Why You Should Watch 64 Games of Soccer in a Month: June 24
Games 40 and 41: Slovakia vs. Italy and Paraguay vs New Zealand
Why You Should Watch: Because WTF - Italy and New Zealand are in exactly equivalent positions. Can New Zealand manage the upset of the century and actually make it through?
Rundown of Outcomes:
Paraguay are through on a draw or better, or on a loss if the other game is a draw, or if Italy lose and the combined margin is less than 4.
Italy are through if they do better than New Zealand and none of the Slovakia conditions come true, or if they win.
New Zealand are through if they do better than Italy and none of the Slovakia conditions come true, or if they win.
Slovakia are through if they beat Italy and New Zealand don't win, unless the combined margin exceeds four.
Which Game to Watch: Italy offers you a team desperate to pull it out and advance in the World Cup. New Zealand offers you a team desperate to continue an extraordinary run and advance. Odds are the Italy game will be the decisive one, but on the other hand, the New Zealand game would be one talked about for years.
Predicted Outcomes: Paraguay either way, Italy or New Zealand, take your pick on safe vs. awesome.
Games 42 and 43: Denmark vs Japan and the Netherlands vs Cameroon
Why You Should Watch: Because it’s a straightforward single elimination game - the Netherlands are through, Cameroon are out, and Denmark and Japan are playing to decide it, with Japan needing only a draw to advance. Neither team were shoo-ins for the knockout stage, and honestly I favored Cameroon over both, so this will put an interesting team through. And given that they have to face off against Group F - an unusually weak group - you have a team with a serious possibility of making it to the Quarterfinals here.
Rundown of Outcomes:
The Netherlands are through.
Denmark go through if they beat Japan.
Japan go through if they beat or draw with Denmark.
Cameroon cannot possibly advance.
Which Game to Watch: Definitely Denmark/Japan - the Netherlands will field their B team and likely lose to Cameroon 1-0 as Cameroon try to salvage some glory. Meanwhile, Denmark/Japan will have one team - Denmark - coming out flying trying to win, and one - Japan - trying to keep that from happening.
Player to Watch: Denmark’s Nicklas Bendtner, a fabulous striker who will need to score if Denmark are to advance.
Predicted outcome: Japan to advance.
Why You Should Watch: Because WTF - Italy and New Zealand are in exactly equivalent positions. Can New Zealand manage the upset of the century and actually make it through?
Rundown of Outcomes:
Paraguay are through on a draw or better, or on a loss if the other game is a draw, or if Italy lose and the combined margin is less than 4.
Italy are through if they do better than New Zealand and none of the Slovakia conditions come true, or if they win.
New Zealand are through if they do better than Italy and none of the Slovakia conditions come true, or if they win.
Slovakia are through if they beat Italy and New Zealand don't win, unless the combined margin exceeds four.
Which Game to Watch: Italy offers you a team desperate to pull it out and advance in the World Cup. New Zealand offers you a team desperate to continue an extraordinary run and advance. Odds are the Italy game will be the decisive one, but on the other hand, the New Zealand game would be one talked about for years.
Predicted Outcomes: Paraguay either way, Italy or New Zealand, take your pick on safe vs. awesome.
Games 42 and 43: Denmark vs Japan and the Netherlands vs Cameroon
Why You Should Watch: Because it’s a straightforward single elimination game - the Netherlands are through, Cameroon are out, and Denmark and Japan are playing to decide it, with Japan needing only a draw to advance. Neither team were shoo-ins for the knockout stage, and honestly I favored Cameroon over both, so this will put an interesting team through. And given that they have to face off against Group F - an unusually weak group - you have a team with a serious possibility of making it to the Quarterfinals here.
Rundown of Outcomes:
The Netherlands are through.
Denmark go through if they beat Japan.
Japan go through if they beat or draw with Denmark.
Cameroon cannot possibly advance.
Which Game to Watch: Definitely Denmark/Japan - the Netherlands will field their B team and likely lose to Cameroon 1-0 as Cameroon try to salvage some glory. Meanwhile, Denmark/Japan will have one team - Denmark - coming out flying trying to win, and one - Japan - trying to keep that from happening.
Player to Watch: Denmark’s Nicklas Bendtner, a fabulous striker who will need to score if Denmark are to advance.
Predicted outcome: Japan to advance.