Clogs & Lurpack

Soccer City. A massive location for the first all European tie of this World Cup.

The Netherlands are a team alot of people will be looking forward to seeing. Just kicked off here. No Arjen Robben and Van Der Vaart has slotted in as essentially an inside left.

I would have thought Eljero Elia would have gotten a start in place of Robben. Runs like Cristiano Ronaldo and has made a name for himself at Hamburg on the wing.

On the radio, Jan Molby was talking about Simon Kjaer, courted by many clubs after a stand-out season with Palermo. Its an indication of the style of Danish play when the most excitement is for a defender. Great defender though and alongside Agger they will be difficult to break down. An aging side with Rommedahl and Gronkjaer still providing the pace they have relied on for the best part of this decade. Bendtner starts so the "direct" ball will be a big aspect of their game.

Dutch are creative though. Sneider behind Van Persie and Van Der Vaart will want to prove his metal after a season marginalised at Madrid.

See the Dutch winning this 1 or 2 nil. I'll go with 1 nil. Scoreless after 24 minutes though.

Herr Loewe's fraulains

I hate being that wrong. But I don't sacrificing my ego for goals. Ozil was finesse personified and Podolski and Lahm also stuck out in a pretty dominant master-class.

It could have been so different had Garcia netted early on. But the Aussies exuberance didn't mask an aging and misplaced defence. Lucas Neill played Mueller onside from Ozil's sublime pass and then rather than guard against Podolski's shot he was too busy claiming offside.

Moore shouldn't be playing - in fact he essentially wasn't and Verbeek has a lot to do to turn this ship around now. Cahill's dismissal affects their course too and a lot will depend on who comes in for him.

I was very wrong and very impressed with the Germans.

Ozil and the Aussies

Teams announced. Ozil. Watch Ozil. Creative at the top of a diamond or behind the front two. No Kewell. On the bench.

Tie Me Socceroo Down Sport

So Ghana are the first African team to win a game in this World Cup. Turned my prediction defunct but quite happily so. Only a goal in it and they were more deserved of it over the 90 minutes. Lacked penetration down the middle and thats the Essien - Muntari factor I suppose. But they had more of a hunger to break down a solid Serbia.

Jovanovic was bright but Kevin Prince Boateng was the brightest on show this afternoon.

Most of my predictions have been pretty tight scores and only one game has seen a team score more than once. South Korea's win just about produced a clear winner despite their overall dominance over Greece.

Much of the comment has been about the ball affecting the scoreline. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/international/article7148997.ece

I'm not so sure. There aren't any really bad teams in this tournament. There are weaker teams but no bad teams. Even Algeria were organised. And that is the biggest factor. Most of the teams in this World Cup have players in big leagues in Europe or South America and that level of organisation stifles a rip roaring, end to end game.

England and the US was the most flowing game out of the 7 played so far and that is a testament to the athleticism and skill of those two teams. England played the football that you see in the Premier League and they haven't done that before. That's why I think yesterday's result wasn't bad. If they play like that and make the right changes (No Green, no Milner and play Cole) I think they will go very far.

But tonight's showpiece is about a Ballack-less German side taking on one of the most under-rated teams in this tournament. While Kevin Prince Boateng makes the most of his father's country of origin, his mother's native country will be without the man he turned into a limping piece of meat. Germany won't forgive him but without Ballack, Germany are still one of the second favourites for the World Cup.

Franz Beckenbauer said before the tournament kicked off that Germany is a team not of individuals and despite being a loss, Ballack's absence will others more motivation. http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/World-Cup-2010-Efficiency-may.6358835.jp

I think that is correct. Germany may not be the force of the 80's and the 90's but they have consistently performed at major tournaments. Second place at Euro 2008, semis in Germany 2006, finalists in 2002. That's not bad for a team without major stars.

Saying that Schweinsteiger, Mueller, Lahm and the other Boateng brother are all part of this team with Podolski and Klose giving the Germans a familiar presence in terms of solidity.

But Australia have quietly gone about their business. Preparations weren't ideal and they've been in South Africa the longest. They lost to the US but on their day they will be difficult to beat. They suffer from the same sporting addiction as the Americans and they go whole-heartedly. This is the real group of death for me. Serbia narrowly lost and Australia won't roll-over. Ghana top the group at this point and a draw will not be ideal for either Germany or Australia but thats how I think this one will pan out.

There are no superstars in this Socceroo team either. Kewell is lacking match practice (surprise surprise) but Cahill will have an impression on this game. The polynesian, Samoan part of his DNA puts him up there in regards to fight and he consistently scores with his head. I think he will nick one tonight but the Germans will score too.

We will also get to see the brand new Durban Stadium tonight. I used to live there and this looks a far sight better than the ABSA stadium where England have played (remember Beckham in corn-rows anyone?)

In fact it is one of the real epic stadiums with Soccer City and Green Point in Cape Town being the other two in this World Cup.

Should be good. Australia 1 - 1 Germany. Cahill and Klose will score. I'll probably be wrong. 2 out of 7 isn't great is it.

Just a point on television rights. The World Cup by law in Europe is on free-to-air. This is the people's game. There is enough capitalism in this tournament to keep the suits happy so why is this not the case in the Middle East? Why do they need to make more money out of a game driven by the populus? Additionally, the signal is poor and its more accessible at cinemas. That used to happen in England in the 60's. Capitalism; you live by the sword you die by the sword.

Finally, my comments in my first post about Brian Glanville - scratch them. He is the bitter old man of football. He has beef about the tournament including 32 teams. He was happy with 16. Ummm that would leave so many out in the cold and no, Brian, just because not every team is great doesn't mean they don't add something. Go back to deckchair and handkerchief, your old and noone knows you exist anymore.

2 out of 6

Not bad on predictions. Slovenia nicked a technically vacuous game with Algeria thanks to the maverick goalkeeping of Chaouchi. Green is better but Chaouchi showed he was willing to play to the cameras to keep the ball out and then went for a safe collect instead of diving for the flashlights, which would have been better.

Anyway, Serbia are warming up to play Ghana at 3. No Appiah, so with no Essien either, there is no traditional experienced veteran in their line-up. Asamoah has done well in Italy and the coach knows what he is doing. He played 4 5 1 in Angola and took Ghana to the final. They will be tight this year. Not like 2006. But Gyan was their leading scorer at the Nations Cup and they will need him to be accurate if chances are at a premium.

Serbia's Krasic is on his way to Juventus and I want to see what all the fuss is about. But this is a strong Serb team. Ivanovic and Vidic in the backline are well known to the Premier League but Krasic is the one to watch going forward me thinks.

Tight one to call. 1 - 1 draw.

Match of the Minnows

So the morning after the night before. England should take last night as a blessing in disguise. Considering their warm-up, that is not he worst way to start a tournament and the US have been flying.

Anyway, Slovenia vs Algeria. If Greece and South Korea couldn't fill Mandela Bay stadium then I'm a little surprised this one can. But apparently South Korea - Greece was the hardest game to fill for the organisers.

And so Group B's unlikely qualifiers meet. As 3 points go, these are more crucial to both teams than England's dropped 2. The task gets harder for both so I imagine this is an opportunity in Saadane and Kek's collective minds.

Algeria dispatched The Ivory Coast in the ANC in Angola this January. Then they got a bit emotional against a vengeful Egypt. Travesty really. Egypt are by far the best team in Africa yet they aren't here. Rueful is the word. I digress. Algeria truly looked like they would get a nose bleed if they came up against any higher opposition than Egypt and beating Drogba's men was more an issue of failure rather than Algerian success.

But the early kick-off tomorrow is a different beat. Ziani and Meghni are The Desert Foxes stand-out players. Ziani left Marseille to join 'Plastic Teeth' Steve McClaren's new side Wolfsburg. Quite flashy from this video of him against Liverpool with the accompaniment of this strange sound track

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69HpK5FNLpk but he and Mourad Meghni of Lazio give Algeria width and with their full-backs will try and stretch teams. However, no Belhadj tomorrow due to suspension (he and their crazy keeper were sent off against Egypt in Angola). Apparently, a 'patient' team, which suggests they will be slow and that won't bode well if they let Slovenia get a grip. Bougherra of Rangers at the back is key to instilling defensive discipline if that is the way they decide to play.

Slovenia were poor in South Korea & Japan 8 years ago and that was their 'golden' generation (although Zahovic was quite nice to watch). However, this time they return after knocking out Guus Hiddink's Russia in a play-off depriving us of seeing Arshavin in full flow. So they better be good. Dedic is key to Slovenia. He does the running, industry and guile for Novakovic to gain chances but it was the former's combination with Birsa that sent them to their second World Cup. Birsa plays tighter inside but still finds a deeper position to cross from and to some affect. This is the goal that sent them through http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xf8OcvEgIM&feature=fvst

Whether that is enough to qualify is another question but both teams have to view this as their best chance to get 3 points.

For discipline, I can see Slovenia winning this....1 nil. Yawnnnn.

Best match of the tournament

so far. Capello isn't far off Benitez in stubbornness sometimes. Green hasnt had the season of his life. Hart has. Milner? Wright Phili wps more effective. King? So injury prone but had to take him didn't he? No, those decisions have taught him but at least from an England perspective it came now.

The US. I expected them to be this way. They've beaten Spain, Italy and took Brazil all the way. Sport is a big thing for the yanks and they're improved...dramatically. Findley, Altidore were too quick for either Carra or Terry.

Great game though.

Bring on Day 3.