Last Day Permutations

By
Mohamed Harb
 – June 22, 2010
In less than couple of hours, matchday three of the group stage will present to the World the biggest disappointments, or the biggest surprises. The 32 participating teams will compete for the last 16 spots of the knockout stage starting 14:00 GMT today. Looking at the odds and the chances of each team in each group we can read that some big names like France, England and Italy may not be competing in the next stage. However, it is not late and always early to write off any contender yet. In Group A, France and even the host nation South Africa need a sure win to qualify only if the result of the second game between Mexico and Uruguay doesn’t end with a draw. In case there was a draw then we will see the 2006 Runners-Up packing and following their reject, Anelka, home. In Group B, Argentina are sure qualifiers, however the second spot is still up for grabs by even Nigeria if the latter managed a huge win over South Korea while Greece loses big to Argentina. In a different possibility, South Korea will have the best chance if they managed a draw with Nigeria taking into consideration Greece takes a maximum of one point from Argentina. In Group C, any team can still qualify and reserve the spot for the round of 16. The team that will win will proceed to the next stage. In case there were draws, the favorites will emerge as Slovenia and USA, and the English team will be the surprise elimination of the tournament at this stage. In Group D, Germany needs a win regardless of Serbia’s result against Australia. However, Ghana, the current leaders, can also be eliminated in case Serbia and Germany win to qualify together. In Group E, Netherlands has booked its place in the next round, and the second spot is to be claimed by either Japan or Denmark. A draw or a win will qualify Japan against Denmark, and the Danes need to push hard for the full three points. In Group F, any team can still qualify; even Slovakia. The team that will grab a win will qualify, and the team that will earn a point or less will have to do the math and wait for other contenders to flop. Italy is in the second place right now, but that doesn’t mean they can settle for a draw as New Zealand is hoping for a miraculous win over Paraguay. In Group G, the situation is different, where Brazil and Portugal have claimed the two spots already, however they will play each other on the final day to see who might end on top and who will be probably facing Spain in the knockout stage. Last but not least, Group H is currently led by Chile, and Spain will be joining them in case their direct encounter ended with a win for the Spaniards. However, a draw will disqualify Spain in case Switzerland managed a win against modest Honduras. By the end of June 25, 2010, the 16 finalists will be determined, and until then, the upcoming fixtures promise to be better than what we have seen in this World Cup so far.