WORLD CUP Predictions (part 2) Group A: Brazil, Mexico, Croatia , Cameroon. Brazil, of course, will win three games and the group. The real question is the battle for second. Mexico had an Anno Horribilis last year, and barely qualified for the Cup. But the soccer gods are fickle, and Mexico has the talent, a better coach, and different mind-set and is looking much better. The team they really need to beat is Cameroon, with their aging but still brilliant stars Samuel Eto’o and Alex Song. Croatia has some talent as well. But Mexico will find a way, come in second in the group and advance to the second round (where they will probably go against Spain). Cameroon and Croatia will go home early. Group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia. This is the real Group of Death (sorry, US fans), with three real contenders. Here’s a not-so-bold prediction: Australia will not win a game and go home early. Here’s a bolder prediction: the Netherlands, runners-up last time, will also go home early. They are hungry for revenge, but Robben and Van Persie are four years older now, and van der Vaart is out with injury. (In any other group they would have almost certainly advanced). Chile is resurgent, with stars Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal, and they will seek to win the group to avoid a second-round match-up with arch-enemy Brazil. Spain will probably win the group and advance. In spite of this, the great Spanish dynasty, I think, is coming to an end. Three in-a-row (counting Euro-Cups) is a far as they get. If they make it past the quarter-finals, they’ll be lucky.
Posted on: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 03:26:52 +0000
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