After a dramatic day of games that saw defending champions Spain eliminated, we'll be treated to three excellent matchups on Thursday. With two traditional powers facing off and four emerging teams jockeying for position, there's a lot on the line...let's get right to the action.
GAME 1: Colombia vs. The Ivory Coast - Noon ET, 9:00 AM PT
Both teams started their World Cup campaign with a win, and a victory in this game will virtually assure progress to the knockout round.
Colombia might be this tournament's dark horse...or they might be undone by an aging defense that hasn't faced a real test yet. Starting central defender Mario Yepes is the oldest outfield (non-goalie) player at the World Cup at 38 years old, and while his positioning is still excellent, his lack of speed can be exposed by quick, agile attackers.
Ivory Coast star Didier Drogba is no spring chicken himself - at 36, he no longer has the raw speed to run circles around Yepes, but his physical power and skill make him dangerous nonetheless. Unpredictable loose cannon Gervinho is without question the African squad's fastest player, and you'll notice him immediately - he's the one with the bizarre hairline running around the field like a blindfolded cheetah.
Colombia has no shortage of attacking talent - look for #10 James Rodriguez to torment the Ivory Coast defense with clever movement and speed, and if we're lucky, Colombian coach Jose Pekerman will bring #20 Juan Fernando Quintero into his lineup. One of the most exciting young talents in the game, Quintero has the vision and precision to dissect the Ivorian defense. His lack of playing time this past season and poor defensive skills have kept him out of Pekerman's starting lineup so far, but it's only a matter of time before he gets his chance.
Our Prediction: Colombia 3, Ivory Coast 1
GAME 2: Uruguay vs. England - 3:00 PM ET, Noon PT
This is, without a doubt, one of the most fascinating games of the group stage. England desperately need a win after dropping their opener to Italy, and Uruguay finds themselves in the same boat after a shocking loss to Costa Rica last week.
Both teams will look to assert themselves, and both have a key player who will no doubt be at the center of the action.
English striker Wayne Rooney is far from reliable, but he's the only player on England's roster capable of conjuring goals out of thin air. If England is going to squeak out of the group stage, they'll need him at his creative best.
Uruguay will be bolstered by the return of striker Luis Suarez, who missed the Costa Rica game with an injury. Suarez is one of the most exciting and talented players in the world, but he's often his own worst enemy - he's been hit with multiple suspensions for biting opponents, and his temper and petulance get the best of him regularly. His intentional handball in the 2010 World Cup saved Uruguay from elimination against Ghana, and it's almost a given that he'll find himself at the center of another controversy this time around.
Uruguay will likely pair Suarez with striker Edinson Cavani (pictured above), who's no slouch himself. The two have the talent to terrorize England's back line, but they won't do much good if their teammates can't get them the ball.
Despite Suarez's return, Uruguay just don't have the cohesion to beat the best teams at this tournament...and as we saw against Costa Rica, their lack of concentration puts them in danger of losing to minnows as well. England isn't one of this tournament's favorites, but they should be able to handle Uruguay.
Our Prediction: England 2, Uruguay 1
GAME 3: Japan vs. Greece - 6:00 PM ET, 3:00 PM PT
Once again, a questionable afternoon/evening matchup is a perfect opportunity to play the Chat Sports World Cup drinking game. Japan and Greece are not good soccer teams, but this should still be highly entertaining...provided you go in with the right mindset.
Greece's soccer team is disintegrating faster than their economy, and one midfielder actually booked a ticket home this week after falling out with teammates. It's hard to tell if they're in total meltdown mode or just not very good, but tomorrow's game will be the perfect opportunity to find out.
Japan has two extremely talented attacking players in #10 Shinji Kagawa and #4 Keisuke Honda, and the Greek defense will struggle to contain them from the outset. If Japan can dominate possession and get Kagawa and Honda involved from the outset, Greece is in for a long afternoon.
the Japanese defense relies more on positioning and technique than strength, which suits imposing Greek forwards Giorgios Samaras and Kostas Mitroglou. If the Greeks can hold Japan at bay for the first half hour, they'll have a puncher's chance...but if the Japanese score early, this one could get ugly.
Our Prediction: Japan 4, Greece 1
Related reading:
The Ultimate American's Guide To The World Cup
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