For the first time ever, there were two African teams in the round of 16. Both were in action yesterday against European superpowers.
It took a little more effort than expected, but Germany managed to fight off Algeria with a 2-1 extra time win. In the end, the expected team won, but for some time it looked like the north African underdogs might sneak by. They had a few chances in the first half, some might say they were better than Germany's. They even scored once, but were ruled offside. Essentially, Algeria played the style of game the USA should have played against Germany last Thursday. While the USA played that match with the intent of not losing, Algeria played theirs with the intent to win. The strategy almost payed of for them.
Things did start to crumble in the second half, however. Goalkeeper Rais M'Bolhi made some fine saves to keep the game scoreless into extra time, but his defense was visibly breaking down in front of him. Tired Algerian legs would not last much longer. The Germans wasted no time in the bonus period by scoring less than two minutes in. Andre Shurrle found himself on the receiving end of a Thomas Muller pass into the six yard box. All it needed was a little flick to find the back of the net. Mesut Ozil added an extra tally in the final minute, and good thing he did. Abdelmoumene Djabou put a meaningless goal a minute later, but it was too little, too late for Algeria.
In the other match of the day, France took a while to score against Nigeria, but managed to get out with a 2-0 win with a goal from Paul Pogba and an own goal from Joseph Yobo. Nigeria played well with the French for a while, but were eventually overwhelmed by the favored side. Although it took 79 minutes for Pogba to finally break the seal, France was in control for much of the game.
This sets up what should be a fantastic quarterfinal matchup on Saturday between Germany and France. This game should see the quality of a World Cup Final in the round of 8. Make sure you tune in for that one.
Today, however, is more important. We see the conclusion of the round of 16 with two very fun looking games. First off, we get Argentina and Switzerland. Argentina have been one of the best teams in the tournament and they are led by the best player in the world. Lionel Messi had been the man for Argentina, and today should be no different. The Swiss have a lot of power of their own, but against superior competition they tend to defend with more holes than a block of Swiss cheese, just look at their game against France. Hopefully, for their sake, they learned from that match and can give the Argentines a game, but I doubt it. I see a 3-1 Argentina win.
Which brings us to the final game of the round, and, as they say, I think they've saved the best for last. Although I might be a little biased, the USA and Belgium clash has been the one I've looked forward to the most. I don't have the scared, nervous excitement that I felt before the Germany game. The USA has already beaten the expectation of them by advancing from the group of death. Now, they are playing with house money and can play like they have nothing to lose. Which is a very good thing.
The lack of pressure on the side will allow them to play a more wide open game. They should see a lot more time with the ball than they did against Germany, Portugal, or Ghana. They will play more open and more positively. This will leave them open to a counter attack, which could be rather fatal. The Belgians boast some great young attacking players with Roamelu Lukaku, Divok Origi, Marrouanne Fellaini, and Eden Hazard. Like the USA, this team has yet to play a perfect match in the tournament. Only difference is that they won all three games, albeit against inferior competition.
This could mean the Belgium is due for a huge game from their stars. But if that is true for them, why can't it be the case for the USA? There is no reason that Michael Bradley can't start playing the way we all know he can. There is no reason that Jozy Altidore, although unlikely to start, can come off the bench and have a huge impact late in the game. There is also no reason to think that an unsung hero, maybe a Graham Zusi, or Fabian Johnson cannot step up and find a big goal for this team. Of course, players like Clint Dempsey and Jermaine Jones have to keep playing at the high level they have been.
I said it from the moment this matchup was set in stone, I like the way the USA stacks up with Belgium. That hasn't changed at all. For the first time in this World Cup, I will predict a USA victory. They will put together a solid performance, holding off Belgium for a while and getting a goal of their own. Then, a late winner will come to give the USA a 2-1 win and a date with Argentina in the quarterfinals. This team has defied expectations so far, and there is no reason they can't keep doing so.
Have fun today, see you back tomorrow after the victory celebration.
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