I'm thinking 4-0 Brazil vs. N Korea.

Can't really predict anything beyond that, personally. Haven't been following Ivory Coast, Slovakia, or New Zealand at all.

Ivory coast is great team, very powerful, Slovakia is good, and New Zealand are probably weakest on the world cup. North Korea have good disciplined defence and Brazil have tough time with teams that play catanacio.

Ivory Coast will be no pushovers, but their chance to *win* that one depends completely on Drogba: if he's allowed to play my money's on them, if not then draw.

Has anyone else been really disappointed with the world cup so far? I've not seen one genuinely good game. A few have had brief spells of excitement, but none have come close to being a classic.

+! Octavious

Yeah, I'm going to wait until every team has played at least once before I start bandying about words like "disappointment". Although, I am disappointed that diving scum Christie Ronaldo's team got a point out of their match with les Elefants.

I can't help but figure that both Cote d'Ivoire and Portugal will be playing really cynical, Italy-style football against Brazil. And, given the way Dunga has constructed this version of the Selecao, I fear that cynicism will work and produce nil-nil draws.

No, I think that BRA will be able to knock over POR by at least one goal. I'm hoping for CIV to beat out POR to get second in Group G. I hear that Ronaldo compares goals to bottles of ketchup too. =P

I can see N. Korea holding Brazil to a mere 2-0 victory. The samba isn't as well oiled as in years past.

Terrible game played by Portugal and Cote d'Ivoire.
Can say that in Portugal team only Fabio Coentrão played well (left defender).

@PeregrinTook: so what? Does that make him a bad player, dumb player? Or you just find something in common with Bob to talk about... talk about non-futebolistic caracteristics of C.Ronaldo.
I find it funny that people tend to talk about C.Ronaldo too much, just to say that he is this and that...
Fact: Best shot in the game was his, even though he didn't play well.

For those who don't know, yes, I'm Portuguese but I don't have much faith in this Portuguese Team (why should I?).

Wow, I made very poor picks for today it seems. North Korea is doing surprisingly well.

I have to agree somewhat with Octavious. There have been a lot of ties and teams are playing more conservatively, aka boring. Germany so far has been the most exciting team.

To be fair no-one wants to loose their first game. Expect more goals in the next round.


COME ON NORTH KOREA :D :P
Questionable keeping though - anyone else think Brazil switched off having done the job?

I htink Brazil will tie with either Portugal or Ivory Coast, and will take the second place because of their goal difference. They'll beat Spain in the second round, and will most likely loose quarter finals against Italy.

As much as I would've loved to see Brasil lose, I couldn't stand to watch a communist country do well.

5 minutes of extra time in a half that had one goal scored? Is this game secretly being played at Old Trafford?

there you have the great favourite

Switzerland 1 - Spain 0. Looks like one team is back to its underperforming ways.

@Xapi - Looking at that you have to wonder if Spain will be top...

Worst WC I ever watch!

@chamois it is starting to look too much like Italia '90

i'm really enjoying these upsets and lack of playign well by the best teams. to me it makes it more exciting. best world cup ever!

@yayager i was three years old in 90, I cannot say ^^"

I'm not sure what to think.
Rather worried about how it'll go, because at least at the moment the teams are playing at the same altitudes.
When we come to the knock-outs suddenly teams from the higher stadiums will be playing at sea level: doesn't seem particularly fair to me.

Erm. I just woke up. Can someone explain to me how Switzerland beat Spain? =/

Well, it's more a case of Spain losing than Switzerland winning. Basically it was a 0-0 draw except the Swiss converted an ugly goal.

They also hit the post near the end, give them some credit!
Also, what did you expect them to do?
No team is going to try and play through the Spanish midfield, it just wont happen (except possibily the Dutch?). The Swiss played a defensive game, didn't concede, and converted a chance. That's what they had to do; that's what they did. Good on them.

More importantly: I've caught up with you Chris :D

@figles I see your point. The Swiss did exactly what I expected, which isn't exactly attractive soccer. For me it's still more of a case of Spain underachieving than Switzerland beating the odds.

i give props to the swiss defense though.

:O Penalty