Mexico, Uruguay Move On;
Host Country Won't Advance
By WADE MURRAY
One Great Season
Group A seems to stand for "Group Ambiguous" in this installment of the World Cup.
With host South Africa (and its automatic bid) as the No. 1 seed for Group A, it was anticipated to be the easiest group from which to advance. However, the draw we all witnessed a few months back revealed the exact opposite.
Group A could be one of the most competitive groups in the Cup, regardless of the lack of a prominent world power as its No. 1 seed. The fact that the other three teams in the group all rank in the Top 20 of the FIFA world rankings provides the setting for a hard (but possibly boring) fight to the second round.
BIO: About Wade Murray
But let's be honest and talk on the real for why I will be watching this group with great excitement. Simply put, I want to see France get its ass kicked. My family is mostly Norwegian, but I have a little Irish in me and I am sure everyone who roots for Ireland is behind me on this one. From the Zinedine Zidane head-butt four years ago (which was actually pretty funny) to the French version of the hand-of-God in the qualifitying rounds that put France through, I am tired of that team. I wish the French a nice vacation but a speedy trip home.
Now, that said, let's talk about the teams individually:
France
France has had some underwhelming group stage performances in the past but this group is honestly its to lose. The Mexico/Uruguay showdown has conveniently been scheduled for the last day of Group A play. I find this just as convenient as the referees during the Ireland qualifying game unable to see the most obvious handball of all time, which is to say not convenient at all.
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On paper, the defending runners-up seem to be in a good position to make a run at a title in this Cup. But the qualifying process dogged the French team and I for one think it is ripe for a tough time in South Africa. Injuries during qualifying almost got the best of France, only getting by with the help of one of the most controversial handball non-calls in recent history, which has the entire island of Ireland hunting for Frenchies still to this day.
Thierry Henry's near-blunder sent France into the finals on a wave of altercation. Let alone the verbal warfront sent by Ireland, many people had already been questioning the ability of the French side to play with the best. Its poor form in qualifying has prompted concern about France's form in the main event this month.
However, if any team has the ability to turn its path around, it's Les Blues. France can peak at the right time, coming together right at the beginning of the group stage and blazing a way to the finals, whether I like it or not.
Mexico
One of the most explosive teams in the finals, Mexico also enters as one of the Cup's most inexplicable. At points, El Tri seems to be able to make a run deep into the tournament. Though it's had its ups and downs in the last few years, the Mexicans are a well-balanced team that's shown an exceptional ability to score in bunches.
However, that same offense has turned at times anemic, yielding near disaster on occasion. The defense seems to be holding up quite well, but the lack of offensive consistency is the real problem for Mexico, causing great distress and even multiple coaching changes in recent years.
Giovani Dos Santos, however, could be the savior for the Mexicans this summer. The talented and speedy young attacker showed sheer brilliance in qualifying.
El Tri is a relatively young team with great speed, and if it can overcome some consistency issues, it will be an all-around scary side that is fully able to push out of the group stage and into the round of 16.
South Africa
Goals will be hard to come by for the hosts in this group. Bafana Bafana have a long road ahead if it wants to advance to the group stage. The South Africans lack star power or the cohesiveness to really make an impact in such a difficult group unless some very odd things transpire.
However, the Bafana Bafana have three distinct advantages going for them.
- Home-field advantage, which has proven to be a valuable force in recent Cups
- Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira and his tactics may fit South Africa very well, using the lack of talent to keep the ball in the middle third and play the occasional long ball to the likes of Stephen Pienaar
- Its momentum. South Africa hasn't lost a match since October and has dropped only two of its last 10 matches. Bafana Bafana have played well and proven they can compete against higher-level competition
There is an entire nation behind this squad, and if it gets a couple of breaks, we might see an improbable advancement from the South African team, but I honestly doubt it.
If nothing else, I suggest you all support superstar striker Stephen Pienaar for having one of the coolest names in the Cup. We are making t-shirts to honor this great name if anyone would like one. It says "Get Your Hands Off My Pienaar" in honor of his attacking ability.
Uruguay
One of the most overlooked teams in the Cup, Uruguay has a real chance to advance out of the group stage and continue to advance.
Sporting an amazingly talented front line with players like Diego Forlan, Uruguay boasts an attacking prowess that most teams only dream of. At any point in time, Forlan can explode into a goal-scoring frenzy. Although he leads a massive attacking force, Uruguay hasn't really competed against the dynasties of CONMEBOL like Brazil and Argentina, and didn't fully capitalize on playing smaller, less competitive teams during qualifying.
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The defensive side of the ball could be Uruguay's downfall this month. Rarely does Uruguay play through a game without letting up a goal. This could be troubling because although advancing out of a group full of decent opponents is very possible, such a tendency likely would catch up to the Uruguayans in later rounds against more difficult adversaries.
The only hope is for Uruguay's prolific front line to attack enough to keep the other teams on their heels. But, you heard it here folks, I like Uruguay and see this team doing very well.
Prediction
- Group Winner -- Mexico
- Group Second Place -- Uruguay
- Group Best Game -- France vs South Africa
- Group Bitch Slap Goes to -- France, which can go to Hell