Italians follow the French home, the Dutch look golden

The only way things could look better for the Dutch is if Portugal manages to beat Brazil on Friday. If Portugal nudges Brazil into the G2 position, it could give The Netherlands the most advantageous route toward the final game.

In the event that Portugal leads group G, the tournament’s heavy-hitters (Brazil, Germany, Spain and Argentina) could end up playing/eliminating each other on the way to the final. The team that emerges from a Spanish/Brazilian/German/Argentina battle would probably be pretty wiped out by the time it came up against The Netherlands on July 11th. Hup Holland!

Here’s the schedule and permutations for the last day of Group play on Friday, June 25th:

10AM
Brazil v. Portugal
North Korea v. Ivory Coast

2:30PM

Spain v. Chile
Switzerland v. Honduras

I’d recommend the first game listed given the scenarios:

GROUP G

Brazil has advanced. Wins group with:
(A) Win or tie versus Portugal

Portugal advances with:
(A) Win or tie versus Brazil
(B) Loss IF Ivory Coast does not win AND make up goal difference

Ivory Coast advances with:
(A) Win versus North Korea AND Portugal loss AND make up goal difference

North Korea has been eliminated.

GROUP H

Chile advances with:
(A) Win or tie versus Spain (also wins group)
(B) Loss and Switzerland tie or loss
(C) Loss and Switzerland win and maintain tiebreakers over Switzerland

Spain advances with:
(A) Win versus Chile
(B) Tie and Switzerland tie or loss
(C) Loss and Honduras win and maintain tiebreakers over Switzerland and Honduras

Switzerland advances with:
(A) Win and Spain tie or loss
(B) Win and Spain win and make up tiebreakers on Chile
(C) Tie and Spain loss
(D) Loss and Spain loss and hold tiebreakers over Spain and Honduras

Honduras advances with:
(A) Win and Chile win and make up tiebreakers on Spain and Switzerland

++++++++++++++
The schedule for the weekend is all set;

Saturday, June 26th:
10AM Uruguay v. South Korea
2:30PM USA v. Ghana

Sunday, June 27th:
10AM Germany v. England
2:30PM Argentina v. Mexico

We’ll have Monday June 28th and Tuesday June 29th all figured out by tomorrow afternoon.

Although the excitement mounts between now and the July 11th final, there will be far fewer games to play (so fans can keep up with the tournament AND perhaps get something else done).

There are TWO REST DAYS (for you, me and the players) on June 30th and July 1st.
There are TWO GAMES on both July 2nd and July 3rd (the quarter-finals).
There are TWO MORE REST DAYS July 4th and 5th.
There is ONE GAME on both July 6 and 7th—the semi-finals.
There are TWO MORE REST DAYS July 8th and 9th (I usually experience withdrawal at this point in the tournament, compounded by the fact that all the work I have neglected since June 11th will pester.)

There is one game on Saturday, July 10th—for third place.
The Final is July 11th!

Then it is back to work, or for me, on to Istanbul.