iHooligan

The Fifa World Cup draw had an estimated audience of 200 million as the eight groups were unveiled in Cape Town, South Africa. Some of the luminaries at the ceremony were a 91-year old Nelson Mandela, Portuguese football legend Eusebio and South African native Charlize Theron.

Time now to reflect on the countries which will be battling it out in these early matches and the star players staring each other down on the pitch.

The US will be pitted against England in Group C but considering Slovenia knocked Guus Hiddink’s Russia out of World Cup contention they should not be taken lightly. Watching the two halves of the Beckham Experiment face off after the last summer of conflict and redemption between Donovan and Beckham should prove interesting. And with several Americans in the US team playing in the Premier League the English tactics won’t come as a surprise. In fact, if the US plays anything like they did in the Conderferations Cup and our defensive line doesn’t fall asleep as they did in the second half of the Brazil game then the US team could pose a great threat in Group C. However, get used to seeing the words, “England will have the easiest route to the second round,” anytime you read about this group.

If Spain plays anything like they did in Euro 2008 they could have a feastival on their hands in their group, going “nom nom nom” on the likes of Honduras, who have been off the world stage for 28 years, and the two teams most likely to battle it out for survival in this group while Spain moves on, Switzerland and Chile.

Group G has become the Group of Death and death will probably come swiftly for North Korea being the lone weakling in this group although who knows what the North Korean papers will be saying about it (or should I say, paper, singular). A likely result from this will be Spain and Brazil clashing in the second round.

The Unknowns

Since Honduras hasn’t been in this competition in decades and New Zealand last qualifying for the 1982 World Cup finals in Spain, you could call both these teams unknowns, certainly underdogs and possibly cannon fodder. It would be interesting to see the All Whites get to a confrontation with the Socceroos because who doesn’t love a Pacific rivalry? However, New Zealand will be facing down Italy, ouch, and Paraguay, which finished one point behind Brazil, so unless I am proved awesomely wrong, I think the Kiwis will get rofflestomped.

It is hard to predict how the home team is going to perform as evidenced by Guus Hiddink’s South Korea in the 2002 World Cup. But you can’t help feeling sorry for Bafana Bafana as they go up against Mexico, Uruguay and France in Group A. I suppose South Africans could always take solace with tissue and popcorn while watching Invictus.

And then there is the US. You never know what the fuck those guys are gonna do. They are sort of like Nixon’s madman theory but without a Soviet Union to actually pay attention.

I can only, like the citizen’s of all 32 countries, hope.

Invictus by William Ernest Henley

OUT of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

(1875)

Category: Uncategorized, World Cup

Tags: Group of Death, Invictus, South Africa, World Cup