FIFA World Cup 2010: Holders Italy Exit and Favourites Spain Need To Win

The World Cup is really picking up pace now as today sees the last of the group games before we head straight into the last 16 games tomorrow.

I'll do a quick run down of my projected qualifiers from each group tomorrow, but I don't think it's going too well as the European teams continue to fall by the wayside.

Yesterday's games started with the conclusion of group F as Italy played Slovakia and Paraguay played New Zealand. There were all sorts of permutations and combinations before the games, but Slovakia and New Zealand knew that nothing short of a win would do them. It was the Slovakians who got that win when they beat World Champions Italy 3-2.

The final 15 minutes of the game were action packed as we saw four goals and to be fair to Italy they refused to lie down and die as they came back from 2-0 and 3-1 down and almost snatched the draw that they needed. Unfortunately, players from both sides took their turns to feign injury at times to try to get their opponents sent off and I would have liked to have seen them punished for it. 

It was a fully deserved win and it meant that they managed to finish second in the group behind Paraguay, who drew 0-0 with New Zealand. Amazingly, it also meant that World Champions Italy exited the tournament in last place in their group as the runners up in 2006 had also done when France went out two days previously.

France's exit was a shambles and a disgrace as they clearly had the players to make an impact at the World Cup, but Italy, on the other hand, seemed to do the best they could with a mixture of aged players and players who weren't up to the task. I have never seen an Italian international player who is as bad as Pepe, and I can't believe that they have no one better than him available to them.

From an Irish perspective it proved the TV football analysts correct as they said that Ireland were too cautious against them in our qualifying group games and should have had the courage to take them on and win the group.

The team that knocked us out in the play offs, whether it was fairly or not, also finished bottom of their group so Ireland would probably have suffered in South Africa if they had made it instead of either Italy or France.

I also have to say that New Zealand put up a great display in the tournament and go home with an unbeaten record to be proud of. They deserved to finish ahead of Italy and I hope that it does a lot to promote the game in that part of the world.

In the late kickoffs we saw the conclusion of group E as The Netherlands got their third win of the group to qualify in first place with nine points and set themselves up with a last 16 game against Slovakia. RVP managed his first goal of the tournament when he put them 1-0 up in the first half and he finished it with his chocolate leg.

It ended up with them beating Cameroon 2-1 and it meant that Cameroon ended up bottom of their group with no points. Alex Song got no game time yet again as was the case in their first game and it means he can now pack his bags and head off on holiday.

In the other game, Denmark had to beat Japan to secure second spot in the group, but once they had gone 1-0 down to a free kick from Honda they never really looked like they could manage it. The second goal came from a free kick too and Denmark looked dead and buried at half time as they were 2-0 down.

I thought that Sorensen was at fault for both of those goals and obviously the goalkeepers curse of being linked to Arsenal struck him down.

Tomasson should have pulled a goal back for Denmark in the second half before Bendtner hit the bar with a 25-yard volley. They eventually got a goal when they were given a somewhat fortuitous penalty and Tomasson scored the rebound after his initial effort was saved. Bendtner, like Song, can now pack his bags and head off for a few weeks rest before he comes back to preseason training.

It means that Japan can look forward to a game against Paraguay in the last 16 and it's a game both teams will think they can win. If Honda can play as well as he did last night I think he might just make the difference in that game.

In this afternoon's games we will see Brazil take on Portugal and Ivory Coast take on North Korea. Ivory Coast will have to hope that Brazil beat Portugal and that they can beat North Korea by at least as many goals as Portugal did.

It's a very tall order to hope for a seven- or eight-goal win, and I think it's beyond them but I hope that they go for it and give us an entertaining game.

With Portugal only needing a draw to qualify for the last 16, I think that they will shut up shop against Brazil and we are in for a very boring game as their game against Ivory Coast turned out.

I hope not, but I don't hold out much hope of them coming out and attacking Brazil. Brazil only need to avoid a defeat to top the group although that could be a poison chalice if Spain finish second in their group and Brazil have to play them in the last 16.

In the other group, we face a fascinating scenario as Spain, Chile, and Switzerland all look set to finish on six points if results go as expected. It will then be down to goal difference and Switzerland will have to get a victory by more than one goal against Honduras to put the pressure on Chile in their game against Spain.

If Spain don't beat Chile I think that they will exit at the group stages and that would be a disaster for them. They have never won the World Cup and this has to be their best chance yet as they are probably the best team in the world. I suppose that Spain and Chile are the best two teams in the group but that hasn't always insured qualification in the other groups so far.

It's a hard one to call but I suspect that Spain and Switzerland will make it into the last 16. However, with Cesc on the bench yet again, Spain are determined to make things more difficult for themselves.

In Arsenal news, the Daily Mail are claiming that Cesc met with the boss again and reaffirmed his desire to join Barcelona. They also report that Arsenal are determined to hold on to our captain and that Barcelona will up their bid to £35 million too. There are no sources mentioned or quotes given either and I suspect that some lazy journalist has taken a break from being an idiot to be a complete idiot for a while.

The same paper also reports that Arsenal have turned down a £4 million bid from Galatasaray for Alex Song, and if it's true the bid is laughable as Man City are about to pay £25 million for Yaya Toure. It also reports that Gallas has turned down a two year contract with Juventus as they only offered him £1.6 million a year.

There is talk of Jay Simpson going to Millwall on loan for next season, although I wouldn't be surprised if it were permanent as he doesn't seem like he will make the step up to me. Our contingent at the World Cup is shrinking by the day and we will only have a maximum of three players in the tournament after today's games.

It means that most of the players will be well rested when they return for preseason training, which can only be a good thing for Arsenal.

Here's a look at the Romford Pele's top 10 goals for Arsenal. This video was posted on youtube by someone whose name looks very familiar.

See you tomorrow.