 to set up a mouthwatering quarter-final meeting with the Netherlands.
Brazil inflict more misery on Chile
Dunga’s side took control of the Round of 16 contest with two goals in quick succession in the last ten minutes of the first half through Juan and Luis Fabiano. Robinho added the third to inflict further punishment on the Chileans who may have ended a 48-year wait for a FIFA World Cup win in South Africa but evidently have not worked out how to better their old nemesis.
Brazil defeated Chile in the 1962 semi-finals and at this same stage of the 1998 tournament in France, scoring four goals in each game. They also beat La Roja home and away in qualifying for South Africa and even in the goalless opening 33 minutes at Ellis Park, there was scant evidence of a different outcome. Although Chile, playing in all white, had a larger share of possession in the opening quarter-hour, Brazil carried the greater goal threat from the off.
Luis Fabiano had an early sniff of goal when breaking down the inside-right channel in the fifth minute but dragged his shot past the far post. Four minutes later Gilberto Silva drew a full-length stop from Chile custodian Claudio Bravo with a 25-yard strike and from the ensuing corner, Kaka – back from suspension – had a sight of goal but fired wide. There was another nervous moment in the Chilean penalty box when Lucio took a dramatic tumble under Pablo Contreras’s challenge and it came as no surprise when Brazil made the breakthrough in the 34th minute as Juan rose high to bury a header high past Bravo from Maicon’s flag-kick.
Four minutes later Dunga’s men had their second as Luis Fabiano got on to the end of a slick counter-attack to hit his third goal of the finals. Robinho surged down the left and slipped the ball infield to Kaka, who split Chile’s central defence with a first-time pass to put Luis Fabiano in the clear. With Chileans appealing in vain for offside, the Sevilla marksman rounded Bravo and slotted home. Chile produced only one or two promising moments in the final third in the opening 45 minutes. And when Humberto Suazo, making his second start of the finals, had a sight of goal, he failed to trouble Julio Cesar with his shot from the edge of the box – their only effort on target before the break.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side had begun the match showing four changes from the defeat by Spain, three enforced by the suspensions of Marco Estrada, Gary Medel and Waldo Ponce. And they began the second half with two more changes as Bielsa sent on Rodrigo Tello and Jorge Valvidia in place of Contreras and Mark Gonzalez. But though they tried to increase the pressure on Brazil’s back line, their own defence was breached again just before the hour. Ramires strode forward from midfield, leaving two white shirts in his wake, and played in Robinho to curl a shot past the left hand of Bravo. It was Robinho’s eighth goal in six matches against Chile and he came close to adding another with a low shot that Bravo tipped behind.
At the other end some of Chile’s approach play was slick and they began belatedly to create chances. Valvidia flicked up the ball on the edge of the box and lifted a shot narrowly over the crossbar. With 15 minutes remaining Suazo then produced a smart turn to escape the shackles of Lucio but his shot was comfortably dealt with by Julio Cesar. He got even closer with a sliced effort that looped on to the top of the crossbar but it was not to be. Brazil march on.
Netherlands 2-1 Slovakia
Slovakia’s fairy-tale run came to an end at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on Monday, with Arjen Robben returning to the starting line-up and helping fire the organised Oranje into the quarter-finals with the first goal in a 2-1 win. As the only debutants at the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ head for home with their heads held high, the Dutch – who have never before won their first four matches at the finals – can now start preparing for a last-16 test against either Brazil or Chile in Port Elizabeth on Friday.
Returning Robben helps sink Slovakia
Vladimir Weiss’s Slovakia were not overawed by their fancied opponents in the early going. Erik Jendrisek fired over the bar from a decent position after only two minutes, though if that was an intended warning shot, the Dutch – with nine points from their three games so far – are not a team that rattle easily. Robin van Persie and Wesley Sneijder both had good chances to score subsequently before Robben, in his first start at these finals, made his mark on the match. Chasing a long ball up from midfield, the Bayern Munich winger outpaced Radoslav Zabavnik up the wide-right channel, cut inside and fired low inside the near post, beating goalkeeper Jan Mucha who might have done better. It was only the second first-half goal scored by the Netherlands in South Africa.
Arsenal ace Van Persie had the next chances as the break approached. He surprised the Slovakia defence in the 41st minute but, after cutting in from the left, could only muster a tame toe-poke at Mucha. With just seconds to go before half-time, he then stole in behind the backline but failed to control Mark van Bommel’s low cross, that was whipped in through the six-yard box. Robben was in the mood again when the second period got underway. After Van Persie dragged the Slovakia defence out of position, the ball fell kindly for the former Chelsea man, who wriggled inside the area only for his sizzling low shot to be thwarted by Mucha’s fingertips. The goalkeeper was called into action again from the resulting corner, bravely blocking a Joris Mathijsen effort from close range.
Suddenly, Slovakia – who shifted into a more attacking 4-4-2 for the second half – came to life in the 67th minute. Marek Hamsik pushed the ball out wide for Dutch-based striker Miroslav Stoch, but his shot was tipped over for a corner. Robert Vittek was then guilty of missing a glorious chance only seconds later. Collecting the ball in acres of space and with bags of time, he shot directly into the palms of Dutch keeper Maarten Stekelenburg to groans from the section of the crowd not dressed in orange.
The Dutch continued to push forward in search of another goal and with six minutes to go, and the withdrawn Robben now on the bench, Dirk Kuyt chased down a long ball and crossed low for Sneijder. The Inter Milan man made no mistake with the goal at his mercy and calmly bulged the back of the net. Even though Vittek managed a consolation goal for the Slovaks in the dying seconds of stoppage time – netting from the penalty spot after Stekelenburg had brought him down – it was too late to signal a change of fortune. The Dutch now march on to meet either Brazil or Chile, who contest their Round of 16 contest at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park later in the evening.
Brazil vs Chile
Brazil will be vying to beat Chile for the third time in three FIFA World Cup™ meetings, with the prize on offer a place in the quarter-finals. Whoever they are facing, the five-time champions come under pressure to win every match with unrivalled swagger.
Chile have not overcome Brazil since a friendly in 1993, failing to carve out victory in their last 13 meetings. Will La Roja finally be able to end that run on the grandest stage of all?
That is the price they pay for starting each tournament as favourites, the burden of their success down the years, yet they can expect stiff opposition from South American rivals who have been in fine form since Marcelo Bielsa took over at the helm. Add in the carrot of a coveted berth in the last eight and all the ingredients are present for an open yet fiery encounter, not least since Chile lost 4-2 and 3-0 to Dunga’s charges in qualifying and will be desperate to turn the tables.
The match
Brazil-Chile, Round of 16, Ellis Park, Johannesburg, 28 June, 20.30 (local time)
A Seleção found life difficult against group-stage opponents Korea DPR and Portugal, struggling to find a way through a sturdy defensive barrier on both occasions. Despite dominating possession, Brazil had trouble picking out their forwards in dangerous positions and endured plenty of frustration. That is not a problem they are likely to find repeated against Chile, however, as Bielsa’s flamboyant side are unlikely to settle for cautious counter-attacking football.
Still, La Roja will need to keep things tight at the back. With the likes of Robinho, Kaka and Luis Fabiano sniffing out openings, Chile will require levels of commitment and organisation similar to those they displayed against Spain, when even down to ten men they managed to keep the European champions at bay – save for the two mistakes that cost them goals. They will nonetheless have to cope without Marco Estrada, sent off against Spain, and suspended duo Waldo Ponce and Gary Medel, while Brazil could be deprived the services of injured pair Felipe Melo and Julio Baptista.
Players to watch
Kaka (BRA) v Jorge Valdivia (CHI)
The Brazil playmaker remains an idol at Sao Paulo, where he first rose to prominence before setting sail for AC Milan, while his Chilean counterpart was an iconic figure for O Tricolor Paulista’s regional rivals Palmeiras, firing 24 goals in 93 appearances between 2006 and 2008. Despite those contrasting club allegiances, the two players perform a similar function on the pitch and how they fare could well prove key to this game. Their vision, the quality of their passing and their set-piece pedigree could all potentially make the difference at either end, with neither defence noted for being porous or naive.
The stat
2 – Brazil and Chile have crossed paths on two previous occasions at this level, in the semi-finals at Chile 1962 and in the Round of 16 at France 1998. A Canarinho prevailed in both games, scoring four goals each time to triumph 4-2 and 4-1 – an omen, perhaps, for a feast of attacking football at Ellis Park Stadium.
What they said
Luis Fabiano, Brazil forward:
We’re going to need to learn to play against defensive sides as I think very few teams will want to play Brazil at our own game. A Seleção must start finding solutions to get around this problem, because from now on every match will be decisive.
Marcelo Bielsa, Chile coach:
Brazil have proved down the years that they’re a team to be feared, but in this World Cup they’ve also shown that in addition to their usual creative style they now boast combativeness and strength.
The question
Chile have not overcome Brazil since a friendly in 1993, failing to carve out victory in their last 13 meetings. Will La Roja finally be able to end that run on the grandest stage of all?
Netherlands vs Slovakia
The Round of 16 game between the Netherlands and Slovakia pits one of the tournament favourites against a nation making its first FIFA World Cup™ appearance in its own right. Despite the obvious contrast between the star-studded Oranje and their lesser-known but close-knit rivals, it promises to be a fascinating duel.
Are Slovakia capable of creating another upset?
The match
Netherlands-Slovakia, Round of 16, Durban Stadium, Durban, 16:00 (local time)
In contrast to a number of Europe’s other big guns, the Oranje managed to assert their authority in their section, Group E, in which they were never seriously troubled. After beating Denmark 2-0 in their opener, they defeated Japan 1-0 to secure their berth in the Round of 16 before taking on an already-eliminated Cameroon in their first-phase fixture. Coach Bert van Marwijk used the occasion to run the rule over some of some of his squad players, and still came out 2-1 winners. The Netherlands’ strength in depth, along with the return to fitness of stand-out winger Arjen Robben, suggests the team are strong title contenders, though they will not be underestimating opponents that have already created one of the biggest shocks of the tournament so far by undoing Italy.
For their part, Slovakia took some time to find top gear, but when they did it proved too much for the reigning world champions. The central Europeans showed their inexperience at this level in allowing New Zealand to secure a late equaliser in their opening fixture, and then were outplayed in a 2-0 reverse by Paraguay. However, they upset the form book with a gritty and skilled display to secure a memorable 3-2 win that put Italy out of the FIFA World Cup.
Players to watch
Miroslav Stoch v Gregory van der Wiel
Expect sparks to fly when the pair renew aquaintances here in the Round of 16. Miroslav Stoch, an attacking midfielder who spent last year on loan from Chelsea with Dutch champions Twente, will find himself facing Gregory van der Wiel, right-back of Ajax. A fascinating duel awaits between these two fine prospects.
The stat
1 – The meeting between the Netherlands and Slovakia is the first since the central European nation became an independent country. However, the Oranje faced the former Czechoslovakia once before at a FIFA World Cup, losing 3-0 after extra time at France 1938.
What they said
Robin van Persie, Netherlands forward:
We expect a difficult game against Slovakia. They showed a lot of character against the Italians and were rewarded with a famous victory. Everything’s fine from our point of view, but there are a just a few things here and there that we need to put right.
Robert Vittek, Slovakia forward:
I hope we’re capable of producing another performance like the one against Italy. I believe we can give any team something to think about. But obviously the Dutch are favourites, not just for this game but for the whole tournament.
The question
Are Slovakia capable of creating another upset?
Argentina 3-1 Mexico
Argentina set up another FIFA World Cup™ quarter-final against Germany by overcoming Mexico 3-1 at Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium. Carlos Tevez emerged as the hero with a brace of goals, while Gonzalo Higuain was also on target as Diego Maradona’s Albiceleste set up a rematch against their 2006 conquerors.
Argentina vs Mexico - Preview
The Mexicans ultimately proved no match for their clinical South American opponents, yet it all started so promisingly for Javier Aguirre’s side, with Carlos Salcido rattling the crossbar with a stunning long-range drive after just eight minutes. There was another lucky escape for Argentina just a minute later, when Andres Guardado drilled in a shot from the edge of the box that spun away from the far post just as the net looked set to bulge.
Maradona’s side were hardly lacking in attacking menace themselves, however, and Lionel Messi soon embarked on one of his trademark elusive runs before attempting a chip over Oscar Perez that the Mexico keeper judged well. Messi’s hunt for a goal at South Africa 2010 continues, but it was not long before the Barcelona talisman played a key role as another of Argentina’s star forwards opened his tournament account.
Tevez might have thought his chance had gone when Perez raced out to block bravely at his feet, but Messi was quick-witted enough to return the ball towards goal, where the Manchester City striker was waiting to head home. Breaking the deadlock enabled Argentina to take a firm grip on proceedings, and within seven minutes that hold was strengthened as Mexico reached for the self-destruct button.
Quite what Ricardo Osorio was thinking when he played a square pass to the feet of Higuain is unclear, but it was a gift the Real Madrid striker readily accepted, coolly dragging the ball around the grounded Perez before side-footing into the empty net for his fourth goal of the tournament. Even with the best part of an hour remaining, it was difficult to envisage Mexico finding a way back into this match, and Argentina could have been out of sight altogether by half-time had Higuain not headed wastefully wide with the goal at his mercy. Maradona’s men are capable of scoring at any time though, and from any situation – as Tevez proved six minutes into the second half.
The Albiceleste No11 benefited from a fortuitous break 25 yards from goal, but there was no luck involved in what followed, with Tevez lashing an unstoppable drive into the top-right-hand corner for one of the goals of the tournament. Mexico must have realised the game was up at this stage, but it was to their credit that they continued to attack with conviction, and they should have pulled a goal back on 63 minutes when Javier Hernandez headed over when it seemed easier to score.
The Manchester United-bound youngster made amends with 19 minutes remaining, however, brilliantly turning Martin Demichelis on the edge of the box before rifling a stunning left-foot shot into the roof of the Argentinian net. It would prove scant consolation for the crestfallen Mexicans, but while El Tri return home with their dreams dashed, Argentina can begin plotting revenge against some familiar foes.
Germany 4-1 England
Germany’s youthful side delivered a striking statement of intent by overwhelming old rivals England 4-1 in Bloemfontein to take their place in the last eight of the FIFA World Cup™.
Impressive Germany power past England
Joachim Low’s side built a two-goal lead through early goals from Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski and although Matthew Upson reduced the deficit before the break, the Germans made sure of their quarter-final place when Thomas Muller concluded two lightning breakaways with a quick-fire double midway through the second half. While Germany can look forward with confidence to a quarter-final meeting with Argentina or Mexico, England will go home to lick their wounds and reflect on yet another FIFA World Cup defeat by their old nemesis.
It was a lapse of concentration which allowed Germany to take the lead in the 20th minute, the goal coming after a spell of prolonged England possession. Manuel Neuer’s long goal-kick upfield should have been dealt with by England’s central defenders, but Klose, back from suspension, got between John Terry and Upson, outmuscling the latter before poking the ball past David James with his outstretched right boot.
While having plenty of the ball, England were creating little in the way of genuine scoring opportunities, with only a Gareth Barry shot from distance which went straight at Neuer. Indeed, Germany should have doubled their advantage on the half-hour when Sami Khedira combined well with Muller to set up Klose, who fired straight at James. Yet Die Nationalelf did not have to wait too long for their second goal as Muller floated a delightful ball into the path of the unmarked Podolski. With England’s defence stretched, the Cologne man had the time to recover from a poor first touch and produce a left-footed finish that squeezed through the legs of the goalkeeper and just inside the far post.
England pulled a goal back in the 37th minute when a short Lampard corner from the right was played to Gerrard who crossed into the box. Upson, atoning for his earlier error, rose highest above the Germany defence and with Neuer stranded, powered a header into the net. Meetings between these two sides often provide talking points and this one’s came 60 seconds later when Lampard’s shot from the edge of the box struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced down, with the referee ruling the ball had not crossed the goalline.
England started the second half strongly with Gerrard hitting a right foot shot just wide in the opening minutes and Lampard rattling the crossbar with a free-kick 30 yards from goal. However, Germany increased their advantage in the 67th minute through a counter-attack. Lampard’s free-kick hit the German wall and, with England having committed men forward, they were left exposed as Schweinsteiger broke quickly before playing a delightful ball for Muller, who had started the breakaway, to fire past James.
Germany’s fourth was more or less a carbon copy of their third. With England deep in their opponents’ half, searching for a way back into the game, Germany won possession on the edge of their box and sprayed the ball to Ozil on the left. The midfielder outpaced Barry and played in Muller to sidefoot home from close range. England, to their credit, never gave up and only a fine one-handed save by Neuer from Gerrard stopped them from reducing their deficit – the heaviest in their FIFA World Cup history.
Argentina vs Mexico
On 24 June 2006, in Leipzig, Argentina and Mexico met in a pulsating Round of 16 encounter at that year’s FIFA World Cup™. The South Americans went through with a 2-1 win, with the Mexicans’ hopes of a quarter-final place dashed once again. Four years on, Javier Aguirre’s men are desperate for revenge and have the chance to test themselves against arguably the tournament’s form team. But will they be able to handle charismatic coach Diego Maradona and mercurial maestro Lionel Messi?
Argentina vs Mexico - Preview
The match
Argentina-Mexico, Round of 16, Johannesburg, Sunday 27 June, 20.30 (local time)
Argentina come into the last 16 on the crest of a wave, having swept all before them in Group B and ended up with three wins and nine points. Coach Maradona seems to have forged a sense of purpose and endeavour from a squad that had its difficulties in qualifying for South Africa 2010 and, with an in-form Lionel Messi in their ranks, they are hoping to book their place amongst the world’s top eight sides for the second FIFA World Cup in succession. El Diego will also enjoy the luxury of having a full-strength squad to choose from, free from injuries and suspensions.
For his part, Mexico boss Aguirre has already expressed his disquiet at having finished in second place in Group A, largely because his team has been inconsistent so far. A fine victory against 2006 runners-up France was the highpoint of El Tri’s group games, but it was sandwiched between a draw with hosts South Africa and a narrow defeat against Uruguay.
However revenge will be uppermost in Los Aztecas’ thoughts, not least because the current squad contains several survivors of that last, fateful meeting with Argentina including Rafael Marquez, who scored Mexico’s goal in Leipzig four years ago. The objective for Aguirre’s men is plain and simple: to get to that elusive “fifth game” at a FIFA World Cup finals tournament, and to book their place in the quarter-finals for the first time in 24 years.
History is on the side of Argentina; in fourteen matches against Mexico in the last 20 years, La Albiceleste have emerged victorious on seven occasions, with five draws and only two wins for El Tri.
Players to watch
Lionel Messi v Rafael Marquez
The Barcelona team-mates will meet once again as international rivals, as in 2006, when Mexican skipper Marquez opened the scoring and Messi came on as a late substitute with only a matter of minutes left in the game. The FIFA World Player of the Year 2009 is yet to notch his first goal in South Africa 2010, and La Pulga will be hoping to open his account in the knockout stages. Marquez, however, has continued his knack of scoring goals from his defensive midfield position, and scored his country’s first goal of the tournament in the Opening Match against South Africa.
The stat
14 - No fewer than 14 current players are survivors of the two nations’ last FIFA World Cup meeting in Leipzig in 2006. Amongst the eight Mexicans and six Argentinians is midfielder Maxi Rodriguez, whose superb volleyed winner for the 1986 champions was named by FIFA.com readers as the goal of the 2006 finals.
What they said
Diego Maradona, Argentina coach:
We’re going to give Mexico the respect they deserve because, in spite of losing against Uruguay, they know exactly what they’re doing. We will try to get at them and look for their weaknesses. They will have to respect my players as well because we’re putting together a very good tournament and we’ll give everything for the shirt.
Rafael Marquez, Mexico captain:
It’s Argentina, but so what? There is always a lot of pessimism in Mexico. Unfortunately sometimes we don’t believe in ourselves and we don’t have that extra self-belief that other teams have. We need to change that mindset. Argentina can be beaten and that’s the way we need to approach the game.
Germany vs England
Of all the great FIFA World Cup™ fixtures, Germany v England is one of the games guaranteed to captivate the entire footballing world.
Can England banish the jinx which seems to descend on their meetings with Germany at major tournaments, and finally lay to rest the ghosts of shoot-out defeats in 1990 and 1996?
Laden with a rich and tumultuous history, the match has featured some of the true legends of the game. Franz Beckenbauer and Bobby Moore were the towering personalities in England’s sole FIFA World Cup™ triumph to date, at Wembley in the 1966 Final. Gerd Muller fired the extra-time winner when West Germany came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in the quarter-finals four years later in Mexico. The Germans prevailed on penalties in the Italy 1990 semi-finals, before going on to claim their third world crown. This time round, Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein provides the setting for the latest instalment in an enduring rivalry, which many on both sides would doubtless have preferred to see played later in the competition.
Germany’s young team won Group D after a rollercoaster ride through the section. The critics were purring after a scintillating 4-0 victory over Australia, but a 1-0 defeat by Serbia brought the team back to earth with a bump. As it turned out, a deserved 1-0 victory over Ghana ultimately saw Die Nationalmannschaft through. As for England, the squad arrived in South Africa bristling with stars at the zenith of their careers, all of them determined to make up for past disappointments on the international stage. However, seemingly cramped by the weight of expectation, Fabio Capello’s men scrambled to second spot in Group C with a crucial 1-0 win against Slovenia in their final match, following a 1-1 draw with USA and a frustrating stalemate against Algeria.
The game
Germany–England, Round of 16, Mangaung/Bloemfontein, 16.00
Both teams will take heart from weathering a crisis at the finals. Germany and England are fired up and confident of removing the first major obstacle on their path to glory. In public at least, both camps are professing delight at crossing swords so early in the knockout stages: a keen sense of anticipation and history in the making is, we are told, the dominant emotion. However, both Germany boss Joachim Low and his England counterpart Capello face potential selection difficulties. Bastian Schweinsteiger, a revelation so far in front of the Germany back four, is rated highly doubtful with injury, as is full-back Jerome Boateng. Striker Cacau is definitely out after rupturing a stomach muscle in training, but Miroslav Klose returns from suspension. For England, Wayne Rooney has lost form at the wrong time and is also carrying a knock on the ankle, as are Aaron Lennon and Michael Carrick.
Players to watch
Philipp Lahm v Steven Gerrard
The Bayern Munich and Liverpool men are unlikely to go head-to-head very often during the match, as Lahm operates wide on the Germany right and Gerrard, though he may be asked to play on the left, prefers to go through the middle. But both captains will be required to keep cool and show genuine leadership qualities when the emotional temperature inevitably starts to rise. Each must fire his troops up to the right level of intensity and determination without pushing matters to boiling point. This is a real test for the rookies, as both Lahm and Gerrard are wearing the armband for the first time at a major tournament as they deputise for injured duo Michael Ballack and Rio Ferdinand respectively.
The stat
27 – The number of times Germany and England have met in full internationals over the years according to FIFA’s statistics. The Three Lions have won 12 and the Germans ten – though Germany have also triumphed on penalties in two matches which ended as draws after extra time.
What they said
Lukas Podolski, Germany striker:
It would be a terrible mistake to underestimate them just because they had a few problems in their group. They may well raise their game for the knockout matches. We have no need to be in awe, and we certainly have no reason to fear them. We respect them of course, but we’re not afraid.
Joe Cole, England midfielder:
I think we can go all the way this time. I’ve never felt it like this before in other tournaments. I thought it was an excellent performance against Slovenia and we can’t wait to get to grips with Germany.
Have Your Say
Can England banish the jinx which seems to descend on their meetings with Germany at major tournaments, and finally lay to rest the ghosts of shoot-out defeats in 1990 and 1996?
United States of America 1-2 Ghana (aet)
Ghana marched on to the quarter-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ after emerging 2-1 victors over USA following 120 minutes of drama in Rustenburg. Asamoah Gyan scored the winner in the 93rd minute after Landon Donovan’s penalty had cancelled out Kevin Prince Boateng’s early opener.
Gyan fires Ghana into the last eight
The Black Stars, who are the sole African representative left in the continent’s first FIFA World Cup, will now meet Uruguay in Johannesburg on 2 July. They become the third African nation to advance to the last eight of a FIFA World Cup, after Cameroon in 1990 and Senegal in 2002.
The west Africans stunned the US in just the fifth minute after Ricardo Clark had given possession away in midfield. Boateng ran at the defence and, having shifted the ball to the left, beat goalkeeper Tim Howard at his near post with a left-footed shot from the edge of the area. Left reeling, the US were second best until the break.
Their best in the opening period came in the 35th minute, when Jonathan Mensah gave the ball away in his own third to Clint Dempsey. The Fulham man slid the ball to Robbie Findley, who raced clean through on Richard Kingson, but the goalkeeper reacted well to save with this left foot. Coach Bob Bradley’s reaction to a lacklustre first-half performance was to bring on attacking midfielder Benny Feilhaber at half-time, and the move almost paid immediate dividends.
Donovan’s pace made the chance down the right, and Jozy Altidore did well with the LA Galaxy player’s cross to feed the on-rushing Feilhaber. But Kingson came out aggressively and pulled off a fabulous reaction save. Ghana were being pegged back at this stage, and on the hour mark Dempsey skinned Gyan at the edge of the area and broke free into the box. Mensah clattered into him to concede the penalty, and Donovan calmly slotted in his kick off the inside of the post.
As the second half wore on, the US continued to ask questions of the Ghana defence, but Kingson saved the Black Stars twice in succession. In the 68th minute, he raced 15 yards off his line to clear the ball at Altidore’s feet, and eight minutes later he got down well to smother Michael Bradley’s shot after the coach’s son had beaten the offside trap. Altidore had another chance in the 81st minute, but the defence did just enough to put him off and he fired wide from ten yards.
However, just as they did at the start of the match, Ghana opened the extra time with a goal. The impressive Ayew, son of Ghanaian legend Abedi Pele, spun a long ball with the outside of his left foot into the path of Gyan. The Rennes man held off two defenders and smashed the ball past Howard for his third goal of the tournament and his seventh for his country in 2010.
The US, who scored a dramatic last-gasp winner against Algeria to qualify for the second round, seemed to tire after the goal, and though they sent ball after ball into the Ghana box in the final minutes, they could find no late heroics at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium. All of Africa seemed to explode at the final whistle, and the youngest team in the tournament will continue to fly the continent’s colours for one more round.
Uruguay 2-1 Korea Republic
Luis Suarez struck twice as Uruguay beat Korea Republic 2-1 in Port Elizabeth to reach the FIFA World Cup™ quarter-finals for the first time since 1970. The South Koreans pushed hard but Lee Chung-Yong’s header in the second half was not enough with Suarez scoring both early and late on for the South Americans.
Suarez double downs South Koreans
Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez made one change to the team that defeated Mexico 1-0 in their final group match, with Diego Godin replacing Mauricio Victorino at the back. Back at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, where his side beat Greece 2-0 in their opening game, Korea Republic coach Huh Jung-Moo made a notable change to his midfield, with winger Kim Jae-Sung making his first start in place of Yeom Ki-Hun.
The South Koreans got off to a bright start, with their captain Park Ji-Sung running through the middle of the park to the edge of the area only for Diego Lugano to cut out his attempted through-pass. Minutes later, they came desperately close to taking the lead, Park Chu-Young’s curling free-kick from 20 yards smashing the left post as Fernando Muslera stood watching helplessly. Instead it was La Celeste who drew first blood in the eighth minute, when an unmarked Suarez, lurking on the right side of the area, turned the loose ball into an empty net after Jung Sung-Ryong had failed to deal with Diego Forlan’s low cross from the left.
The Taeguk Warriors probed away, looking for holes in the stubborn Uruguay defence that had not conceded a goal in the first round. Park Ji-Sung surged down the left but saw his low cross blocked by a timely intervention, then Park Chu-Young tried his luck with an effort from 25 yards that went just wide of the left post. It was Cha Du-Ri’s turn next but he saw his audacious shot from 30 yards sail just over the crossbar.
With the rain pouring down in the second half, Kim Jung-Woo almost paid for a sloppy pass across the back, with Suarez intercepting but failing to trouble Jung with a tame shot. At the other end, Lugano’s attempted clearance from a Lee Jung-Soo cross fell into the path of Park Chu-Young, who fired a powerful volley over the bar. Park Ji-Sung then managed to connect with a Cha cross from the right, but Muslera did well to hold on to his header, jumping to his left.
South Korean coach Huh had no other option but to reinforce the attack, and brought striker Lee Dong-Gook on for Kim Jae-Sung on the hour mark. The Asian side finally broke through after 68 minutes, when Lugano’s headed clearance from Ki Sung-Yueng’s free-kick fell to an unmarked Lee Chung-Yong, who headed home the equaliser from close range to finally end Muslera’s lengthy unbeaten run. However, the Uruguayans fought back. Suarez saw his shot from an acute angle parried over by Jung, before the Ajax forward then miscued his header with only the keeper to beat. But the Uruguay No9 made no mistake when the ball came to his way on the edge of the box following a Forlan corner, sidestepping a white shirt and curling a spectacular shot in off the far post to make it 2-1.
The Koreans responded by bringing on another forward, Yeom Ki-Hun, for midfielder Ki, and within two minutes, Lee Dong-Gook spurned a glorious chance to equalise as the Jeonbuk Motors marksman saw his low shot half-stopped by Muslera before Lugano cleared the ball as it trickled slowly towards the net. With that, the South Koreans’ final opportunity had passed as La Celeste held on to book their place in the last eight.
United States of America vs Ghana
No quarter will be asked or given when USA take on Ghana’s Black Stars at Rustenburg’s Royal Bafokeng Stadium for a place in the quarter-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. With both teams having already offered evidence of an attacking approach, an open, attractive game looks on the cards on Saturday.
The question Can the Americans repeat their feats from last year's FIFA Confederations Cup and reach the Final? Or can Ghana push on and become the first African team ever reach the last four?
The match
USA-Ghana, Round of 16, Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg, 26 June, 20.30
The Round of 16 meeting between USA and Ghana promises a feast of attacking football given both teams have looked stronger going forward than at the back. While USA teetered on the brink of elimination before scoring a stoppage-time winner in their final Group C game against Algeria, Ghana performed impressively in navigating their way through a tricky section where they faced Serbia, Australia and Germany. Though that may not necessarily ensure the west Africans the psychological upper hand in the face of single-minded opponents, several players who will be involved on Saturday have first-hand memories of the sides’ meeting at the group stage in Germany four years ago – when Ghana’s 2-1 victory sent the Americans home.
This time USA coach Bob Bradley will be relying on Landon Donovan, the gifted LA Galaxy forward whose two goals so far in South Africa included the decisive late winner against Algeria. Bradley’s opposite number Milovan Rajevac, meanwhile, can call on Rennes front man Asamoah Gyan, who has scored six of Ghana’s nine goals so far in 2010. To keep Gyan and Co at bay, the United States will need to tighten up a defence that at times has been found wanting, particularly in the first half of their 2-2 draw with Slovenia.
Players to watch
Clint Dempsey v John Pantsil
As team-mates at Fulham in the English Premiership since 2008, there can be little that these two do not know about each other. So, when Dempsey makes his characteristic runs from deep positions, he is sure to encounter the immovable force of Pantsil in the Ghana defence. And while the American perhaps has something to prove after missing a hatful of chances against Algeria, he will not expect any favours from an opponent who shrugged off a nasty clash of heads during the 1-1 draw with Australia to take his place against Germany four days later.
The stat
12 – the number of survivors from the group match between the two teams at Germany 2006: Ghana’s Richard Kingson, John Mensah, Derek Boateng, Stephen Appiah, Pantsil and Matthew Amoah, and USA’s Carlos Bocanegra, Steve Cherundolo, Dempsey, DaMarcus Beasley, Donovan and Oguchi Onyewu.
What they said
Asamoah Gyan, Ghana forward:
The USA are a very good side, solid, full of running and they play well as a team. Still, we know we have the quality to beat them.
Jozy Altidore, USA forward:
We’d be delighted with two more wins but why stop there? Nothing is impossible. Winning the World Cup is what we’re here for.
The question
Can the Americans repeat their feats from last year’s FIFA Confederations Cup and reach the Final? Or can Ghana push on and become the first African team ever reach the last four?
Uruguay vs Korea Republic
Group A winners Uruguay take on Group B runners-up Korea Republic on the back of their impressive performances against South Africa and Mexico. Under the guidance of Oscar Tabarez, the Uruguayans have become one of the most well-balanced sides at this year’s finals, organised in defence and clinical in attack.
Will Uruguay be able to keep their streak of clean sheets going against the lively South Koreans?
Meanwhile, Huh Jung-Moo’s men have nothing to lose in this match, having already fulfilled their initial goal of reaching the second round for the first time on foreign soil. The winners of this match will advance to the quarter-finals to face USA or Ghana in Johannesburg on 2 July, with the losers set to make a premature return home.
The match
Uruguay-Korea Republic, Round of 16, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, 16:00 (local time)
On paper at least, Korea Republic should be no match for Uruguay. La Celeste have an almost perfect record against the Taeguk Warriors, winning all four games, scoring seven times in the process and conceding only once. And the Uruguayans enter their fifth encounter with the South Koreans as the favourites, considering they have yet to concede a goal at South Africa 2010 and boast a couple of in-form, world-class strikers.
For their part, Korea Republic have looked vulnerable in defence, especially in their games against Argentina and Nigeria. Although the east Asians have scored five times – their most prolific form in the group stage of any FIFA World Cup – they also suffered their worst defeat in 12 years, going down 4-1 to the Argentinians. However, the Taeguk Warriors can take heart from their new-found source of goals - well-crafted free-kicks.
Players to watch
Diego Forlan v Park Ji-Sung
Having scored a brace against the hosts, Diego Forlan is at the core of Uruguay’s three-prolonged attack. The Atletico Madrid forward is also the most capped player in the current squad and has completed all 270 minutes of Uruguay’s matches thus far.
Korea Republic captain Park Ji-Sung became the second player from Asia to score in three FIFA World Cups when the Manchester United midfielder found the net against Greece. Coincidentally, both Forlan and Park have been named the Budweiser Man of the Match twice in the group stage.
The stat
4 – Uruguay and Korea Republic have met four times in the past, with La Celeste emerging victorious on each occasion. In their group stage meeting at Italy 1990, Daniel Fonseca scored a last-gasp goal to inspire the Uruguayans to a 1-0 victory.
What they said
Oscar Tabarez, Uruguay coach:
We’ve showed that we are a tough team to tackle. We’re trying to do what we had exactly in mind before the tournament. I don’t think we’ve achieved that yet, but Uruguay is now a difficult opponent for anybody.
Park Ji-Sung, Korea Republic captain:
Although we haven’t had good results against the teams from South America, the group stage match against Argentina has given us some good lessons on how to deal with Latin American sides. We all know how to defend and attack against them, and we’ll show a different side of ourselves than in the group stage.
The question
Will Uruguay be able to keep their streak of clean sheets going against the lively South Koreans?
Switzerland 0-0 Honduras
Bloemfontein proved to be the graveyard for Switzerland’s FIFA World Cup™ hopes as their bid to reach the last 16 ended in a frustrating goalless draw with Honduras. While the Swiss would rue their impotence in front of goal, the Central Americans were guilty of missing a host of gilt-edged chances on the night, as the curtain came down on their South African experience.
Blunt Switzerland bow out
All four sides in Group H could conceivably still have qualified heading into this clash at the Free State Stadium, although Honduras, still without a win or a goal, had a huge mountain to climb. In simple terms, both sides needed a win. A thoroughly uninspiring opening spell was, thankfully, brought to an end in the tenth minute when Switzerland, who entered the match still with a chance of finishing top of their group, began to take the initiative. A neat one-two between Gokhan Inler and Tranquillo Barnetta sliced open the Honduras defence but the latter could only drag his shot wide of the target.
The game had finally started to awake from its slumber and the Swiss No7, Barnetta, in for the suspended Valon Behrami, was playing a key role in that. Honduras, for their part, were lacking any real shape and when Reinaldo Rueda’s side did attack, they were guilty of overplaying their passes, with their limited opportunities regularly fizzling out as quickly as they had begun.
Barnetta switched flanks on the half-hour to try his luck against Mauricio Sabillon, but still Switzerland were unable to make any headway. They did, at least, have chances to break the deadlock – Barnetta’s cross found the feet of Derdiyok, but his half-hearted swing at the ball allowed the attack to be easily swallowed up by the Honduras defence. Then, two minutes from the break, Derdiyok was given the opportunity to make amends, this time turning provider, but Blaise Nkufo got it all wrong at the far post.
The second half thankfully heralded a more positive spell of play, and Honduras could have edged themselves in front after 53 minutes, when Edgar Alvarez dropped a delightful ball onto the head of David Suazo. But the bustling striker failed to find the target with what was arguably the best opportunity of the match. Derdiyok should have done better with a right-foot shot shortly after the hour, as the Swiss stepped things a gear, largely thanks to the half-time introduction of Hakan Yakin.
That said, it was Honduras who carved out the next real chance of the game when Suazo, breaking at pace, picked out Alvarez’s forward burst, only for the Honduran’s strike to be brilliantly tipped over by Diego Benaglio. Switzerland were leaving themselves vulnerable to the counter-attack as they piled forward in numbers in search of the goal that would see them through to the last 16, and were thankful for some poor finishing on the part of the Central Americans, with Alvarez as guilty as anyone.
As the game opened up, twice substitute Alex Frei went close for the Swiss, while Stephan Lichsteiner was not far away with a fierce right-footed shot. Honduras, who could claim to have had the better chances in a frustrating second period, almost profited from some good work from Georgie Welcome in the dying minutes, but in the end neither side could break the deadlock before the final whistle sounded on their FIFA World Cup dreams.
Chile 1-2 Spain
Spain beat ten-man Chile 2-1 to finish top of Group H and book a Round of 16 meeting with Portugal, while their opponents’ courageous display was rewarded with a date with Brazil.
Spain edge Chile, both go through
Goals from David Villa and Andres Iniesta, coupled with Marco Estrada’s dismissal, appeared to give the European champions an impregnable lead at the break, but Rodrigo Millar’s deflected strike got the South Americans back into a game they were desperate to win to guarantee a place in the knockout phase. As it transpired, Switzerland’s inability to beat Honduras ensured Marcelo Bielsa’s side advanced – something the Chilean players discovered, to their immense relief, after their faces had been pictures of desperation upon the final whistle in Tshwane/Pretoria.
A capacity crowd at Loftus Versfeld Stadium anticipated a beguiling duel between two footballing sides, whose players swiftly began satisfying those expectations. Chile’s Alexis Sanchez drew gasps from the spectators with an eye-catching drag-back, while Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta served notice of his return to fitness and form by nonchalantly side-stepping two opponents and freeing Villa.
The contest’s first chance fell to Fernando Torres, who raced in behind the Chile defence but, under pressure inside the area, blazed over. A better one then fell to Mark Gonzalez. Jean Beausejour squared the ball across goal and, although it was marginally behind the 25-year-old winger, he will have been disappointed at his failure to get a decent connection on a close-range shot.
Chile continued to push the pace until the 24th minute. That was when the Europeans took the lead. And that was when Villa became the first Spaniard to reach ten goals in major international competitions. Xabi Alonso started the move, robbing Jorge Valdivia of possession and launching the ball forward. Torres gave chase, outstripping the last Chilean defender and forcing Claudio Bravo to race from his line and, while sliding, divert the ball away from the Liverpool striker’s path. Unfortunately for the Real Sociedad goalkeeper, his clearance dropped into the path of another clinical Spaniard and Villa, from 40 yards, duly curled the ball into the unguarded net.
Thirteen minutes later, Spain moved into a two-goal lead. Alonso carried the ball through the midfield and fed Villa, who broke into the area and, after drawing two opponents to him, cut the ball back for Iniesta to effortlessly pass it into the bottom-left corner of Bravo’s goal. The referee, Marco Rodriguez, then red-carded Estrada, who had tripped Torres as he was galloping into the penalty area seconds before the goal.
Logic said that it was curtains for Chile. Bielsa, their indomitable coach, said otherwise. He remodelled his tactics, electing to attack through the centre rather than from the wings, introducing Millar and Esteban Paredes for Valdivia and Gonzalez in an adventurous double substitution. It immediately reaped dividends. Two minutes after the restart, Millar’s shot deflected off Gerard Pique and looped over goalkeeper Iker Casillas and into his net.
Thereafter, however, Chile struggled to unravel their opponents’ tactics and, when they did, Parades wasted half-chances. Villa fluffed better ones, his touch deserting him twice in quick succession around the hour mark. Vicente del Bosque’s side then intelligently played possession football. Gradually, they exhausted their adversaries, who were already a man down. Bielsa bellowed instructions from the touchline, but Spain’s impeccable ball retention left the Chileans unable to execute their coach’s orders.
There were looks of relief and delight from the Spaniards upon the final whistle. There were ones of uncertainty from the Chileans. That was until they heard the news: they were through to the Round of 16.
Korea DPR 0-3 Côte d’Ivoire
Yaya Toure and Romaric scored first-half goals and Salomon Kalou added a late third as Côte d’Ivoire defeated Korea DPR in Nelspruit on Friday, yet Portugal’s 0-0 draw with Brazil ensured the west Africans still ended the afternoon eliminated. With four points, the Elephants finish one behind the Portuguese, while Brazil top Group G with seven and the Koreans go home after three defeats.
Elephants' roar not enough
Going into the match knowing they needed to make up at least nine goals on the Portuguese, the Ivorians attacked from the start at a raucous Mbombela Stadium as Kader Keita forced a good save from Korea DPR goalkeeper Ri Myong-Guk in the opening minute. The always-dynamic Gervinho looked to have done enough to open the scoring in the 11th minute when he collected the ball on the byline and pulled it past the goalkeeper and across the face of an empty net, but no Ivorian was on hand to take advantage.
But the Elephants were ahead just three minutes later as full-back Arthur Boka’s ball sliced through the defence and found Yaya Toure in space on the edge of the area. The Barcelona man calmly brought it under control and curled a right-footed shot past the diving keeper. Midfielder Romaric tickled the outside of the post with a speculative shot shortly after before doubling the lead on 20 minutes. Didier Drogba made the goal with a fabulous bit of skill, holding off a defender, bringing the ball down and then smacking a shot off the underside of the bar. While appeals were made that the ball had crossed the line, Romaric kept his concentration and coolly nodded the ball through a group of defenders.
When the North Koreans threatened it was from the pace and industry of Japan-based striker Jong Tae-Se on the counter or from free-kicks, with captain Hong Yong-Jo’s curling effort in the 24th minute the best they produced. But it was Côte d’Ivoire creating most of the opportunities, and Gervinho had two good openings before the half-time break. In the 38th minute, he broke onto a through-ball in the box but his shot skimmed the bar with the goalkeeper at his mercy. Then, just before the interval, he could only loop a header from Drogba’s cross straight at the goalkeeper.
Korea DPR held onto the ball more in the second period, and Jong threatened with a low shot to Boubacar Barry’s near post in the 51st minute. Drogba could have increased the Elephants’ lead in the middle of the half with two headers but he failed to keep either on target. Côte d’Ivoire coach Sven-Goran Eriksson brought on forwards Aruna Dindane and Kalou in the 64th minute in the quest for more goals, but they left themselves more open at the back and Jong had two chances to score in the 81st minute, with the Korean sharpshooter denied only by some desperate defending. Just a minute after that, Côte d’Ivoire finally found their third – merely a consolation at that point – as Kalou managed to touch in Boka’s cross ahead of the charging goalkeeper.
Portugal 0-0 Brazil
The Brazilian carnival rolled into Durban on Friday, turning the sunny Indian Ocean coastal city into Copacabana beach for a day. However, the South Americans were unable to reward their vociferous support with goals, drawing 0-0 with Portugal – a result that takes both sides through to the Round of 16.
Brazil stalemate suits Portugal
Brazil had the first chance of a cagey, stop-start first half with a long-distance effort from the tireless Dani Alves, featuring in place of the injured Elano on the right flank. But the Barcelona star hardly troubled Portugal goalkeeper Eduardo as his try trickled harmlessly wide of the post. He had another chance on the quarter-hour mark from a similar distance, with the keeper collecting easily.
Those efforts set the tone for much of what would follow. With Robinho on the bench and Kaka suspended, Brazil were reduced to trying their luck from long range as Juilio Baptista proved unable to get much going in the space behind strikers Nilmar and Luis Fabiano. Up the other end, Cristiano Ronaldo was ploughing a lone furrow in a defensive scheme set up by Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz. Fabio Coentrao was the most dangerous man on the park for the Portuguese, bursting up the left flank and delivering inch-perfect crosses that caused the Brazilian defence some concern in the opening period. Neither Tiago nor Ronaldo could take advantage of the best chances the Benfica wide man carved open, however.
The half-hour mark brought the clearest opening of a hard-fought first half, which produced seven yellow cards. A sneaky ball across the six-yard box from Luis Fabiano found Nilmar lurking at the back post. He rounded Ricardo Carvalho only to be denied by the upright from a tight angle. Seven minutes before the break Luis Fabiano then had a golden chance with a header from a similar position, but was unable to do justice to Dani Alves’s cross.
Real Madrid ace Ronaldo, who got the biggest roar from the crowd at the start, began to get himself into some dangerous areas after the restart, forcing the Brazilian back line – captain Lucio in particular – into some last-ditch tackles. His deflected free-kick from distance in the 51st minute had the fans in yellow feeling a little nervous as Portugal began to look more positive in their approach. With substitute Simao pulling the strings, Queiroz’s side nearly took the lead on the hour. Ronaldo broke free on the right of the area and when Lucio made the tackle, the ball fell for Raul Meireles, who could only manage to fire wide from close range.
In the end, though, a 0-0 draw was enough for both sides to move on, Brazil as Group G winners and Portugal as runners-up, pipping third-placed Côte d’Ivoire by a point. The Brazilians will now meet the second-placed team from Group H – in action later in the day – with Portugal taking on that section’s winners.
Switzerland vs Honduras
Switzerland and Honduras go into Friday’s final Group H fixture with the same objective: both need a win to stand a chance of progressing. The central Americans are bottom of the section with no points so far, but can still make the Round of 16 if they beat the Swiss, Spain lose to Chile, and the requisite number of goals are scored and conceded to nose the Hondurans in front of the Spanish on goal difference.
Is one team in the group really destined to amass six points and still go out of the tournament? Can Switzerland repeat their heroics from 2006 and progress to the last 16? Or will Honduras sensationally claim second place in the group?
Switzerland know even more precisely what they need. A victory over the Hondurans by two clear goals would see them into the last sixteen, regardless of the outcome between the European champions and the South Americans. A draw might yet be enough for the Swiss, should Spain lose for the second time at the finals. However, relying on that outcome may be foolhardy.
The game
Switzerland–Honduras, Group H, Mangaung/Bloemfontein, 20.30 (local time)
The Swiss are definitely without first-choice central defender Philippe Senderos. The Everton stopper is still sidelined with an ankle injury sustained in the victory over Spain, but may be fit to return if the Swiss progress. Striker Eren Derdiyok is doubtful for the Honduras clash after pulling up with a hamstring injury in training on Wednesday: the problem may be serious as he was stretchered from the field. Valon Behrami is suspended after his sending-off against Chile, with Tranquillo Barnetta set to start in his place. Blaise Nkufo, scorer of five goals in qualifying for the finals, appears a certain starter, alongside Derdiyok (if fit) or skipper Alexander Frei.
The match is the first-ever between the nations. Switzerland’s record against CONCACAF teams bodes ill for Honduras, as the Europeans have yet to lose in three such meetings. Moreover, Reinaldo Rueda’s men need urgently to end a chronic lack of firepower in front of goal. Honduras have contested seven matches in 2010, but have only scored in a 2-2 draw with Belarus. Otherwise, Rueda’s side lost 2-0 to Turkey, 1-0 to Venezuela, and 3-0 to Romania, and drew 0-0 with Azerbaijan. They have failed to find the net in both their games at the FIFA World Cup so far.
Players to watch
Wilson Palacios v Gokhan Inler
The players fill the same midfield role for their respective teams, snuffing out dangerous moves in the holding position, and then launching attacks of their own with intelligent passing from deep. Both have made the breakthrough in leading European leagues, Palacios in England with Tottenham Hotspur, and Inler in Italy with Udinese. Both wear the number eight for their countries, each is the tireless provider for his team, and both are aged 25. With most pundits anticipating an open game and plenty of open space, the contribution made by the pair will be even more significant than normal, both in guarding the area in front of the back four and setting team-mates free for attacks down the flanks.
The stat
0 – Honduras have contested five matches at the FIFA World Cup finals so far, but are still waiting on a maiden victory. Their previous appearance at the 1982 finals in Spain saw them finish bottom of their group after 1-1 draws with the hosts and Northern Ireland, and a 1-0 defeat to Yugoslavia.
What they said
Benjamin Huggel, Switzerland midfielder:
Before it all started, we said we’d definitely need a win against Honduras to make the last sixteen. That remains the case. It’s in our own hands. We know we can qualify from the group with a win. I don’t think we’ll have a problem with motivation.
Amado Guevara, Honduras captain:
We can’t just attack, attack, and attack some more. We have to be intelligent. They’re a good team and they’re battling to make the next round. It’ll be a good, tight game, and obviously we’re hoping Chile beat Spain, and we do what we have to do.
Have Your Say
Is one team in the group really destined to amass six points and still go out of the tournament? Can Switzerland repeat their heroics from 2006 and progress to the last 16? Or will Honduras sensationally claim second place in the group?
Spain vs Chile
Group H leaders Chile go into their crucial game against Spain full of confidence after collecting wins in their first two matches. Vicente Del Bosque’s team recovered from their opening defeat by Switzerland with a 2-0 reverse of Honduras, and know that victory in their final outing will definitely take them through.
Favourites to win the group, Spain now find themselves in danger of going out. Can the European champions rally and claim a place in the last 16?
The match
Chile-Spain, Group H, Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Tshwane/Pretoria, 20:30 (local time)
Spain have won six and drawn one of their seven meetings with Chile, scoring 18 goals and conceding only three in the process. Although that record suggests the Iberians should be confident ahead of this decisive duel, they are sure to be paying the South Americans great respect, especially as they trail the section pacesetters by three points.
Marcelo Bielsa’s charges have been impressive in collecting maximum points so far, playing some enterprising football and creating a host of chances along the way. Stunned by the Swiss, the UEFA EURO 2008 champions recovered some of their poise against Honduras on Monday, and will be hoping to complete their recovery against Chile.
Players to watch
David Villa v Claudio Bravo
The Spanish striker hit both his side’s goals against Los Catrachos, and could have had a hat-trick had he not hit the woodwork and also shot wide from the penalty spot. On top of his game against the central Americans, El Guaje will be looking to add to his tournament goal tally at the Loftus Versfeld, although to do that he will need to find a way past Claudio Bravo in the Chile goal.
The Real Sociedad custodian has yet to be beaten in South Africa and is in buoyant mood after his club colleagues regained their place in the Spanish top flight, where next season he will come up against Villa, who signed for Barcelona before the world finals began.
The stat
3 - The number of Chile players who played their club football in La Liga last year. Claudio Bravo (Real Sociedad), Fabian Orellana (Deportivo Xerez) and Humberto Suazo (Real Zaragoza) will be hoping their in-depth knowledge of the Spanish game will help them sink Vicente del Bosque’s side.
What they said
Fernando Torres, Spain forward:
We know that a draw will be enough for Chile, and we also know it’s going to be a tricky match, because they are not used to just sitting back and defending. We are confident though.
Marcelo Bielsa, Chile coach:
We always try to take the game to our opponents but sometimes it depends not on what your intentions are but on what the opposition wants to do. We’ll try to force the pace against Spain because that’s the best way to overcome your opponent in my opinion. And in any case, we are not through yet.
The question
Favourites to win the group, Spain now find themselves in danger of going out. Can the European champions rally and claim a place in the last 16?
Korea DPR vs Côte d’Ivoire
Korea DPR and Côte d’Ivoire will bring their Group G campaigns to an end hoping for vastly different rewards, with the former aiming to bid the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ farewell with a pride-inducing win and the latter eyeing a miracle qualification for the knockout stage.
Will Côte d'Ivoire succeed in posting a monumental win or will Korea DPR exit the tournament with their pride restored?
Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit will be the venue as the Elephants attempt to record the thumping victory they require to have any chance of reaching the last 16, with Sven Goran Eriksson’s men also needing already-qualified Brazil to defeat Portugal elsewhere in the section. Their exit assured, meanwhile, the challenge for Korea DPR will be to salvage their honour and bow out of their first FIFA World Cup finals since 1966 on a positive note.
The match
Korea DPR-Côte d’Ivoire, Group G, Nelspruit, 16.00 (local time)
The Elephants go into this match capable of progressing, but for that to occur they will probably need to better Portugal’s 7-0 triumph over Korea DPR, while requiring Brazil to do them a favour by overcoming the European side. Nine strikes separate Portugal and Côte d’Ivoire in goal-difference terms, so Didier Drogba and Co will be hoping Brazil can help them out by racking up a few efforts of their own.
Eriksson’s team will rely on their power and technical prowess to gain ground going forward, with Yaya Toure, Siaka Tiene and Emmanuel Eboue entrusted with getting moves started and both Salomon Kalou and Aruna Dindane charged with feeding chief marksman Drogba from the wings. If those players click, the North Koreans can expect to come under relentless pressure.
Kim Jong-Hun’s troops have nonetheless shown some positive signs during their tournament so far, with their two defeats mostly reflecting inexperience at the back. His side will now go all out to obtain one or even three morale-boosting points to end their stay with something to show for their efforts, and captain Hong Yong-Jo will be vital to their game plan along with Pak Nam-Chol and Mun In-Guk. As for Jong Tae-Se, he will hope to pounce on any counter-attacking opportunities, with the AFC team again relying on their pace and ability to press opponents.
Players to watch
Didier Drogba v Ji Yun-Nam
Côte d’Ivoire fans were plunged into despair when star striker Drogba fractured his arm a few days before the action got started, but the legend in his homeland defied injury to take part in the festivities. His contributions have been noteworthy so far and it was he who reduced the deficit against Brazil with his team’s only goal in two games. The Chelsea predator also found the net for the Elephants at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, making him the player an entire country will be looking to in the hunt for goals.
As for Korea DPR, it was their ironclad defence that guided them to South Africa and they kept a string of clean sheets until the final round of qualifiers. Boasting an excellent ability to read the game and organise his partners, Ji has emerged as a leader at the heart of that rearguard and will thus shoulder the lion’s share of the responsibility for keeping Drogba quiet.
The stat
2 – This is the second time at a FIFA World Cup finals for both Korea DPR and Côte d’Ivoire. In 1966, the east Asians made their way through to the quarter-finals, where they lost 5-3 to Portugal, while the Elephants bowed out after the group stage at Germany 2006 following one win and two reverses.
What they said
Didier Zokora, Côte d’Ivoire defender:
We wanted to qualify. We’ve still got a chance, but it’s complicated. We’ll go out on the pitch with the sole ambition of winning and scoring as many goals as possible – between seven and nine. We’ll give everything we have and perhaps we’ll end up making it. In football, you never know.
An Yong Hak, Korea DPR midfielder:
Our last defeat was painful. What went against us in the Portugal game was our lack of concentration. We’ve tried to stay positive. We need to be ready against Côte d’Ivoire, even if we haven’t had much time to prepare as we’d like.
The question
Will Côte d’Ivoire succeed in posting a monumental win or will Korea DPR exit the tournament with their pride restored?
Just another Madridista
Junta speak