Host Nation's World Cup Armchair Diary: Day Eleven

The 2010 World Cup is at the halfway stage, sez Peter Drury. I'd like to think (hope?) that it's actually just beginning.

The second wave of group games was wrapped up by Group H once again providing some of the best action despite a relative lack of goals, while Portugal opened their South African account after a drab goalless draw with the Ivory Coast by thumping North Korea 7-0 and sending them crashing out.



The latter result seemed far more likely before the tournament began than after match day one - the DPR captivated with their fearless performance in keeping five-time World champions Brazil to a one-goal scoreline, while Carlos Queiroz's side flattered to deceive (or score) in their 2010 bow.

However, after midfield workhorse Raul Meireles coolly capped off a smooth move in the second half, it seemed only a matter of time before the floodgates would open. And as Korean legs tired in the second half, Portugal made hay to give themselves the sort of goal difference that all but guarantees that they'll progress regardless of how Cote d'Ivoire get on come Friday.

Simao doubled the lead with my pick of the seven, and the 2004 European finalists went on to make it six via six different scorers, only for Tiago to ruin it at #7 by bagging his second to join Elano, Luis Fabiano, Asamoah Gyan, Diego Forlan and now David Villa on joint second in the very early stages of the race for the Golden Boot, with hat-trick hero Gonzalo Higuain narrowly in front for the time being.

Speaking of hat-tricks... David Villa, how? With two goals to his name and a penalty kick awarded in the second half against an overwhelmed Honduras, it seemed locked on that we'd be getting our second World Cup treble in under a week.

But despite sending Noel Valladares the wrong way, his penalty drifted wide, and a host of other chances also failed to go his way. That said, his first goal was one of the finest of the WC so far, and when even Sergio Ramos comes close to netting a hat-trick of his own you know you're watching a glorified exhibition.

Honduras deserve credit for keeping it at 2-0 and growing after the interval to create a couple of chances of their own, but in all honesty this is a nation to whom making the finals in itself is a massive achievement and they look all but certain to be heading home following their game against Switzerland, a contest where they'll hope to at least end with a respectable result. Or even just a goal.

Gerard Pique looked far from a victor, after cutting himself both on the cheek and in the mouth as well as taking a ball to the, erm, balls. His tumultuous evening confused me more than anything though, given how often his team-mates were ghosting past the Hondurans.

It would appear that the European champions will need to add a little more ruthless edge to their glamorous play if they're to reach the final, however - which is something their next opponents Chile will definitely need to add to their arsenal.

The stubborn Swiss defending was on display in a crucial game much tighter than the North Korean massacre which preceded it, though every bit as watchable between the end-to-end action and nine yellow cards - not to mention a straight red for Valon Behrami for the second of two wild elbows as he felt his shirt being yanked.

Both sides also showed an uncanny knack for flinging themselves to the floor for the slightest of contacts in scenes which would have made Cote d'Ivoire's Keita slightly proud. But in the end, the Chilean creative drive managed to find a way through the Swiss flat back six and dangerous threat on the counter, with Mark Gonzalez - so wasteful in his cameo v Honduras - wisely nodding down into the goalmouth from Esteban Paredas' cross with Diego Benaglio already rushed out of his goalmouth.

Ironically enough, the win - Chile's second from two - may mean very little with a mouthwatering meeting with Spain coming up on Friday, while the Swiss will look to get three points and as many goals as possible against a surely-doomed Honduran outfit.

Going backwards, Group G looks a little more secured after the results of the last two days. Brazil and Portugal will now surely play each other for top spot in the group, with Dunga's men having the two-point edge that means a draw is all they need to guarantee a last sixteen tie against H's runners-up, which could end up being Spain...

A point for Paraguay seals their progress, as well as top spot should Italy fail to beat Slovakia by three goals. Victory of any kind is what the reigning champions need to avoid embarrassment, while the Kiwis and Slovaks will look to sneak in courtesy of an upset on match day three.

Holland are through, and a point against eliminated Cameroon will give them the edge in the second round brackets. Japan and Denmark could be a cracker as they do battle with WC survival at stake.

England of course need to turn the corner after two bleak performances and defeat Slovenia, who themselves will march on with any other result. Even then, USA and Algeria will play to win in order to maximise their chances of surviving. The top two will play two of an equally tight group where Serbia can secure their place with a win against Austrailia, while Ghana only need a point to be safe and possibly send Germany to a shocking early demise.

And finally, hosts South Africa will look to capitalise on a French crisis to avoid becoming the first home nation to fall at the first hurdle. France themselves need a victory to stand a chance, although Uruguay and Mexico would both be secure with a draw.

The Mexicans surely won't settle for a point, knowing not only that their attacking style is more than capable of earning victory, but also that the runners-up will likely play Argentina in the second round - and Uruguay have a superior goal difference. The Argies would have to lose to Greece and encounter a goal difference disaster to be eliminated, while South Korea will feel more confident with their opponents being pointless Nigeria. However, the frustrated African side could sneak through yet with a win.

I'll be putting a leash on the daily goal and game rankings as of tomorrow, instead offering only the marks of the day, with a comprehensive list to now come at the conclusion of the tournament. Here's one more glance at the standings after two full match days:

THE GAMES SO FAR:

1. Argentina v South Korea, Group B, June 17 (4-1) - 9
2. United States v Slovenia, Group C, June 18 (2-2) - 8.5
3. Portugal v North Korea, Group G, June 21 (7-0) - 8.5
4. Germany v Austrailia, Group D, June 13 (4-0) - 8
5. Chile v Switzerland, Group H, June 21 (1-0) - 8
6. Spain v Switzerland, Group H, June 16 (0-1) - 8
7. Brazil v North Korea, Group G, June 15 (2-1) - 7.5
8. Spain v Honduras, Group H, June 21 (2-0) - 7.5
9. South Africa v Mexico, Group A, June 11 (1-1) - 7.5
10. Denmark v Cameroon, Group E, June 19 (2-1) - 7.5
11. Brazil v Cote d'Ivoire, Group G, June 20 (3-1) - 7.5
12. Italy v New Zealand, Group F, June 20 (1-1) - 7.5
13. Chile v Honduras, Group H, June 16 (1-0) - 7
14. South Africa v Uruguay, Group A, June 16 (0-3) - 7
15. Nigeria v Greece, Group B, June 17 (1-2) - 7
16. Ghana v Australia, Group D, June 19 (1-1) - 6.5
17. Paraguay v Slovakia, Group F, June 20 (2-0) - 6.5
18. Argentina v Nigeria, Group B, June 12 (1-0) - 6.5
19. Germany v Serbia, Group D, June 18 (0-1) - 6.5
20. New Zealand v Slovakia, Group F, June 15 (1-1) - 6.5
21. France v Mexico, Group A, June 17 (0-2) - 6
22. Ghana v Serbia, Group D, June 13 (1-0) - 6
23. Holland v Japan, Group E, June 19 (1-0) - 6
24. England v United States, Group C, June 12 (1-1) - 6
25. South Korea v Greece, Group B, June 12 (2-0) - 6
26. Japan v Cameroon, Group E, June 14 (1-0) - 6
27. Holland v Denmark, Group E, June 14 (2-0) - 6
28. Italy v Paraguay, Group F, June 14 (1-1) - 5.5
29. Cote d'Ivoire v Portugal, Group G, June 15 (0-0) - 4.5
30. England v Algeria, Group C, June 18 (0-0) - 3
31. France v Uruguay, Group A, June 11 (0-0) - 3
32. Algeria v Slovenia, Group C, June 13 (0-1) - 3

THE GOALS SO FAR:

1. Tshabalala (South Africa v Mexico, June 11) 9
2. Higuain [3] (Argentina v South Korea, June 17) 9
3. Birsa (Slovenia v United States, June 18) 9
4. Luis Fabiano [1] (Brazil v Cote d'Ivoire, June 20) 9
5. Villa [1] (Spain v Honduras, June 21) 9
6. Forlan (Uruguay v South Africa, June 16) 8.5
7. Maicon (Brazil v North Korea, June 15) 8.5
8. Simao (Portugal v North Korea, June 21) 8
9. Podolski (Germany v Australia, June 13) 8
10. Yun-Nam Ji (North Korea v Brazil, June 15) 8
11. Rommedahl (Denmark v Cameroon, June 19) 8
12. Luis Fabiano [2] (Brazil v Cote d'Ivoire, June 20) 8
13. Donovan (United States v Slovenia, June 18) 8
14. Ljubijankic (Slovenia v United States, June 18) 8
15. Vera (Paraguay v Slovakia, June 20) 7.5
16. Klose (Germany v Australia, June 13) 7.5
17. Ji-Sung Park (South Korea v Greece, June 12) 7.5
18. Meireles (Portugal v North Korea, June 21) 7.5
19. Elano (Brazil v Cote d'Ivoire, June 20) 7.5
20. Muller (Germany v Australia, June 13) 7.5
21. Bendtner (Denmark v Cameroon, June 19) 7.5
22. Elano (Brazil v North Korea, June 15) 7.5
23. Uche (Nigeria v Greece, June 17) 7.5
24. Gerrard (England v United States, June 12) 7.5
25. Drogba (Cote d'Ivoire v Brazil, June 20) 7
26. Bradley (United States v Slovenia, June 18) 7
27. Heinze (Argentina v Nigeria, June 12) 7
28. Reid (New Zealand v Slovakia, June 15) 7
29. Gonzalez (Chile v Switzerland, June 21) 7
30. Higuain [1] (Argentina v South Korea, June 17) 7
31. Riveros (Paraguay v Slovakia, June 20) 7
32. Almeida (Portugal v North Korea, June 21) 7
33. Liedson (Portugal v North Korea, June 21) 7
34. Tiago [2] (Portugal v North Korea, June 21) 7
35. Honda (Japan v Cameroon, June 14) 7
36. Pereira (Uruguay v South Africa, June 16) 7
37. Hernandez (Mexico v France, June 17) 7
38. Cacau (Germany v Australia, June 13) 7
39. Alcaraz (Paraguay v Italy, June 14) 7
40. Eto'o (Cameroon v Denmark, June 19) 7
41. Sneijder (Holland v Japan, June 19) 7
42. Jovanovic (Serbia v Germany, June 18) 7
43. Tiago [1] (Portugal v North Korea, June 21) 6.5
44. Chong-Yong Lee (South Korea v Argentina, June 17) 6.5
45. Fernandes (Switzerland v Spain, June 16) 6.5
46. Ronaldo (Portugal v North Korea, June 21) 6
47. Beausejour (Chile v Honduras, June 16) 6
48. Jung-Soo Lee (South Korea v Greece, June 12) 6
49. Kuyt (Holland v Denmark, June 14) 6
50. Koren (Slovenia v Algeria, June 13) 6
51. Holman (Australia v Ghana, June 19) 5.5
52. Higuain [2] (Argentina v South Korea, June 17) 5.5
53. Marquez (Mexico v South Africa, June 11) 5
54. Salpingidis (Greece v Nigeria, June 17) 5
55. Dempsey (United States v England, June 12) 5
56. Torosidis (Greece v Nigeria, June 17) 4.5
57. De Rossi (Italy v Paraguay, June 14) 4.5
58. Smeltz (New Zealand v Italy, June 20) 4.5
59. Vittek (Slovakia v New Zealand, June 15) 4

Tomorrow, four teams move on and four teams go home - Groups A and B are decided!