Group G - or, the Group of Death which is not that scary at all - begins play on Tuesday, with Didier Drogba's potential return to the Cote d'Ivoire lineup possibly preserving the most intriguing of the tournament's first round of matches. And within that match we have the most compelling individual battle of the tournament.
World Cup 2010 Day 5 Schedule, Preview, and Predictions: Cristiano Ronaldo, Ricardo Kaka, Didier Drogba
Group G starts play with the match which should define the nation that goes through with Brazil to the knock-out phase. But while the potential return of Didier Drogba has rightfully garnered headlines, another match-up within the Cote d’Ivoire-Portugal match could be the most compelling of the tournament.
Getty Images
No, I'm not alluding to Drogba resurrecting his rivalry with former Manchester United-man Cristiano Ronaldo. I'm talking about a conflict that transcends any grade-school-English man-versus-man, man-versus-self, man-versus-forbidden-donut-battle.
I’m talking Portuguese Nike-spokesman versus Adidas-constructed quarrel orb, with the first meeting between them to be a cause célèbre.
In addition to that conflict, there are three, actual soccer matches on Tuesday:
Team Data Cards
Courtesy of SB Nation Soccer, Jeremiah Oshan and Sounder at Heart, Team Data Cards have been prepared to give you all the information you need to know on the country, qualifying route, roster, and formation.
Here is ...
- Slovakia and New Zealand
- Cote d'Ivoire and Portugal
- Brazil and North Korea
Slovakia versus New Zealand, Rustenburg, 7:00 a.m. Eastern, ESPN
Where They Stand: Yesterday's Italy-Paraguay draw means Slovakia has a chance to sit alone at the top of Group F come 9:00 a.m. Eastern. Of course, New Zealand has the same opportunity, though the Kiwis are being looked at as one of the weaker teams in the tournament. While they should be considered as such, New Zealand defeating Slovakia would not go down as one of the great upsets in Cup history.
Player To Watch, Slovakia: No need to complicate this - the Slovak player to watch is captain, 22-year-old midfielder Marek Hamsik. The energy the Napoli-man brings to the match will dictate how seriously Slovakia takes New Zealand. Hamsik's speed and skill in midfield, combined with that of Vladimir Weiss and Miroslav Stoch, will eventually one-touch their way through New Zealand's 3-4-3, intent permitting.
Player To Watch, New Zealand: If New Zealand goes three at the back (as they have been leading into this tournament, instead of their customary four-man defense), Ryan Nelson will be even more important. He is already the All Whites’ best player, but in the middle of a three-man defense, it becomes his responsibility to cover for each of the other two defenders.
Prediction: Slovakia will have to work for their goals, but don’t expect the flood gates to break in this one: Slovakia 2, New Zealand 0.
Cote d’Ivoire versus Portugal, Port Elizabeth, 10:00 a.m. Eastern, ESPN
Where They Stand: First place in Group G is assumed to be Brazil. Last place is assumed to be North Korea. Whomever wins this match will need to lose to North Korea (or have their competition beat Brazil) to give back the inside track to second place. Given this match's potential to disproportionately sway fortunes, it must be destined for a draw.
Player To Watch, Cote d'Ivoire: Didier Drogba broke his ulna a week-and-a-half ago, had emergency surgery to stabilize it (with a plate inserted into his arm), and will be a game-time decision as to whether he starts, comes off the bench, or does not play at all. It's difficult to see Cote d'Ivoire breaking through the Portugal defense without their captain.
Player To Watch, Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo plus the Jabulani is the under-reported story of the tournament - partially my fault, as instead of writing this preview of Tuesday’s action, I should be devoting a few hundred words to this meeting’s potential Goalkeepers have been complaining about the movement and flight of the match ball, and that is without having been on the end of a Ronaldo free kick. In a tournament that has, to this point, been short on excitement, the most entertaining part of this tournament-to-date will be the moment directly before approaching a dead ball, when Ronaldo takes his shoulder-width stance, having lined up his nightmare-inducing blast on Boubacar Barry. On a side note, with all the controversy surrounding the Jabulani, I wanted to share my personal experience with the ball. I have been in possession and use of one for four or five months, and while it’s unexpectedly true roll and flight take some time to get used to, the ball has ultimately had no effect on my writing.
Prediction: Even with Drogba healthy, Cote d’Ivoire is going to have to find a new tactical accumen in order to break through a well-organized Portugal team. Sven-Göran Eriksson is a fine manager, but he’s been on the job for three months. That’s a formula for a Portugal 2, Cote d’Ivoire 0.
Brazil versus North Korea, Johannesburg (Ellis Park), 2:30 a.m. Eastern, ESPN
Where They Stand: As a writer, there a some things I do well, but finding words to describe the gap between Brazil and North Korea is not one of them. Brazil is really, really good. North Korea is really, really unknown, or so we're told. A punditry cliché holds North Korea can't be detailed because we don't get information out of their country on the players playing in their domestic league. I suppose we'll just have to make do with two years worth of World Cup qualifiers and a number of warm-ups building-up to South Africa. Conveniently, all that data affirms the assumed gap. Feel free to speak with confidence, pundits.
Player To Watch, Brazil: Kaká is so important to this team, and the North Korea match will give everybody a chance to see if, under competitive conditions, he is healthy and close to the form Brazil needs to claim their sixth world title. He will be Brazil’s key to unlocking North Korea’s hyper-defensive 5-3-2 approach, but given Brazil is also likely to score from a set piece, his ability to play locksmith will be secondary to getting an assessment of how healthy Kaká seems.
Player To Watch, North Korea: Jong Tae-Se gets some regard because of his nickname, the Asian Rooney, which only makes me wonder who's the Pacific Rim's Coleen. Until I get that question answered, North Korea's man to watch is Ahn Young-Hak, another Japan-based North Korean regular. Playing in a central midfield role, he will be part of the first line of defense against the Kaká-led assault.
Prediction: This one is tricky, as Brazil had a lot of trouble breaking down teams that parked the double-decker in CONMEBOL qualifying, as evidenced by getting only one point out of a possible six from Bolivia. Still, although I don't think it will be pretty, headers from Luisão, Luis Fabiano and Lucio could serve as the blunt-end of this stick: Brazil 4, North Korea 0.
See More:
