A big day, dominated by England v Argentina, but although you wouldn't know it from the TV hype there are a couple of other tasty tussles on the cards. Where I've previously stumbled out of bed muttering emotive words like 'why me?', I'm really up for today's bit of business.
NIGERIA gave the impression they were quite content to accept a 1-0 defeat from Argentina in their opening game, an approach which suggests they fancy their chances of doing a bit of damage against Sweden and England. After a tight start, both sides go for it and the Africans certainly look the part so it is no surprise when they go ahead after 27 minutes when Julius Aghahowa gets on to the end of an inch perfect cross from Yobo to score with a classic glancing header - and his celebratory acrobatics were a bit special too! God, I got dizzy just looking at him. PS Mjallby was posted missing in the middle.
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Dolph Lundgren had a header cleared off the line as the Swedes begin to look good and, miffed at being thwarted at one end, the Big Bruiser decided to have a go at the other when a great run from Jay Jay Okocha ends with him screwing his shot wide of goal. But in a sudden panic attack, Lucic's attempted clearance clatters off Mjallby's shins and the daft duo breathe a big sigh of relief as the ball rebounds from the post.
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Nigeria piled on the pressure for the last half-hour but all to no avail, a shot against the post from Yobo being the closest they came to getting a draw. All the talk in the TV studio was about this being a bad result for England but I never saw it that way. As Nigeria are now out, they'll have nothing to play for in their final fixture next Wednesday so, even if they had lost to the Argies, there was every chance of the English finishing with four points. I expect Argentina to beat Sweden so goal difference would be crucial for second spot and England could still have squeezed through, regardless of this afternoon's events
SPAIN and PARAGUAY always looked the likely lads in Group B but, by allowing South Africa to claw themselves back to level terms from a 2-0 situation, the Paraguayans are under pressure today but, as the right result would confirm Spain as the first nation to be sure of their place in the second round, I can only see one winner. Oops! Thank you Senor Puyol, are you trying to make me sound as stupid as you look? Goalkeeper Casillas blocks a shot from Arce and Puyol can't get out of the way quick enough, diverting the ball into his own net. 1-0 down after ten minutes, surely Spain aren't going to press the self-destruct button again.
By the time the half-time whistle sounds, it looks dangerously like it. Having initially reacted well to the early setback, taking a grip of the game and pressing forward, the Spaniards put Paraguayan keeper Chilavert under next to no pressure and, as the game wears on, the South Americans begin to see that Casillas and Hierro are no more secure than Puyol. Spain's World Cup future, or lack of it, will be determined by the effectiveness of coach Camacho's dressing-room dressing down for his players.
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But Spain are not to be denied. In the 69th minute, Chilavert flaps at a cross from De Pedro, leaving Morientes to score with the simplest of headers from point blank range. Then Chilavert decides to take a leaf out of Puyol's book by seeking to make amends for his mistake and the big keeper is much more dangerous when his 25 yard free-kick forces Casillas to dive to save. But nine minutes from the end it is all over when Raul is held in the box and Hierro classily sends Chilavert the wrong way from the penalty spot.
So Spain are through, they should emerge as group winners by beating South Africa next Wednesday and, if my projections are correct, now look set to meet those terribly nice people from the Republic Of Ireland in Suwon on June 16. While the Irish emerged from their draws with Cameroon and Germany with a lot of credit, the Spaniards can't be too unhappy about their prospects of getting to the quarter-finals where according to my crystal ball, they could then be facing South Korea. And if they are going to make any impression at the highest level, the Spaniards have got to be optimistic about facing such modest opposition, even if they do have to contend with a hostile home crowd.
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Argentina certainly look the livelier starters. A Zanetti drive is saved by Seaman, Kily Gonzalez fires a low shot wide and Veron tries to catch the keeper off his line with a speculative long range effort, all inside the first ten minutes. After a spate of England free-kicks, none of which came to anything, I'd already turned the sound down because I'd had my whack of John Motson whining about a second yellow card for Batistuta after a nothing 50-50 clash with Beckham.
In England's first serious attack, Owen hits the post but the Argentinians hit back immediately, a Batistuta header forcing Seaman to look lively and, on the half-hour mark, a tremendous Kily Gonzalez volley flashing over the bar. Then just before the interval Pochettino brings down Owen, it's a penalty for England and up steps Beckham to smash the ball down the middle.
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Both Batistuta and Kily Gonzalez are substituted barely two-thirds of the way through the match, a clear sign that Argentina are struggling, but England get a warning when Aimar shoots just over from the edge of the box. And the alarm bells are still ringing when the Argentinians get two excellent crosses into the danger zone, only to find Seaman on his toes to snuff out the danger, then a Pochettino header drifts wide as the pressure is stepped up.
England had to think this was their day when Seaman saved another Pochettino header with his knees and, with the Argentinians becoming more and more desperate, they held out quite comfortably. With only Nigeria to play next week, the English look likely group winners. However, the down side of that is the possibility of meeting France in the next round but, in the wake of this result, prepare yourself for 'we're gonna win it' media mayhem.
I'm certainly not looking forward to the English reaction but they cannot be grudged their win. Most significantly, Argentina now need to beat Sweden next week to qualify for the knock-out stages so that promises to be quite a game and, slowly but surely, the next round is beginning to shape up. Argentina v Denmark? Mmmm. Could be very interesting.
LITTLE BOY BLUE