GROUP A
Brazil 3W 0D 0L 9pts
Mexico 1W 1D 1L 4pts
Croatia 0W 2D 1L 2pts
Cameroon 0W 1D 2L 1pt
Brazil should breeze through this group despite all the travel they have in store for them. Only one other team will rack up more air miles during the tournament, the United States. The crucial match that will be the difference for Mexico advancing will be on Friday, 13 June, where I see them beating Cameroon two to one. That means Mexico would only need a draw against Croatia ten days later. I think they can handle that.
GROUP B
Spain 3W 0D 0L 9pts
Netherlands 2W 0D 1L 6pts
Chile 1W 0D 2L 3pts
Australia 0W 0D 3L 0pts
One of the most exciting games of the group stage will happen on the second day of the tournament, as Spain and the Netherlands have a rematch of the 2010 World Cup Final. I believe Spain will win a thrilling three to two victory that day. Lots of folks are high on Chile right now, but I am not convinced. I have the Netherlands beating Chile two to one on Monday, 23 June.
GROUP C
Columbia 2W 1D 0L 7pts
Greece 2W 1D 0L 7pts
Japan 1W 0D 2L 3pts
Ivory Coast 0W 0D 3L 0pts
I expect Columbia will win the group on goal difference. Columbia should be able to score more goals against Japan and/or the Ivory Coast than Greece can. Ivory Coast have a terrible reputation for being crap in the big tournaments. I do not see that changing here. Greece will play their normal defensive minded boring football, and their one-nil victory over Japan on Thursday, 19 June will see them through to the Round of Sixteen.
GROUP D
Uruguay 1W 2D 0L 5pts
Italy 0W 3D 0L 3pts
England 0W 3D 0L 3pts
Costa Rica 0W 2D 1L 2pts
This is a brutal group, and I really feel for the Ticos. I think Italy will advance on the strength of scoring more goals than England, even though I do not see a whole lot of goals being scored in this group, period. Ingerland will sack their manager for sure, and the British press will be merciless. Uruguay beating Costa Rica two-nil on Saturday, 14 June will be the match that separates Uruguay from the rest of the group.
GROUP E
Ecuador 2W 1D 0L 7pts
Switzerland 0W 3D 0L 3pts
France 0W 2D 1L 2pts
Honduras 0W 2D 1L 2pts
This should be the most boring group in the whole tournament. There will not be a lot of goals scored, and it will come down to Wednesday, 25 June when France and Honduras will be sent packing. Honduras will manage a nil-nil draw against my beloved boring Switzerland, but Ecuador will beat France one-nil. The difference for Switzerland over France is the Swiss will have been able to draw one all v Ecuador ten days earlier.
GROUP F
Argentina 3W 0D 0L 9pts
Nigeria 1W 1D 1L 4pts
Bosnia and Herzegovina 0W 2D 1L 2pts
Iran 0W 1D 2L 1pt
If our new Pope really did pray for an easy group for Argentina then he really did get his wish. This group will be a cakewalk for Messi et al, and they should win all three games. The difference for Nigeria will be that they can beat Iran, while Bosnia only manage a draw v Iran on Wednesday, 25 June.
GROUP G
Germany 2W 1D 0L 7pts
USA 1W 2D 0L 5pts
Portugal 1W 0D 2L 3pts
Ghana 0W 1D 2L 1pt
The USA will draw v Ghana one all; beat Portugal three-two again; and then kick the ball around the park with Germany on Thursday, 26 June, earning a draw, whilst Portugal maliciously destroy Ghana four-nil. It will not matter, though. Portugal will flame out of a major tournament once again, even with Ronaldo.
GROUP H
Belgium 1W 2D 0L 5pts
Russia 0W 3D 0L 3pts
Algeria 0W 3D 0L 3pts
South Korea 0W 2D 1L
Belgium will advance on the strength of being the only team in this extremely boring group to win a match, (one-nil over South Korea on Thursday, 26 June). Russia will score more goals than Algeria, and break through because of that. Lots of folks really fancy this Belgian side, and on paper they do look impressive, but I am skeptical.
ROUND OF SIXTEEN
SATURDAY, 28 JUNE
Brazil 3-2 Netherlands
Columbia 0-1 Italy
The Brazil Holland match will be the most exciting game of the 2014 World Cup. Unfortunately, right after that, Italy will bore Columbia to death, and win yet another one-nil Azzurri Special.
SUNDAY, 29 JUNE
Spain 2-0 Mexico
Uruguay 0-0 (4-2 PKs) Greece
Spain will tiki taka Mexico senseless, and Uruguay and Greece will put everyone to sleep, until Los Charrúas win on PKs.
MONDAY, 30 JUNE
Ecuador 2-1 Nigeria
Germany 3-1 Russia
This will be a fun day for football, with loads of goals scored, and one extremely tight, and competitive matchup that could also go in to Extra Time or PKs.
TUESDAY, 1 JULY
Argentina 2-0 Switzerland
Belgium 0-2 USA
I told you I did not think Belgium were for real. Plus, European teams do not do well away from their continent. (The exceptions are Germany, they are always good; Italy, they either win it all or suck; and Spain, who are becoming the new version of Germany.) And, Argentina will have no problems with the Cantons of Helvetica.
QUARTERFINALS
FRIDAY, 4 JULY
Brazil 0-0 (4-3 PKs) Italy
Ecuador 0-1 Germany
Germany will reach yet another semifinal, and Brazil will break Italy's heart again, on PKs.
SATURDAY, 5 JULY
Spain 1-0 Uruguay
Argentina 2-1 USA
The party ends for the USMNT, but they acquit themselves well, and are not a complete pushover for Argentina. Meanwhile, Spain marches on, and eliminate one of my favorite sides, the gutsy, and tough Uruguayans.
SEMIFINALS
TUESDAY, 8 JULY
Brazil 2-0 Germany
WEDNESDAY, 9 JULY
Argentina 1-3 Spain
Yup, I am picking a Spain Brazil final. Pretty boring, hunh? But, that is how I see it.
THIRD PLACE GAME
SATURDAY, 12 JULY
Argentina 1-2 Germany
FINAL
SUNDAY, 13 JULY
Brazil 0-2 Spain
I am going with Spain to win their second straight World Cup, and their third straight Major Tournament. Perhaps a safe choice, and perhaps not. We will see. I can not wait!
Mwah, ...
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