World Cup Bracket 2014: Updated Knockout Schedule and Odds for Qualifying Teams
The weak have been culled from the herd, dreams have been dashed and World Cup hopes have been erased. On Thursday, the field was trimmed by half, setting up for what should be a great round of 16.
Fans have come to expect ponderous, pragmatic football with international tournaments, but the 2014 World Cup has been a breath of fresh air. The action has been lively, and the most important matches haven't even happened yet.
Just think, it'll get even better from here.
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Below is all of the vital info you'll need for the first knockout round, followed by some of the most intriguing fixtures.
Knockout Bracket
Knockout Schedule
| June 28 | 12 p.m. ET; 5 p.m. BST | Brazil (A) | Chile (B) |
| June 28 | 4 p.m. ET; 9 p.m. BST | Colombia (C) | Uruguay (D) |
| June 29 | 12 p.m. ET; 5 p.m. BST | Netherlands (B) | Mexico (A) |
| June 29 | 4 p.m. ET; 9 p.m. BST | Costa Rica (D) | Greece (C) |
| June 30 | 12 p.m. ET; 5 p.m. BST | France (E) | Nigeria (F) |
| June 30 | 4 p.m. ET; 9 p.m. BST | Germany (G) | Algeria (H) |
| July 1 | 12 p.m. ET; 5 p.m. BST | Argentina (F) | Switzerland (E) |
| July 1 | 4 p.m. ET; 9 p.m. BST | Belgium (H) | United States (G) |
Odds (via VegasInsider.com)
| Brazil | 3/1 |
| Germany | 4/1 |
| Argentina | 4/1 |
| Netherlands | 6/1 |
| France | 7/1 |
| Belgium | 15/1 |
| Colombia | 18/1 |
| Mexico | 22/1 |
| Chile | 25/1 |
| Uruguay | 30/1 |
| United States | 40/1 |
| Costa Rica | 40/1 |
| Greece | 80/1 |
| Switzerland | 80/1 |
| Nigeria | 200/1 |
| Algeria | 200/1 |
Matches to Watch
Brazil vs. Chile
Although Brazil finished top of Group A, they've yet to look like the side that rampaged through the 2013 Confederations Cup. The biggest problem is that Fred has gone from being a consistent poacher to a weak link in the attack.
The hosts look there for the taking, and Chile are strong enough to knock them out. Their hard-pressing, fast-attacking style can befuddle and fell the strongest of sides.
History, however, isn't on Chile's side, and overcoming a raucous crowd in Belo Horizonte will be hard to do. Sambafoot.com's Tim Vickery wrote that Brazil won't have any problems with self-belief:
"Brazil, whatever Scolari says in public, will consider themselves firm favourites. On the one hand they have tradition on their side; Chile’s World Cup campaigns of 1962, 1998 and 2010 all ended when they came up against Brazil. From a local perspective it is hard to believe that the five times world champions can lose at home to a country that has never even won the Copa America.
And also there is the hope that Chile’s aggressive style might play into the hands of Brazilian strengths. The two goals Chile conceded against Holland are a case in point. The first came from a set piece, when Chile’s lack of defensive height was exposed. The second was the result of a swift counter-attack, a risk Chile always run by pushing up so high. Given Brazil’s potency from set pieces and counter-attacks, there should be opportunities for Neymar and company.
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Neither team will want to cede any ground, so this should be a great back-and-forth battle with a cracking atmosphere.
What else could you possibly want from a World Cup match?
Netherlands vs. Mexico
I'll admit that I've underrated Mexico for much of this tournament. El Tri proved their worth in their 3-1 win over Croatia. They're very tough to break down defensively, and their energy over 90 minutes is incredibly difficult for opponents to match.
The Netherlands, on paper, have been one of the strongest teams in the tournament. If you look closer, you'll see a team that could've easily surrendered an early goal or two to Spain, labored against Australia and was outplayed for much of the match against Chile.
Louis van Gaal has proven himself to still be an adept tactician with the five-man back line. The Netherlands' more direct style could be exactly what's needed to beat the Mexican defense over the top.
Mexico, meanwhile, have more than enough in the attack to exploit what is still a vulnerable Dutch defense. The health of Bruno Martins Indi will be something to follow up until the matchday. If he's available, Van Gaal will have no doubts about using overlapping wing-backs.
A flat back four leaves the defense much worse off.
This match will be extremely close, and the specter of a Dutch implosion always looms. Don't be surprised if Mexico advance to the quarterfinals.
Belgium vs. United States
The United States backed their way into the knockout stages, while Belgium haven't lived up to their massive hype; but to be fair, anything short of winning every match 4-0 would've been a disappointment.
Despite losing to Germany 1-0 on Thursday, Jurgen Klinsmann was happy with the team's performance, per FIFA.com:
"It’s a great achievement to get out of this group and into the knockout rounds. It was a difficult game, both physically and mentally, because the knowledge that a draw would be enough was always at the back of our minds. We were a bit too nervous and showed them too much respect at the start but we calmed down as the match wore on. We’ve got a great team and we put in a superb performance.
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The absence of Jozy Altidore is visible in the United States' setup. Playing by himself, Clint Dempsey was left on an island against Germany, and it could happen again against Belgium.
However, like Germany, Belgium have been using four centre-backs, which leaves them open to getting beat on the counter. This could be the match where somebody like Brad Davis comes in handy because he can hug the sideline and provide width.
You can't completely disregard the United States in this match. FiveThirtyEight puts their chances of winning at 41.8 percent, which is about what the Americans can expect at this stage of the tournament:
We more than likely haven't seen Belgium's best, though. They're the proverbial sleeping giant, and if they awaken against the U.S., it could get ugly.
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