We kick off our 2010 World Cup preview series today here on FA Daily, as we are now only two weeks away from the start of the cup. And two teams that will start the event are a part of our discussion today, as we take a look at Group A, which features the host country, South Africa, along with Mexico, Uruguay, and France. Let us begin!
GROUP SCHEDULE
June 11, 2010
South Africa vs. Mexico – 10 AM ET, ESPN
Uruguay vs. France – 2:30 PM ET, ESPN
June 16, 2010
South Africa vs. Uruguay – 2:30 PM ET, ESPN
June 17, 2010
Mexico vs. France – 2:30 PM ET, ESPN2
June 22, 2010
Mexico vs. Uruguay – 10 AM ET, ESPN
France vs. South Africa – 10 AM ET, ESPN2
*Times indicate actual game start times. 30 minute preview show before most games, so the actual coverage will begin a half hour earlier.
THE TEAMS
South Africa
Well, these guys are hosting…..and that’s about all you really need to know. That’s not really over exaggerating either. As bad as this is to say, the only reason they are in this World Cup is because they are the host, as their skill just isn’t on par with the rest of these squads. It makes you feel sorry for Steven Pienaar, who plays for Everton our of the English Premier League, because he’s got to pretty much do all of the work if this team wants to have a shot at advancing out of the group stage. Some people think the home-field advantage will allow them to surprise and advance, but I just can’t see this happening.
Mexico
In Mexico’s 3-1 defeat at the hands of England in a friendly a few days ago, no one really said that Mexico looked all that bad. I mean, they sure didn’t look all that good, but consider the competition. They had some big lapses on defense, and that could be what stops their World Cup dreams in their tracks. This group is one of the hardest ones to predict, not only because some of these teams have flashes of brilliance, but because when they are bad, they are bad. The opening game against South Africa will undoubtedly be the biggest game of the group stage for Mexico, as they’ll quickly realize they aren’t playing at Estadio Azteca. They need to quiet the crowd with an early goal, and take away any confidence the host nation might have. They do that, and maybe surprise the other teams, and they could capture a runner-up spot in this group.
Uruguay
They’ve won this thing twice, but you’d have to go back to 1950 for the last one. After not qualifying in 2006, they return with a vengeance this time around, and hope to make some noise early on, and try to turn it into a deep run in the tournament. To most, this group would seem like a little more wide open than some of the rest, simply because it’s hard to predict who may be the second-best team. France is the favorite heading in, but the Mexico-Uruguay battle is one that will likely change the entire complexion of the group. Diego Forlan will be the leader of this team, and should account for a lot of the goals scored by this team. He’ll need help for this team to advance to the Round of 16.
France
It’s easy to try and make a big deal out of France barely qualifying for the tournament, after that little handball incident. They looked like a team without any motivation in the qualifiers, but that will certainly change here. The French have the most talent in this group…..they just have to put it all together. Their first game against Uruguay on June 11 will be very telling, because they can’t sleepwalk through that one and expect to win. That could very well decide who wins this group, assuming that both teams can take care of business when they play South Africa. With the likes of Franck Ribery and Nicolas Anelka, this team is the most talented of the group. But talent does not always equal success. Hopefully the French have learned their lesson from the qualifying rounds, and will step up and secure the top spot in this group.
PREDICTIONS
*Winner in bold
South Africa vs. Mexico
Uruguay vs. France – DRAW
South Africa vs. Uruguay
Mexico vs. France
Mexico vs. Uruguay
South Africa vs. France
1. France (7 points)
2. Mexico (6 points)
3. Uruguay (4 points)
4. South Africa (0 points)
Well that’s all for the Group A Preview here on FA Daily!
What are your predictions for the group? Be sure to vote on our poll to the right, and let us know who you think will win Group A!