Why You Should Watch 64 Games of Soccer in a Month: June 25
Games 45 and 46: Portugal vs Brazil and North Korea vs Ivory Coast
Why You Should Watch: The group is all but a foregone conclusion with Portugal racking up a preposterous +7 goal difference to Ivory Coast's -2, but there's one big reason to watch all the same, and that is a clash of the titans with a Brazil/Portugal game. Or, if you prefer, the final hammering of North Korea. Take your pick, really.
Rundown of Outcomes
Brazil are through
Portugal are through unless they lose, Ivory Coast wins, and the combined margin exceeds nine.
Ivory coast are through if Portugal don't make it.
North Korea cannot advance.
Which Game to Watch: Brazil may well field their B-team against the Ivory Coast, but if they do they risk having to face Spain in the round of 16, and Argentina in the semis. Whereas if they win, they move to a considerably easier half of the bracket. Portugal may also field their B-team, but that risks dumping them out of the Cup. So Brazil vs. Portugal is probably the game to watch.
Predicted outcome: Brazil and Portugal are going through.
Games 47 and 48: Chile vs Spain and Switzerland vs Honduras
Why You Should Watch: It never should have come to this - Spain with a must-win final game against Chile. But it has, and the group is a nail-biter as a result. And this is a great match-up, since Chile is a fluid, attacking side, as is Spain. On the undercard is Switzerland and Honduras. Honduras have been awful, but can theoretically pull it out. Switzerland haven't been great, while Chile have, and could make it in on the back of their lucky win against Spain. But this group features high odds for a great team to falter.
Rundown of Outcomes:
If Chile get a point, they're through, and they're also through as long as Switzerland doesn't win, or as long as the combined margin of the games in a Spain and Switzerland win is no more than 2.
Spain are through if they win, or if both games are a draw, or if Honduras wins and they draw, or if Honduras wins and the combined margin of their win and Spain's defeat is less than five.
Switzerland are through if they win by two more than Spain wins by, or if they win and Spain draws or loses, or they draw and Spain loses.
Honduras are through if they win, Spain loses, and the combined margin exceeds five.
Which game to watch: With the attacking flairs of Spain and Chile, and so much on the line, that is probably going to be a better match than Brazil-Portugal.
Predicted outcome: Spain and Switzerland to make it, with Chile getting the harshest elimination in the tournament.
Why You Should Watch: The group is all but a foregone conclusion with Portugal racking up a preposterous +7 goal difference to Ivory Coast's -2, but there's one big reason to watch all the same, and that is a clash of the titans with a Brazil/Portugal game. Or, if you prefer, the final hammering of North Korea. Take your pick, really.
Rundown of Outcomes
Brazil are through
Portugal are through unless they lose, Ivory Coast wins, and the combined margin exceeds nine.
Ivory coast are through if Portugal don't make it.
North Korea cannot advance.
Which Game to Watch: Brazil may well field their B-team against the Ivory Coast, but if they do they risk having to face Spain in the round of 16, and Argentina in the semis. Whereas if they win, they move to a considerably easier half of the bracket. Portugal may also field their B-team, but that risks dumping them out of the Cup. So Brazil vs. Portugal is probably the game to watch.
Predicted outcome: Brazil and Portugal are going through.
Games 47 and 48: Chile vs Spain and Switzerland vs Honduras
Why You Should Watch: It never should have come to this - Spain with a must-win final game against Chile. But it has, and the group is a nail-biter as a result. And this is a great match-up, since Chile is a fluid, attacking side, as is Spain. On the undercard is Switzerland and Honduras. Honduras have been awful, but can theoretically pull it out. Switzerland haven't been great, while Chile have, and could make it in on the back of their lucky win against Spain. But this group features high odds for a great team to falter.
Rundown of Outcomes:
If Chile get a point, they're through, and they're also through as long as Switzerland doesn't win, or as long as the combined margin of the games in a Spain and Switzerland win is no more than 2.
Spain are through if they win, or if both games are a draw, or if Honduras wins and they draw, or if Honduras wins and the combined margin of their win and Spain's defeat is less than five.
Switzerland are through if they win by two more than Spain wins by, or if they win and Spain draws or loses, or they draw and Spain loses.
Honduras are through if they win, Spain loses, and the combined margin exceeds five.
Which game to watch: With the attacking flairs of Spain and Chile, and so much on the line, that is probably going to be a better match than Brazil-Portugal.
Predicted outcome: Spain and Switzerland to make it, with Chile getting the harshest elimination in the tournament.