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Brazil vs Germany in Belo Horizonte.

Germany and Brazil have won eight World Cups between them but have only played each other once, in the Korea-Japan 2002 World Cup Final.

Germany lost to Brazil (0:2) in Yokohama.

Confederations Cup

Brazil came out victorious from the two meetings with Germany in the Confederations Cup:

(4:0) in the 1999 Guadalajara group stage;
(3:2) in the 2005 Nuremberg semi-final.

World Cup Winners:

Sweden 1958; Chile 1962; Mexico 1970; USA 1994; Korea-Japan 2002.

Switzerland 1954; West Germany 1974; Italy 1990.

The Match

Without Neymar and captain Thiago Silva, Brazil will need the home support more than ever. Germany are saying that they’re without Angela Merkul, who has a meeting with the Chinese, and Philipp Lahm needs to be in bed at ten.

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Netherlands vs Argentina in Sao Paulo.

Holland and Argentina have met each other four times at the World Cup Finals; with Argentina only winning once (3:1aet) in the Argentina 1978 World Cup Final.

Holland beat Argentina (4:0) in Gelsenkirchen at West Germany 1974; and (2:1) in the Marseilles quarter-final at France 1998.

Holland and Argentina drew (0:0) in the final Group C game at Germany 2006.

There was little to play for then, as both teams sat pretty at the top with six points, while Côte d’Ivoire and Serbia-Montenegro were equally pointless.

Argentina topped the group to meet Mexico in Leipzig; while Holland went on to lose against Portugal in Nürnberg. Argentina then lost to Germany on penalties in the Berlin quarter-final.

World Cup Winners:

Argentina 1978; Mexico 1986.

Runners-up: West Germany 1974; Argentina 1978; South Africa 2010.

The Match

Holland have had their moments and so have Argentina. In terms of support, this is almost a home game for Argentina.

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Brazil vs Chile in Belo Horizonte.

Brazil and Chile have met three times at the World Cup Finals.

The first meeting was in the semi-final at Chile 1962. Brazil won (4:2) with Garrincha and Vava both scoring twice.

At France 1998, Brazil beat Chile (4:1), in Paris; where goals from two free-kicks and a penalty, in the first-half, gave Brazil a comfortable lead before the break.

At South Africa 2010, Brazil disposed of Chile (3:0) in Ellis Park, Johannesburg.

Colombia vs Uruguay in Rio de Janeiro.

Colombia and Uruguay have only met once at the World Cup Finals.

Although Uruguay won the Arica group game (2:1) at Chile 1962, both teams went out to USSR and Yugoslavia.

Sunday, 29th June

Netherlands vs Mexico in Fortaleza.

Holland and Mexico have only met once in a World Cup Finals; at France 1998.

The St. Etienne group game, on 25th June, ended in a (2:2) draw; meaning both teams qualified for the Second Round.

Holland went on to reach the semi-finals; where they lost to Brazil on penalties.

Costa Rica vs Greece in Recife.

Costa Rica and Greece have never met each other before in world football.

Costa Rica’s best World Cup performance was reaching the last 16 at Italia 1990; where they lost to Czechoslovakia (1:4) in Bari.

Greece have made it through to the Second Round, at the third attempt.

Monday, 30th June

France vs Nigeria  in Brasilia.

France and Nigeria have never met at a World Cup Finals although they did play a friendly match in 2009. Nigeria won the game (1:0) in Saint-Etienne.

Germany vs Algeria in Porto Alegre.

Algeria and West Germany met in the group stage of Spain 1982. Algeria won the match (2:1) in Gijon.

The two teams also played a friendly in Algiers, back in 1964. Algeria won that game too (2:0).

Tuesday, 1st July

Argentina vs Switzerland in Sao Paulo.

Argentina and Switzerland have only met once at a World Cup Finals, in the England 1966 group stage.

Argentina beat Switzerland (2:0) in Sheffield; then lost to eventual winners, England (0:1) in the quarter-final.

Belgium vs USA in Salvador.

Belgium and USA played each other in a group game at the first World Cup, in Uruguay 1930.

United States won that game (3:0) and qualifed for the semi-finals; where they lost miserably to Argentina (1:6).

If USA were to win this game, they could meet Argentina again.

Cameroon are already eliminated.

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Group B – Australia vs Spain and Netherlands vs Chile.
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Netherlands and Chile will be playing to see who will top the group.

Spain and Australia are out.

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Group C – Greece vs Ivory Coast and Japan vs Colombia.
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Colombia qualified for the knockout stage after Japan and Greece failed to score.

Ivory Coast are in the best position and will only need a point to qualify, if Japan fail to beat Colombia by two goals.

Greece need to beat Cote d’Ivoire and hope that Japan can’t get the better of the South Americans.

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Group D – Costa Rica vs England and Italy vs Uruguay.
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England needed Italy to beat Costa Rica and Uruguay, while beating Costa Rica themselves.

The tired-looking Italians weren’t up to the job but England can only blame themselves for not being good enough in the first place.

Costa Rica now go into the final group games assured of progress to the Second Round, while England are out and Italy could join them if they get beaten by Luis Suarez and Uruguay.

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Group E – Ecuador vs France and Honduras vs Switzerland.
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France destroyed Switzerland with an avalanche of goals in Salvador but the French aren’t through and the Swiss aren’t out.

Even Honduras, who have yet to register a point, can progress, with a win against Switzerland; if France beat Ecuador and there’s a two goal advantage swing.

Ecuador need to win by four goals to challenge France; and the Swiss would then have to beat Honduras by five. Ecuador have a two-goal advantage over Switzerland, with both teams on three points.

Switzerland need to win, if Ecuador draw with France; although a draw with Honduras would be enough for the Swiss, if France win.

A loss for Switzerland, would see Honduras overtake them.

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Group F – Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Iran and Nigeria vs Argentina.
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Argentina have already qualified, after an injury-time Messi Masterclass against Iran.

Nigeria’s win against Bosnia means a point against Argentina, who are already qualified, would be enough for the West Africans to join the South Americans. A win, and Nigeria would top the group.

If Nigeria lose and Bosnia earn at least a point against Iran, the World Cup first-timers can take the Iranians home with them.

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Group G – Portugal vs Ghana and USA vs Germany.
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Ghana’s well-earned draw against Germany means the Europeans have to wait until the final group games to know their fate.

Losing to USA as the game went into injury time, Portugal were on their way out; until substitute Silvestre Varela headed in an equaliser in the final seconds.

USA and Germany will both progress if their match ends in a draw.

USA may miss out if they lose to Germany and Ghana beat Portugal; with either game having a two goal difference.

Portugal could win against Ghana and still not qualify, if they can’t get a big enough goal diference swing.

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Group H – Algeria vs Russia and South Korea vs Belgium.
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An 88th minute goal against Russia means Belgium, the ‘surprise package’, sneak through.

Algeria could join them, with a draw against Russia; as long as South Korea don’t win in Sao Paulo, by five goals.

A win for Russia would work for Fabio Capello, as long as Hong Myung-Bo’s team dont beat Belgium by two goals more.

South Korea are not out, but they are a little down.

So Belgium became the surprise team of the tournamnet as most people thought they would be; surprised at themselves though, for trailing Algeria at the end of the first half of their opening game in Belo Horizonte.

Algeria might feel disappointed after being in front for so long but in all honesty, they can’t be surprised they lost.

After an uneventful first-half, the game between Russia and South Korea in Cuiaba looked like it was heading for a nil-nil draw.

Thanks to the substitutes, Russia and South Korea managed to score a goal each in the second-half and share the points.

Later in the evening, USA made a clear statement when Clint Dempsey scored the fastest World Cup Finals goal ever; in their first win over Ghana at a World Cup Finals, at the third attempt.

This means that if USA beat Portugal in Manaus, on Thursday, the Americans will extend their stay in Brazil with a visit to Porto Alegre or Salvador, while Ronaldo and Co will be booking their flight tickets home.

Among the best are Argentina, who with a touch of Messi Magic did enough to defeat first-timers, Bosnia-Herzegovina in Rio de Janeiro.

While the target for the winner of Group F is a place in the 2014 World Cup Final, the runner-up (if they beat the winner of Group E) would be playing a quarter-final match in the Maracana.

Let’s just hope it’s neither Iran nor Nigeria.

Ecuador may have led Switzerland for most of the first half in Brasilia but the Swiss replied after inspired second-half substitutions by Ottmar Hitzfeld – Mehmedi The Remedy – and scored the vital winning goal in injury time, just when Ecuador seemed content to settle for a point.

The France vs Honduras game reminded me of the song, Let’s Get Physical.

Getting close proved to be the downfall of Honduras.

Next up, Switzerland play France in Salvador on Friday, while Honduras (without Wilson Palacios) will meet Ecuador in Curitiba.

To keep the group interesting, we really need both games to end in a draw; though I’d be happy to see Honduras lose out on a chance to reach the knockout round.

This is not some Group D aliteration to describe how the lions failed to roar during England’s bungle in the jungle but an attempt to put into words the last minute during the Rich Coast of Campbell Class.

Into injury time, the trickery of Costa Rica’s Joel Campbell had proved far too much for Uruguay. The frustrated Maxi Pereira was rightly sent off just before the final whistle for a callous chop on the youngster.

Uruguay may have Luis Suarez back for the next game but will now be without their central defender against England in Sao Paulo, on Thursday. After losing their opening games, both teams will need to win; but only one can. It’s like the knockout stage has started early.

As if earning a reward for winning their games, Italy and Costa Rica have an extra day of rest; to play on Friday, in Recife.

Colombia were playing without the injured Falcao and Cote d’Ivoire started with Didier Drogba on the bench.

The South Americans didn’t need their talisman but Ivory Coast only came to life when Drogba was introduced. He may not have scored a goal but his presence on the pitch must have had an effect.

Next up the two winners meet in Brasilia on Thursday and the two losers get another chance to get their 2014 World Cup campaign off to a winning start in Natal; a midnight kick-off for viewers in Europe.