By: El-Amisty Nobo
The final round of matches for the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup group stages begun yesterday and www.sports24gh.com takes you through the permutations for the Countries likely to progress to the 1/16th stage.
GROUP C (Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan)
Colombia have booked their ticket to the last 16. They only need to maintain their top spot position which requires them to draw against Japan.
The Ivory Coast will book a place in the knockouts if they could manage a win against the Greeks. However, draw against Greece could allow Japan to pip them for second spot on goal difference, if Coach Alberto Zaccheroni’s team beat Colombia.
The West Africans could win the group if they beat Greece and Colombia lose to Japan, but the South American’s have a superior goal advantage of plus 4.
The Asian’s best hope is to beat Colombia and keep their fingers crossed for Greece to beat the Ivory Coast but not overhaul Japan’s goal difference.
Greece can also make it to the next stage but would have to beat the Ivory Coast and hope that Japan lose to Colombia, or that if they did manage to beat them that they finished with an inferior goal difference, as the sides would be level on four points apiece.
GROUP D (Costa Rica, England, Italy, Uruguay)
Costa Rica have already qualified for the last 16 but need just a point against England to be at the summit of the group.
Italy only need a draw against Uruguay to be sure of a last 16 place. It is also important to state here that either the Azzuri’s or Uruguay could still snatch top spot if they win and Costa Rica lose, and they possess superior goal difference or goals scored by the end. If it goes to head to head record, Costa Rica would trump either team.
Regardless of how many goals England score against Costa Rica, they cannot qualify for the knockout stages haven’t already lost their opening two games.
GROUP E (Ecuador, France, Honduras, Switzerland)
The French have their one foot in the last 16 and ?a draw with Ecuador will ensure top spot in the group.
Ecuador have a better goal difference advantage on Switzerland, with both teams on three points apiece. To be sure of reaching the last 16, the South Americans need to beat Didier Deschamps Les Bleus.
Honduras can still progress, but would have to count on the fall of Ecuador to France whiles they snatch a win from Switzerland. They have a better goal difference over both the Swiss and Ecuador.
GROUP F (Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria)
Argentina have already secured their pass to the last 16 and just need a draw against the Super Eagles of Nigeria to remain at the summit.
However, a draw will also book Stephen Keshi’s side a ticket to the next round.
Iran can still progress but would have to pip Bosnia and hope Nigeria lost to Argentina, and better them on either goal difference or, if still level, goals scored.
Bosnia-Herzegovina are on their way home and no miracle could bring them back into the light.
NOTE: Teams level on points after the three matches will be separated first by goal difference, then goals scored, then the teams’ head-to-head record, with lots drawn if teams cannot be separated by any of the above criteria.
GROUP G (Germany, Ghana, Portugal, United States)
Either Germany or the United States has qualified to the next phase regardless of the result of the score line when the two sides meet in their final game, with a draw enough to guarantee both teams’ progression.
Let me quickly suffice to reiterate here that, both the Germans and the Americans have four points + x. (The x here represent the outcome of their match which could be a 3 points, 1 or 0). The United States would however, need a win to top the group, due to Germany’s superior goal difference.
Portugal and Ghana can still progress but their progression largely depends on the outcome of the result of their match but Portugal would need to engineer a big enough goal difference swing to overhaul any loser in the other game given their current -4 differential.
GROUP H (Algeria, Belgium, Russia, South Korea)
Belgium were tipped as the fifth best team to progress by the book makers rightly so have qualified. What they need is a draw against South Korea to cement a top spot.
Should Algeria beat Russia they would qualify alongside Belgium join to the knockout stage, while a draw would also be enough to see the Dessert Fox’s through unless South Korea beat Belgium by at least three goals.
Russia can also go through to the next stage if they beat the North American’s handsomely.
/www.sports24gh.com
