With the World Cup reaching the super sixteen stage, its time for some hardcore action. Mexico fielded its most fluid team to date, if we take into consideration their previous World Cup appearances. It is the secret ingredients of football, which they possess, which permit them to continue moving forward.
Holland, with the nobility of old, playing a football nourished by good skills, conscientious planning of tactics and a magnificent conductor in Sneijder, showed some great instances of team football and could still be a candidate for honours, taking into account that Robben, that incisive and dangerous dribbler of the ball, is back after being absent in the first two matches through injury.
And now a well-deserved paragraph about Chile, who played with audacity, generosity and were constantly in attack, but who, however, were let down at times by their own anxiety. But that is their style. A team coached by Bielsa should not have to suffer like it did to qualify. In the match against Spain the Chileans played an excellent game, especially in the first half, imposing their mark on the opponent, putting constant pressure on the Spanish, preventing them from unfolding when in possession of the ball.
Japan, Ghana, Paraguay, Uruguay, South Korea, Slovakia and the United States will try to shake off their role as protagonists and will fight for recognition. But today they present only an obstacle on the way to the World Cup.
In an identical situation is also Portugal, who always look as if they could progress and today have the opportunity to do so. Progress is, of course, always possible but it is also uncertain.
(c) César Luis Menotti 2010