FIFA WORLD CUP 2010 : Group Stage Round 1 Analysis

After six days and 16 matches, we have reached the end of the first round of matches in the group stage. As always, there were some surprises along the way and a few shocks. Lets see how the teams are stacked up in their groups after the first round of matches of the group stage.

GROUP A --> Well, this is one of the groups out of which we can get an A-list team causality in the form of France. They looked lack-lustre and lacked imagination in their first match and couldnt break once the Uruguay had parked the bus. South Africa were a little unlucky to get a draw against Mexico; the Africans showed more character than the Mexicans.

If Mexico and South Africa follow Uruguay's plan against France and try to hit France in the counter, France are likely to repeat their 2002 World Cup performance. The Key match for me would be Mexico vs France. If Mexico play out of their skins and somehow manage to win then they would qualify along with Uruguay.

GROUP B --> Both Argentina and South Korea put on a classy performance and are now occupying the top two positions in the table. Argentina outclassed Nigeria completely with Messi and put up a classy performance with lots of ooh and aah moments (glad to see the Barcelona version of Messi playing for Argentina). If it weren't for their keeper Vincent Enyeama, the game would have finished four or five to nil. The only problem for me was Gutierrez at the right back position. He was being caught off gaurd on many ocassions. I would prefer someone else at right-back or even Maradona's plan of playing four centre back would work better than Gutierrez at right back.

The Koreans were too good for the Greeks and deserved the 2-0 win. This looks like a straight-forward group, the Argentina vs Korea match will decide who will top the group and who will finish second.

GROUP C --> Group C right now is very interestingly poised with Slovenia on top with 3 points, England and USA each with 1 point and Algeria at the bottom. Slovenia is the happiest right now and they will defend their skins off against England and USA in hopes of qualifying for the next round.

England's performance was dull and unimpressive and USA looked the better side against them, though they were very lucky to get the equaliser. The key match for me would be USA vs Slovenia, the winner would qualify along with England. It will be interesting if England qualifies second from this group. That would set up a mouth-watering clash btw them and the Germans.

GROUP D --> Many thought this to be the second group of death with no one quite sure of the young German team playing without their talismanic player, Ballack. Well, with THE performance of the World Cup so far, the Germans showed the skeptics what they are made of and boy didn't they dazzle.

The Serbs looked better than Ghana on paper at least, but the results showed otherwise and Serbia have a tough task ahead if they are to qualify. Aussies are looking down and out with Tim Cahill out of the next match. The Germans would easily top the group with Ghana taking the second spot.

GROUP E --> The Dutch are the favourites to top Group E. There will be a very interesting tussle between the other three teams for the second spot. Japan surprised several people with a win over Cameroon, who many thought would at least manage a point.The Japs matched the physical prowess of the Cameroons and deserved the win.

Denmark showed good resistance against the Dutch. If it had'nt been for the own goal, they might have just scraped a point there. The match between Cameroon and Denmark will be a must-win match for both teams. I think that Japan will scrape through at second place.

GROUP F --> With all the teams on a point, Paraguay and Italians are the favourites to qualify for the next round. Italians, though they conceded against Paraguay, fought back to salvage a point. Even without Pirlo and with an aged squad, they still seem to have enough in them to top the group.

Paraguay have impressed a lot. They have a pretty good squad and with a great qualifying campaign they seem to have enough about them to qualify from this group. The first and second positions will most likely will be decided on the Goal difference.

New Zealand showed tremendous character to fight back and take a point in the dying moment of the game against Slovakia and that game ended in a fair 1-1 draw. But I dont see either of them having enough quality in them to trouble the likes of Italy and Paraguay

GROUP G --> Group G, the group of death, is a fascinating group. Brazil started there campaign with a very unconvincing 2-1 win over the North Koreans. Portugal and Ivory Coast cancelled each other out and their clash ended in a 0-0 draw. And the North Koreans impressed me the most with thier performance against Brazil. It would have been quite fair if they had gotten a point from it.

Portugal will find it very difficult to crack North Korea in the next game of this group, and if Korea manage to upset Portugal they might have an outside chance of qualifying and boy, wouldn't that be something for the Koreans to remember for a long long time?

The Brazilians are, by far, the favourites to top this group with Ghana looking likely to follow them as they with their physical game would find it easy to break North Korea than Portugal unless of course Ronaldo has something else in mind.

GROUP F --> The Swiss provided the HOLY S**T moment of the world cup so far after beating Spain 1-0 and Chile overcame Honduras 1-0 in the other game of the group

Spain have to win both of their remaining matches to ensure qualification, which I think they will most likely do. The most interest match would be between Chile and Switzerland as this would be a must win game for chile if spain manage to win their games.

The other interesting prospect of the Swiss win is the chance of Spain meeting Brazil in the Knock-out round if Spain qualify second and Brazil 1st from their respective groups.

BEST PERFORMANCE (PLAYER) --> Though Messi showed why he is the best player in the world and Vincent Eneyeama stopped everything Messi could throw at him. But the player who stood the most was Ozil. Ozil was the mastermind behind the German bombardment of Australia and looks like one the emerging star from this world cup. He has enough quality in him to become a player like Xavi, a complete playmaker.

MOST IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE --> The Germans certainly were the best team in the first round. Their 4-0 thrashing of Aussies would have made the other contenders quite wary of them. Their passing was exquisite and the youngster Muellar, Ozil and Khedira impressed one and all. And now with Klose and Podolski finding their form, things are looking bright for the Germans. It will be quite interesting if they face England in the next round.

SURPRISE PACKAGE --> The North Koreans for me were the suprise package so far. They were 104 places behind Brazil in the rankings but showed brilliant defensive prowess and good counter attacking abilities, enough to worry Ivory Coast and Portugal. They most likely wont' qualify, but they could hold the key to who does. And if they do....well that would be quite a fairy tale.

WHAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE --> The match between Ivory Coast and Portugal was not the best of match but that didnt bother me...what did was the act of diving. It was like they have been trained in a drama school. Players where tumbling and rolling for yards even with the slightest of nudges. Players of the quality of Drogba and Ronaldo shouldn't dive.