spinachdip's guide to the 2006 World Cup - Matchdays 12 and 13: please excuse the appearance

As I have mentioned before, my internet has been on the bad end of the dead-alive spectrum and I haven't been able to access the information superhighway or watch the games at home. As a result, this post here is a little short on pretty visuals and useless information. And definitely light on proofreading. Sorry.

So we're getting to the really exciting part of the first round (unless your team is already out), the final group stage matches. The good news is that we're going to get 4 matches a day instead of the 3 a day we got to this point. The bad news is that two matches are played at once, so you have to either miss a match or keep switching back and forth. They do this so as not to give any team the advantage of knowing the result of the other group match.

While some teams have already booked their ticket to the 2nd round and some are just playing for pride, most teams are still in contention, even if only mathematically, and the much coveted 1st place spot (and a presumably easier matchup in the next round) is up for grabs in every group. Usually, this is when teams rest their tired stars and players carrying yellow card (two yellows in the group stage gets you suspended for a game, but the slate's cleaned when you advance), but with a lot to play for, most teams won't have that luxury.

For the next couple of days, I'll be breaking down what every team needs to do from here on out, and which game you want to be watching. Of course, you could just go out and get a second TV.

Matchday 12 - Tuesday, June 20

Group A
(pt = points - 3 for win, 1 for draw, 0 for loss; GF = goals for; GA = goals against; GD = goal difference; goal differential is the first tiebreaker, followed by goals for)
Ecuador (6 pt; 5 GF; 0 GA; +5 GD) - already advanced; clinch 1st place with draw or better vs Germany;
Germany (6 pt; 5 GF; 2 GA; +3 GD) - already advanced; clinch 1st place with win over Ecuador;
Poland and Costa Rica - eliminated

Ecuador vs Germany (10 am ET - ESPN/Univision)
Costa Rica vs Poland (10 am ET - ESPN2/TeleFutura)


It's obvious which match you want to watch here. Both Germany and Ecuador are safely through to the next round, they do want to avoid facing England, the expected winner of Group B, so they have something to play for. Costa Rica and Poland are just playing out the schedule. Ecuador, surprisingly, sits in first place with a superior goal differential and only needs a draw to win the group, but Germany has the home field advantage. I'll be rooting for Ecuador here.

Group B
(pt = points - 3 for win, 1 for draw, 0 for loss; GF = goals for; GA = goals against; GD = goal difference)
England (6 pt; 3 GF; 0 GA; +3 GD) - already advanced; clinch 1st place with draw or better vs Sweden
Sweden (3 pt; 1 GS; 0 GA; +1 GD) - advance with draw vs England or better, or Trinidad draw or loss; clinch 1st place with win by 2 goals or more vs England
Trinidad & Tobago (1 pt; 0 GF; 1 GA; -1 GD) - advance with win vs Paraguay and Sweden loss vs England
Paraguay - eliminated

Sweden vs England (3 pm ET - ESPN/Univision)
Paraguay vs Trinidad (3 pm ET - ESPN2/TeleFutura)


The Soca Warriors of Trinidad (and sometimes Tobago) has been the feel good story of the World Cup (well, besides the Ivory Coast halting their civil war, but they shouldn't have been fighting in the first place, naughty boys) but they need some help here. They need to beat Paraguay to have any chance. But they also need England to beat Sweden. Or if England and Sweden tie, they'll have to win by 2 goals or more. Given that they haven't scored a goal in the World Cup, not likely. If Sweden beats England, T&T is out.

So what's England's motivation, besides helping the Trinidadian cause? Well, they're through to the next round and can clinch 1st place as long as they don't lose by more than 1 goal. But they haven't beaten the IKEA Warriors in over 40 years so there's that. And Wayne Rooney will be getting some playing time to get some match fitness.

Matchday 13 - Wednesday, June 21
Group D
(pt = points - 3 for win, 1 for draw, 0 for loss; GF = goals for; GA = goals against; GD = goal difference)
Portugal (6 pt; 3 GF; 0 GA; +3 GD) - already advanced; clinch 1st place with draw or better vs Mexico
Mexico (4 pt; 3 GF; 1 GA; +1 GD) - advances with draw or better vs Portugal, or Angola loss or draw vs Iran; clinch 1st place with win vs Portugal
Angola (1 pt; 0 GF; 1 GA; -1 GD) - needs win vs Iran and Mexico loss vs Portugal and goal differential to advance
Iran - eliminated

Portugal vs Mexico (10 am ET - ESPN/Univision)
Iran vs Angola (10 am ET - ESPN2/TeleFutura)


So we're previewing Group D before Group C, thanks to the quirks of scheduling. Don't blame me, blame FIFA.

Portugal still hasn't looked very inspiring, but they're through to the next round anyway, and need only a draw to clinch 1st place. Mexico looked even less inspiring in its draw against Angola, but advances as long as it maintains its goal differential advantage (+2 vs -1).

Although Angola has played valiantly to this point, they have to start scoring if they want to have any chance of squeaking through to the next round. Meanwhile, the talented Iranian squad won't want to three and out. Given the low level of incentives for either Mexico or Portugal (I can't see either side getting by Netherlands or Argentina), Iran vs Angola might be the more entertaining match.

Group C
(pt = points - 3 for win, 1 for draw, 0 for loss; GF = goals for; GA = goals against; GD = goal difference)
Argentina (6 pt; 8 GF; 1 GA; GD) - already advanced; clinch 1st place with draw or better vs Netherlands
Netherlands (6 pt; 3 GF; 1 GA; GD) - already advanced; clinch 1st place with win vs Argentina
Serbia and Ivory Coast - eliminated

Netherlands vs Argentina (3 pm ET - ESPN/Univision)
Ivory Coast vs Serbia (3 pm ET - ESPN2/TeleFutura)


Both the Dutch and the Argentines have booked their tickets to the next round, though the South Americans have looked much much much much much much more impressive, beating Serbia & Montenegro 6-0 while Netherlands needed some Arjen Robben magic to get by 1-0. The Dutch can still clinch 1st place with a win, but they might just want to rest their horses (and Van Horseface) for a match that means more.

Ivory Coast has looked very credible in their two 1-goal losses against the two group leaders and probably would have advanced if they weren't placed in a Group of Death. Tough luck to the Elephants. I'm rooting for them to get a win before (speaking of death) they go back to fighting their civil war.