World Cup 2010 – The Knockout Stages

So, we have trundled through the groups, we have decided who is going to qualify for the knockout stages but who is going to progress all the way to the Final. Well let’s find out.

If you have followed our group analysis, you will know who the qualifiers are and this is how they will match up in the “Round of the last 16″

Mexico v Nigeria

England v Germany

Holland v Italy

Brazil v Chile

Argentina v France

Serbia v USA

Paraguay v Cameroon

Spain v Portugal

You will see from that lot that there are quite a few tasty little ties. We shall go through them all now to find out our Quarter Finalists.

Mexico v Nigeria  – Central America v Africa is our first match up and this is a tough one to call. The Super Eagles are the second rated African team behind Egypt and they did finish 3rd in the recent African Cup of Nations but it was a particularly poor tournament this year and Nigeria were well below par. They are up against a very tough and combative side in Mexico, who will have no problems with altitude. They will be meticulously prepared for this tournament. Nigeria would have to be right up to their best to get past Mexico and I just don’t think they will be up to that standard, so I would take Mexico to sneak through to the Quarter Finals with a 1-0 win.

England v Germany  – what a barnstormer for so early in the competition, neither of them would have wanted this but unfortunately it is what they are going to get. Impossible to seperate these two. The Germans are mentally strong, physically strong and do know what it takes to get through games like this. England on the other hand will have to play the team in front of them and not the memories of games gone past. They will have to learn how to win these sort of games. It will be 1-1 after 90 minutes. After extra-time though England will be the winners because they do have that little bit of extra class where it matters, up front. England 2-1 after extra-time.

Holland v Italy -  we really are in for a treat in these first knockout matches. However, neither of these are the sides of old. They both have a dearth of really top class players but what that has meant is that they have had to modify their game to suit what players they have avaliable. Holland are no longer the swashbuckling, attack from anywhere side and Italy are no longer the dour, defensive team that could stifle the opposition. Holland are more solid, work as a unit, whereas Italy are more attack minded these days and so do give opponents chances at the other end. The thought keeps coming back though, that Italy always do just enough and so it is that I will go with that thought, Italy to win 1-0.

Brazil v Chile -  what will the South American pairing give us, a feast of flowing football? a demonstration of how football should be played? No, it will be neither of these, it will be a long, hard slog. They know each other so well and will cancel each other out. It will be a tight, niggly contest, with neither of them wanting to give best to another South American team. It will go to 90 minutes and it will be 0-0. Extra-time will bring a winner though, with Brazil going through 2-0 after extra-time.

Argentina v France -  yummy, yummy, another fab game. The Blues v The Sky Blues, Maradona (of hand ball fame) v Henry (of hand ball fame), this game will probably be decided by who has got the biggest hands. No, not really. The sun in Argentina is rising, the sun in France is fading. This is a no-brainer. The Argies will overpower them. Henry and co will have no answer, Tevez will cause a real mess(i) and it will finish 3-0 to Argentina.

Serbia v USA -  the USA will be happy to get to this stage, Serbia will be happy to get to this stage but will either be brave enough to go on further. For both of them success at the World Cuo would have been to get out of the group stages and having done that they have nothing to lose now. I think it will be a good open game until someone scores and then nerves will creep in as the enormity of the situation hits home. Overall though I do believe Serbia have the greater capability to progress and they will win this 2-0.

Paraguay v Cameroon -  another game where one side is on the rise and the other on the wane. There will be an early battle and whoever wins that, will then be able to go on and play their football in the style they are used to. The winners of the early battle will be Paraguay, who will then take control. Cameroon will come back at them but it will be all too late and Paraguay will win it 3-1.

Spain v Portugal -  when next door neighbours play, there is always going to be trouble, Ronaldo to get sent off maybe. Even so, beautiful football will be the winner. FT and CR head to head, a goal apiece maybe but there has to be a winner and wherever you look on the field there is only one winner of this game. The Red Fury will be set to full force and will blow away the Portugese men-of-war to win it 2-1 in the normal 90 minutes.

So we now have our 8 Quarter Finalists:-

Mexico

England

Italy

Brazil

Argentina

Serbia

Paraguay

Spain

Next time we will look at how the final stages will develop and find out the World Cup Winners of 2010.