Half the teams have left South Africa, and the 2010 World Cup is now down to 16 fighting for the ultimate championship.  In the next four days, 8 more squads will be sent packing.

The ManInBlack joins Sharkey in looking ahead to the Round of 16.

Each of the next four days features two matches.  The winners of each match plays the winner of the other match from that day in the Quarterfinals.

Saturday, June 26

Uruguay vs. South Korea

10:00 AM EDT

Sharkey Says:

I expected Uruguay to make it to the Round of 16, but I can honestly say I did not think they’d be as good as they are.  I did not think they could win Group A.  As for South Korea, they’re feisty yet unspectacular.  I severely overrated the Nigerian’s, and Greece is awful, so South Korea was the only logical choice to finish second in Group B and advance.

They can certainly be proud of how they’ve played.  Unfortunately for them, I think they’ll be the first team knocked out in the elimination stage.  Uruguay is playing as well as any country in the World Cup right now.  Diego Forlan, who has always been a star, is turning into a superstar.  Everything is lining up for this one-time world power to return to glory, and a run to the Semi-finals or further is very much possible for this squad.

ManInBlack Says:

I’ll admit it right now:  I did not see this matchup coming.  I wasn’t real high on either of the Korean teams advancing, and I was more than a little surprised that in a group with the Host Nation South Africa, perennial power France, and a highly competitive Mexican team, it was Uruguay who ended up on top.  Originally, like Sharkey, I expected Mexico to surprise everyone and come out strong.  They did well, but the real surprise was the total implosion of the French team.  I don’t think we’ve seen Frenchmen surrender like that since…oh.  Nevermind.

Regardless, it was Uruguay who ended up as top dog in Group A.  Korea, meanwhile, won second in a division that had one really good team (Argentina) one very overrated team (Greece) and one terrible team (Nigeria).  So I guess you could say I’m still not convinced.  I think Uruguay wins this game easily.

United States vs. Ghana

2:30 PM EDT

Sharkey Says:

For the United States, soccer is riding an emotional high the likes of which this country has never experienced before.  Whether you’re a big-time soccer fan, only watch during the World Cup, or don’t care, it’s hard to deny the impact that Wednesday’s match has had on this country.  This country has a following now.  And there are expectations to go along with that following.

Those expectations are simple: beat Ghana.  A loss in this game would be a disaster for the USA.  They are the better team.  And they’re playing great.  They should win this game.

But Ghana is a very, very good squad.  They have as much young talent as any country in the world; maybe even more than any other country.  They’re fast.  They’re lethal.  And they’ve already beaten the United States in a World Cup match.  Ghana will come to play.  And they will put up a fight.  In the end, I expect the US to get the win, but I’m not overly confident in that prediction.  Ghana will be alive at the end of 90 minutes, and this match may come down to overtime or even penalty kicks.

PK’s favor the USA, because of keeper Tim Howard.  And that’s why I think the US advances to the quarterfinals.

ManInBlack Says:

Look, Ghana is fast.  And they’re young.  I think in four years, they could be a real force to be reckoned with.  But the Americans have heart and they’re looking for revenge from the last World Cup, where Ghana sent them home after a group game loss.  As Americans, we thrive on the chance to exact revenge.  I don’t know what that says about us as a country, but screw it.  America wins this game because I’m American and what I say goes.

Sunday, June 27

Germany vs. England

10:00 AM EDT

Sharkey Says:

This day is going to be incredible.  Germany, England, Argentina, and Mexico.  Four football crazy nations, with four great squads.  Four teams capable of winning this match, and winning the next match, and going even further than that.  Two of them get eliminated on Sunday, and only one of these four teams can make the World Cup Semifinals.  Crazy.

England hasn’t played good football yet this entire World Cup.  And yet they’re in the Round of 16.  What happens if they put all the pieces together?

Or, what happens when they finally face an elite squad?

We’ll find out Sunday.  Either Germany will expose England as frauds, or England will play a full match and beat a beatable German squad.  I’m not calling out England as frauds, but this team isn’t a team, it’s a collection of stars.  And I think their road ends here, and Germany advances to the quarterfinals.

ManInBlack Says:

A real old-school European dogfight.  England has had a lazy game in group play.  Well, perhaps that’s unfair.  But they certainly haven’t taken advantage of the opportunities afforded them.  Germany, meanwhile, has looked alternately dominant and listless, crushing the Australians and then promptly losing to Serbia before squeaking by Ghana in their final match.

Germany looks like the better team.  They look more organized and more impressive and their group wasn’t all that much worse than England’s.  But you know what?  I’m going with England.  I think they’ll turn it around and finally have a game to make the Queen proud.  That is, if she still has any idea where she is.

Argentina vs. Mexico

2:30 PM EDT

Sharkey Says:

I’m devastated Mexico lost to Uruguay, and these two sides have to face each other in this round.  I predicted both of these teams to reach the Semifinals of this World Cup.  Now, not only will one of them lose in the Round of 16, but the winner will get another ridiculously tough test in the England/Germany winner in the Quarterfinals.

Think of this for a second.  If Argentina is to win this World Cup, like many people think, they may very well have to beat Mexico, Germany, Spain, and Brazil in their four elimination matches to do so.  If they pull off that run, they may be the most deserving champions of all time.

I don’t think they’ll win the World Cup, but I do think they’ll beat my sleeper pick of this World Cup, Mexico, on Sunday.  Mexico will make a match of it, just like in 2006, but just like in ’06, Argentina will come out on top in the end.

ManInBlack Says:

Jeez.  This is an unfortunate matchup for both teams.  They’re both good enough to go on to the next round and its a shame they have to face each other.  That said, it should be one of the most entertaining matchups of the round.  I’d love to pick Mexico to move on.  I really would.  I just can’t.  Argentina’s absolute dominance of their group and Mexico’s lone win sway me to the Argentine side.  Argentina moves on, Mexico goes home.

Monday, June 28

Netherlands vs. Slovakia

10:00 AM EDT

Sharkey Says:

Before the World Cup, I loved Slovakia.  Part of that attraction is the fact that Marek Hamsik, who plays for Napoli, is one of my favorite young footballers on the planet.  I love the way he plays.  I also just thought this was a very good young squad who would turn a lot of heads in this World Cup.

After two matches, I hated Slovakia, because they weren’t playing to their potential, and they cost me a bet with the Man In Black, who bet me Paraguay would beat them.  I had no idea what to expect from Slovakia any longer.

Finally, yesterday, the real Slovakia showed up, and they beat Italy.  They now have the confidence that should have been there all along, and that would have allowed them to win Group F easily.

Unfortunately, Slovakia didn’t win Group F, and now has the extremely tough task of taking down the Netherlands, who are #4 in the World.

I honestly think this will be a great match, one of the better of the first round.  Netherlands traditionally falters at one point in each major international tournament, and I think this may be that match.  Slovakia can beat them.  Before the World Cup, I had these two playing in this match, with Netherlands winning.  I’m switching it up now, I think Slovakia may shock the world.

ManInBlack Says:

If Holland played in wooden cleats, would they do worse because of the lack of control and comfort or better because they would intimidate the hell out of opponnents?  That would be a hell of a splinter to pick out of your calf.

Stupid rhetorical questions based on outdated stereotypes aside, I have to go with the Netherlands in this matchup.  They dominated their group, winning all 3 of their matches.  Meanwhile, I’m not sure what to make of Slovakia.  They beat Italy, but then Italy ended up without a single win in group play.  Meanwhile, they lost to a pretty decent Paraguay team but only tied a New Zealand team that outplayed its talent.  I’ll have to go with Holland to cruise into the next round, as while I was typing that, I was less and less impressed with Slovakia’s resume up to now.  The Netherlands wins this game handily.

Brazil vs. Chile

2:30 PM EDT

Sharkey Says:

Another great matchup.  Chile has been one of the surprise teams of this tournament, and they are more than capable of staying with the Brazilians for 90 minutes.  In the end, I think Brazil will be too much for them.  After all, Brazil was my pick pre-WC to win it all, and I’m not going to change that up now.

I expect Chile to play it close in the first 35-40 minutes or so, but eventually I think the real Brazilians will come out – the squad we haven’t seen play a complete game yet – and win this game by 3 or 4 goals.

ManInBlack Says:

The bottom line here is that I’m not going to pick against Brazil, especially when they’ve won a group in which the 2nd place team in the group has scored 7 goals in 3 games.  Chile has looked impressive at times, but I still think Brazil is the class of this tournament.  The only thing that’s going to make Brazil lose to Chile is a combination of Brazilian apathy and Chilean ferocity.  Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll get both in the same game.

Tuesday, June 29

Paraguay vs. Japan

10:00 AM EDT

Sharkey Says:

Raise your hand if you thought there was ever any chance that one of these two teams would be guaranteed a spot in the Quarterfinals when this World Cup began?  I certainly didn’t see this coming.

Paraguay has impressed me.  They’ve played really well so far.  They beat a very good Slovakian team, and while maybe they didn’t play great against Italy or New Zealand, they played good enough to get a result and win the group.  That’s all that matters.

Japan beat a Cameroon team who in that first match many people thought would advance to the Round of 16.  They forgot to show up against Netherlands, but they beat a very, very talented Denmark squad, a team that is just as good as the Slovakian team that Paraguay beat.

I see this one going either way, and while my heart really wants to pick Japan to get the win, in the end I think Paraguay will become the fourth South American team to reach the Quarterfinals.

ManInBlack Says:

I love this Paraguay team.  I thought they were underrated going into the tournament and they’re playing great.  The same could be said of a Japanese team that I didn’t see making it this far.  I think Paraguay played a much better group, however, and in the end won it.  Japan, meanwhile, played in a group with one dominant team and 3 also-rans.  They just happened to be the best of the 3 average team left.  Paraguay moves on, while Japan can be proud of their showing.

Spain vs. Portugal

2:30 PM EDT

Sharkey Says:

By pure luck, FIFA has saved the best for last.  This is going to be a war.  Any time neighboring countries play in a World Cup elimination game, it’s historic.  Any time two Top 3 teams in the FIFA World Rankings play in a World Cup elimination game, it’s historic.

When you get two Top 3 teams who are neighboring countries playing in a World Cup elimination game, the potential is off the charts.  ANYTHING can and will happen in this one.

Portugal may be the most impressive team to get shut out twice in a World Cup ever.  And Spain may be the least impressive two-win team of this World Cup.  But that in no way, shape, or form, means that Portugal will win this one easily.

This is going into overtime, and maybe into PK’s.  And Cristiano Ronaldo may steal a win for Portugal, if he can manage to stand up long enough.  But I expect Spain to put the pieces together, win this match, and make a run to the World Cup Finals against Brazil.

ManInBlack Says:

Which Portugal shows up?  The one that beat North Korea by 7 goals or the one that couldn’t score against Brazil or Ivory Coast?  And which Spain team is going to show up?  The one that beat Honduras and Chile, or the one who lost to Switzerland?

While consistancy is an issue for both teams, I think Portugal has the better team and they’ve played better games altogether.  I see Portugal as a team on the come and Spain as a good team starting to decline.  This game is the one that proves that theory as Portugal moves on to the next round.

Sharkey vs. ManInBlack Watch

The two of us have a history of being on opposite sides of the stands when it comes to rooting interests and predictions, and this World Cup is no different.  Of 8 matches in this round, we’ve picked 3 games differently.  Sharkey takes Germany, Slovakia, and Spain, while the Man in Black takes England, Netherlands, and Portugal.  We’ll see who’s right…