Game 24: Netherlands vs Japan

The Netherlands and Japan both came into this game off of comfortable wins from their first matches, but it would be the Netherlands who would go atop the group with six points after coolly finishing off the Asian contenders 1-0 on Saturday.

The Netherlands dominated most of the match, but were unable to score many goals due to Japan's emulation of North Korea by placing six defenders behind the ball throughout most of the match. Playing a passing game, the Netherlands would patiently whittle away at Japan until the 53rd minute when Wesley Sneijder would score.

A blistering rocket of a shot, the keeper Eiji Kawashima would be fooled by the sudden spin of the ball, taking it slightly away from him only to blast off of his forearm and go into the back of the net.

Seeing themselves 1-0 down, Japan would begin to press by bringing in more attacking options, but very few of their shots would trouble the Dutch keeper Stekelenburg. With Japan trying to muster a goal, they would leave themselves vulnerable in the back, and substitute Ibrahim Afellay would have a couple one-on-one chances, the first in the 84th minute, and again in the 88th, but Kawashima would come up big to keep his team in the game.

Japan's best ever opportunity would sadly come at the very end of the match, when Shinji Okazaki would get onto the end of a brilliant crossing header and beat the defense, only to see his shot narrowly go over Stekelenburg's crossbar.

The Netherlands are now on a national-side record of ten straight wins, and will automatically qualify for the next round provided Cameroon and Denmark tie in their final match.

The Dutch were able to give a warning to teams at this years tournament, that even when going up against a solid defense, they still have the capability to score sudden and spectacular goals from range in the form of Sneijder and van der Vaart.  All in all, it was another solid performance by the Dutch, who maintained control of the ball and created a number of opportunities. The score could have easily been much higher if not for Kawashima's heroics, and if not for the trouble they had of having to navigate through a ten-man side defensive unit.

Netherlands is one of the favorites to contend for the title, and even though they have been runner-ups two times, once in 1974 and the following year 1978, they have never won the tournament. Could this year be different for Oranje?

Game 9: Netherlands vs Denmark

The Orange army was out in force for this game, but what they would witness was Holland narrowly edging out Denmark.

Denmark proved to be equal to the task of taking on one of the favorites, mounting an astounding defense that would frustrate the Dutch. Holland started with van Persie, Kuyt, Sneijder, and v. der Vaart as their top four, and although those are some quality players, they were really missing some speed, especially in the form of Arjen Robben; however, they would find their answer later in the second half.

For the first half the Dutch were having a very hard time creating chances. Although they were moving the ball well, it was not fast enough, allowing the Danes to quickly restructure and react. Nerves also got the better of the Netherlands in the beginning, when some bad passing would allow Denmark to mount some counter-attacks, some being more successful than others. Things were looking bad for the offensive minded Dutch until they got some breathing room in the 46th minute when Paulson, a Danish defender, would accidentally head the ball into his own net.

Slowly but surely Denmark would start to crumble, while Holland would keep pressing. It was not until the 67th minute, however, when Elia came on for v. der Vaart that Holland would finally start to get some results for their efforts. His impact was immediate, turning defenders on the flank, putting balls into the middle with solid crosses, and just completely dominating the Danish defense. Elia brought some speed to the pitch, something the Dutch were lacking without Arjen Robben. This speed would pay off as Elia would sneak behind the Danish defense, after a wonderful through ball from Sneijder,  and take a poke at the ball, sending it around the keeper Sorenson, only to hit the post; fortunately, Dirk Kuyt was there to tap it into the goal, yielding the final score of 2-0 in favor of the Netherlands.

If I may be bold, I think Elia should start. Van der Vaart is a natural candidate for replacement as he constantly played out of position. Instead of being on the left where he was supposed to be, he would drift into the middle. This would be detrimental to Wesley Sneijder who needs that space in the middle to be at his best, instead Sneijder would constantly be clogged, and unable to perform because v. der Vaart would track to many defenders in. Additionally, having someone who is extremely fast and able to run at defenders is very important for most teams, and the Dutch were lacking that until Elia came in. The reason I want Sneijder to stay in, even though this match was less than stellar for him, is because if he is not clogged up then he has the potential to be brilliant, sadly Raphael and Wesley did not click this game. I was really impressed by this kid, he brought some life to the team.

For Denmark, don't be dis-heartened! You may have lost, but you performed very well, much better than I expected. If the Danes are able to work on their counterattacks, they could easily go through the group in second place. Work on feeding Bendtner a bit more, and the man will score some goals, as he came very close a few times today. Their defense was impeccable, one of the best at the tournament so far. Plus they had Sorenson behind them, who came up with some really big saves. I was really impressed by Denmark this game.

Group H: Spain

To say that Spain are the best team in the world may be underestimating them, to say they may be one of the best teams in history is more accurate. In their past forty-seven games, Spain has only lost once... That's it! It came at the hands of the United States during the Confederations Cup last year, ending a thirty-five game unbeaten streak, and fifteen wins in a row, which tied Brazil's record that they set back in 1994.

This team has everything, from one of the best goalkeepers in the world, Iker Casillas, to their midfielders which run so deep that every single one of them would be a first team starter in any top club throughout the world, up to the strike partnership of Fernando Torres and David Villa [pictured]. 

They easily outscore most teams, they concede fewer goals then most teams, they maintain possession longer, and they entertain their fans to degrees unheard of (although I'm sure Brazil and Netherlands would contest that). After winning the Euro Cup in 2008, Spain found themselves ranked number one in the world for the first time in their history. Although they have since slipped down to number two, the team will be eager to once again go up a spot, proving to the world just how good they are.

Does the team have weaknesses? No. Well, in all honesty they 'could' be a bit better on defense, due to their back-line all thinking they are born again attackers, but I don't mind. I love seeing Puyol and Sergio Ramos score goals because it looks natural for them, which is truly saying something since most defenders don't go near the oppositions box except on set pieces. But besides that, la Furia Roja easily get top marks across the field, having virtually no competition at the present moment.

My Prediction: Champions!

Group G: Brazil

It is a shame that Dunga is retiring as head coach, because I love what he has done with the Brazilian national team. Many people were outraged to see Ronaldinho not make the team, a former World Player of the year he should have been a sure bet. Thankfully for Brazil, Dunga realized he wasn't. After receiving many of his rewards, Ronaldinho became a one-show man, he did not play as part of a team. By leaving him off, Brazil now have a more cohesive force, with superstars in every position.

They easily qualified in first place, scoring the most goals and having the least against, and many consider them the favorites to win the tournament. However, I think this will be a year in which they are disappointed. Wait, didn't I just say they have a stronger team? Certainly, the problem is, so do a couple of other teams that Brazil is likely to face in the knockout stages. In the round of sixteen Brazil will probably come up against either Switzerland or Chile. Switzerland, although having a strong defense, will be hard pressed to score goals, so Brazil would win this one. Meanwhile Chile can score a lot of goals, but they give up a lot as well, with Brazil having scored seven times in two qualifying games against them. Another win.

The Quarterfinals is when Brazil will likely be tested. Coming up against an incredibly strong Netherlands squad that will happily run and gun with them. I see the game ending in a goal fest, but unfortunately for Brazil, a single late goal from one careless mistake will probably cost the game for them.

Key Players: Kaka (pictured) is, arguably, one of the top three players in the world, and still top ten if hurt, he's just that good. He scores goals, he gives assists, he tackles, he tracks back, he's got everything. It will be imperative that he stays fit so that he can feed the ball to striker Luis Fabiana, or if Fabiana is too heavily marked, take pot-shots from outside the eighteen yard box.

As always with Brazil, expect a lot of flashy goals, and some rabid fans that will drive them to amazing feats of glory.

My Prediction: Quarter-Finals.

Group E: Cameroon

Cameroon is a team dependent on captain Samuel Eto'o [pictured], but he has been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons.  Former Cameroon player Roger Mila has come out to criticize Eto'o, saying (in regards to his ego) that he has not done anything for the nation. Now a typical professional would just ignore such a comment, go out on the pitch, score some goals, and prove his critics wrong. What did Eto'o do? He threatened to walk out of the team! Instead of showing up to training with the rest of The Lions on the first day, he went on a week long vacation. When he returned to play a warm-up match, he quickly got a red card, displaying an arrogance that defies logic on the pitch, and a reaction reminiscent of simply not caring after he left.

Things do not look good for Cameroon.

On the plus side, the rest of the team would die for their country. They want to win, badly, since they are playing in the first ever World Cup on African soil. They did have lapses in qualification, with their defense being a little shaky, and only producing low scoring games when Eto'o was not around. But desire to win is what will drive The Lions past the group stage. Expect a 4-5-1 formation, with Cameroon playing very defensively, trying to find a weakness in the opponent. This will work very well against Japan, possibly slow the Dutch down, and provide an even playing field against the Danes.

Key Players: Out with Eto'o, in with Alex Song! The Arsenal midfielder can really dictate the tempo of a game, and will probably be Cameroons creative genius. Geremi, a defender, will be crucial to Cameroons defense, brining a wealth of experience from his time in the EPL and La Liga.

My Prediction: Narrowly losing out to Italy in the second round, as the Italians will be used to playing against Cameroon's style of soccer.

Group E: Denmark

Unfortunately, this is not the same Denmark as thirty years ago, a team that had "The Great Dane" Peter Schmeichel and the Laudrup brothers. Thankfully, for being dubbed the least experienced Denmark team for many years, the Danes were able to roll over their qualification group. Not only did they edge out Portugal for first place, but they disqualified Scandinavian powerhouse Sweden!

Although, it may be unfair to call the team inexperienced, as they are filled with some bright talents. Nicklas Bendtner [pictured] of Arsenal has been a promising prospect in London, while Daniel Agger has been playing a lot of first team soccer at Liverpool. Thomas Sorenson is also back, prepared to be the imposing force he usually is in front of the net. However, there are weak points, with the majority of the defenders playing at small clubs that do not compete against the best opposition. But Morten Olsen has been at the helm of the team for a long time, serving as coach for ten years and counting. The team and fans will just have to put their trust into him, as he attempts to bring new glory to a team that has failed to impress for the past four years.

Truthfully, it is a shame that Denmark will likely not make it out of the group stage, but their games are sure to be enjoyable. As is the typical Danish fashion, expect many late game goals that could surprise us all, which could allow them to narrowly avoid being knocked out.

My Prediction: Group E 3rd Place.

Group E: Japan

Takeshi Okada [coach] has already called for a semi-final spot, meanwhile the fans are already calling for his head. Naturally Japan flew threw the qualification like a Tsunami hitting land (now expected of both Japan and Korea); however, a poor string of results since leading up to the tournament has shown how bad of form Japan is in.

Their defense has been really suspect, having already given three own-goals in two warm-up matches. But that's not all, they can't seem to protect their flanks, allowing too many crosses into the box which has tested their keepers.

Japan, like the United States, is a developing soccer country, both with new leagues, and the players only starting to gain notoriety on foreign soil. In the future Japan could easily become a powerhouse, if they manage to keep up their development, but at the present time... Well, lets just say the citizens of Japan are hoping to win at least one game to remain happy.

Key Players: Naturally Nakamura Shunsuke [Japanese name form] is placed into this list. Already having played for Celtic in Scotland for a few years (but now back in Japan League) he has become feared across Europe for his dead-ball skills. However, this could be his last World Cup, and if ever he wanted to go out with a bang, this would be the time for it.

My Prediction: Group E 4th Place.

Group E: Netherlands

Eight straight wins in qualification, undefeated in world cup warm-up matches, it is easy to see why Oranje are one of the favorites to win the tournament. Due to years of total football, when the Dutch have always had a strong squad, the team has surprised many when they look at their history and notice a single finals victory, the 1988 European Championship

This is the statistic that has always plagued the Netherlands, they show up to a finals and progress through the knockout stages only to be beaten prematurely.  In a sense, they are just like England, and like England, many journalists believe this year will be different.

Notorious for locker room rows, the Dutch have apparently calmed down, and are playing more like a cohesive unit. Total football is even back, with the defenders randomly becoming attackers, and the attackers tracking back to defend. Although their defense is their weakest link, their midfield and forwards rank on top of the worlds elite.  Dubbed the fantastic four (pictured), Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, and Rafael van der Vaart form the core of the team. They can score, take free kicks, run till their legs run off, stagger defenders,  and physically challenge for the ball. However, there could be a problem, Arjen Robben just injured himself, which isn't a big surprise, he is always hurt. As a result, Dirk Kuyt could take his starting spot, forming a strike partnership with van Persie.

Provided the team ceases all the typical in-fighting, then this could be a spectacular time in history for all soccer fans.

My Prediction: Runners-Up

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