By: Hassan Kiawu
Hassan.Kiawu@FrontPageAfrica.com
The final group matches begin on
Tuesday, 20th June when
teams will attempt to amends for
their low performances if they are
get to the next stage. Several
Groups have already been decided and
the two qualifiers only need their
final matches to decide who goes as
top of the group.
For some, it’s a make or break
situation. Ghana, Tunisia, France as
well as the USA must win to turn
things around.
Group A kick off the two matches
simultaneous. Ecuador are at top of
the group followed by the host
Germany who are trailing on goals
difference while Poland and Costa
Rica take their exits. Their last
matches will be played
simultaneously on Tuesday, 20th
June.
England takes the driver’s seat
in Group B trailed by Sweden which
hopes to salvage a point or a win
from their match on Tuesday against
England to scale their side to the
last 16. Should they lose and
Trinidad wins, the victors will join
England.
Argentina and Holland have their
world cup campaigns on track after
each sides beat the Ivory Coast by
2-1. Now the two winners must meet
on Wednesday, 21th June to decide
who tops the group. The two losers,
Ivory Coast and Serbia and
Montenegro also take on each other.
Portugal are well on course after
two wins but Mexico must be worry
about the chances of advancing. They
have four points after a 3-1 win
over Iran in the first match but
played Angola to a scoreless draw.
Now they have an uphill task of
beating the group leaders. A draw
might be enough to take them
through. But should they lose and
Angola beat Iran, they would pack up
their bags on Wednesday as well.
Ghana’s 2-0 defeat of Czech
Republic has left the group wide
open with the Black Stars in with a
chance to advance should they beat
USA on Thursday, 22nd
June no matter the outcome of the
meeting between Italy and Czech
Republic. But for the USA which has
created a media hype over the
chances over Ghana would need to
beat Ghana while at the same time
hoping that Czech Republic falls to
Italy in their Group E fixtures.
World Champions Brazil are also
well on course after two wins. Both
Australia (three points) and Croatia
(one point) would need a win from
their meeting on Thursday, 22nd
June to see who goes through.
France are in the most worrying
positions ever. They must close the
group stages on a high note by
beating Togo by at least three goals
on Friday, 23d June if they are
improve on their chance of advancing
any further from Group G. The drew
both matches against Switzerland
(0-0) and one-all against South
Korea. Having already won one match,
at least both Korea and Switzerland
are within striking distance of
making it through. A draw would take
both sides to the next round should
France fail to deliver.
Spain is already through and have
a last match against Saudi Arabia,
who was at the receiving end of a
4-0 drabbing at the hands of
Ukraine.
