Three England fans looking only slightly less ridiculous than their team (Telegraph.co.uk)As we're coming to the end of the second weekend of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, we find ourselves faced with a compelling final five days of group stage games. And even with 29 of 48 group matches played, only the Netherlands and Brazil have guaranteed themselves a spot in the next round. Needless to say, my predictions have almost all been thrown out the window.
Draws Dominate Crucial Group C Games
Through almost freakishly unpredictable circumstances, three draws in the opening four games of Group C have left Slovenia on top of the group table with four points. The United States sits in second place with two points, edging England to third on account of goals scored.
After leaving their first match against England with a well-deserved 1-1 draw, the United States showed the spectacularly gritty nature of its team character when they fought back from a two goal deficit at half time to draw and nearly beat a slick Slovenian side in their second match.
England, on the other hand, apparently forgot to eat their Wheaties and struggled to produce any sort of attacking threat in a 0-0 draw in their second group stage match against Algeria.
World Powers Stumble, Self-Destruct
Spain, the reigning European champions and a prominent favorite to win this year's world cup found themselves on the wrong side of a 1-0 scoreline against a lucky and well organized (imagined that) Swiss side.
After pummeling a lackluster, befuddled Australian side 4-0 in their opening games, tournament regulars Germany lost 1-0 to a stalwart Serbian side.
Defending World Cup winners Italy not only came from behind to salvage a draw in their opener against Paraguay, but they found themselves in need of a similar performance to salvage not only a point but their dignity from their second game against a spectacularly organized New Zealand side. The Azzuri now sit on 2 points going into the final day.
If it wasn't enough that France all but cheated its way into a spot in South Africa, they opened their tournament with an uninspired 0-0 draw against Uruguay. Then the French proceeded to fall apart in a 2-0 loss to Mexico. The self-destruction continued into the weekend when forward Nicolas Anelka was sent home, the French players refused to train and many of the coaching staff simply quit.
And as ESPN the Magazine's World Cup preview so astutely put it, "There will always be an England and it will always disappoint." And with a goalless draw against Algeria of all teams, the Three Lions of England have surely disappointed.
Quality of Refereeing Goes from Amazing to Appalling
The refereeing of the opening dozen games or so was nearly impeccable. The most prominent example of the outstanding refereeing came in the opening match of the tournament when Mexico's Carlos Vela was correctly called off side against the protests of about 85% of the matches viewers, including the ESPN commentating crew.
However, come Friday, the wheels starting coming off the refereeing cart. Germany's loss came within the context of Spanish referee Alberto Mallenco's 10 cards, including the sending off of the German's World Cup Talisman, Miroslav Klose. Then, with only 10 minutes to go in the US's match against Slovenia, Malian referee Koman Coulibaly disallowed a US goal by calling a foul that remains unfathomable in the face of dozens of slow motion replays.
Regardless of what the past 10 days have brought us, they are sure to bring exciting match-ups and edge-of-your-seat moments. Will New Zealand pull off the unthinkable and follow Paraguay out of the group, leaving the Italians behind to ponder what might have been? Will the US and Slovenia leave England equally befuddled by elimination? Will the cards fall just right for Australia? Will it be Portugal or the Ivory Coast who advances from the group of death? Will an African team be able to make it to the knock out stages in the first tournament held on African soil?
We'll just have to watch some more to find out.
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