The 2010 World Cup will kick off on Friday with Group A, a very difficult group to judge because there is some reason to believe that any of the four teams in the group could qualify.
South Africa is the long-shot, but being the host has meant a place in the second-round in every previous World Cup. That trend could change though, especially with three other tough teams.
France comes in with plenty of baggage, but also loads of talent, while Mexico has shown glimpses in the World Cup run-up of being capable of finally advancing past the Round of 16.
Then you have Uruguay, which is known for having quality attackers but a suspect defense.
Here is SBI's take on Group A:
WORLD CUP GROUP A
Top Players to Watch
Franck Ribery, France
Nicolas Anelka, France
Diego Forlan, Uruguay
Andres Guardado, Mexico
Steven Pienaar, South Africa
Young Players to Watch
Yoan Gourcouff, France
Hugo Lloris, France
Luis Suarez, Uruguay
Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez
Bernard Parker, South Africa
SBI's Predicted Order of Finish
1. Mexico
2. France
3. Uruguay
4. South Africa
France has the star power, and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris could have a breakout tournament, but Mexico is playing well and has the skill to be the surprise team in the group. South Africa will have the home-field advantage, but won't be able to overcome the talent gap.
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How do you see Group A playing out? Share your thoughts below.
I am guessing the South African players are more accustomed to them. I can’t imagine anyone not being annoyed by them though.
France and South Africa — watch.
Read my preview here:
http://tinyurl.com/wcpreview
Don’t forget the Mandela factor on Friday… remember Invictus or Africa Cup of Nations ’95? He has a strange way of energizing a stadium, and that does not bode well for Mexico. I predict 1-1 tie for both group A games on Friday….
Amazing how many people are hating on my France team.
Seriously, having the best midfield (Ribery, Toulalan, Gourcuff, Malouda,Govou) in this group by far and some of you are picking them to finish at the bottom of the group? Come one get a clue.
1. France
2. South Africa
3. Uruguay
4. Mexico
I’ve seen enough of South Africa to predict they’ll win Friday’s opening match. They’re a very scrappy team that plays well together and have one hell of a coach. Mexico’s starting to gel but not having Marquez at full strength, assuming he’s playing, is gonna hurt them and the Bafana, Bafana have some speed.
France – Uruguay should be a good match and “Les Bleus” are on a mission against the world. A pissed off team with this much talent is not exactly the team I wanna play.
I ran a simulation of Mexico vs South Africa in International Superstar Soccer 64 for Nintendo 64, and found that they ended in a 1-1 draw.
So that’s my prediction for the opening game of the World Cup.
Feels good to be back from vacation in time for the World Cup!!!
I had these countries finishing the same way Ives. Mexico was very impressive against England and should have easily won. I didn’t watch the Italy game, but they won. I think they will make it to the quarters. If they win their group, they’ll have an easy round of 16, but if they come in second, say hello to Argentina!!
BTW, I was in Mexico last week, and most of the locals I spoke to had pessimistic expectations. I don’t know if this is normal for Mexican fans, but I was surprised.
Mexico is ahead of France? No, Mexico will not advance France and South Africa will. It will be:
France
South Africa
Mexico
Uruguay
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1)Mexico
2)South Africa
3)Uruguay
4)France
My score predictions:
South Africa 1-0 Mexico
Uruguay 2-1 France
South Africa 2-2 Uruguay
France 1-2 Mexico
Mexico 0-0 Uruguay
France 1-0 South Africa
Uruguay 5
South Africa 4
Mexico 4
France 3
S. Africa ahead of mexico in goals scored tie breaker, I honestly see the home crowd giving S. Africa a boost on opening day with France crumbling that same day, and thats going to set the tone for the rest of the group.
I wouldn’t read too much into Guardado not starting against Italy. He was an automatic starter in qualification, and is probably Mexico’s most consistent player (and only established starter in a top European league). Aguirre probably just wanted to rest/protect him. I’ll bet he starts all three games for Mexico.
France is not that great anymore. They would need Gourcuff, Gignac and Ribery to step up in order for them to advance.
bafana bafana advances
1.France
2.South Africa
3.Mexico
4.Uruguay
SA is definitely advancing.
For me this is the hardest group to figure out; even if you switch SA with North Korea, it would still be hard to figure out who goes out of Mex, Uruguay, and France. Throwing in the home team really makes things tough to predict. Odds are the crowd will motivate the Bafana to at least one win, but against which team? SA going out after the first round would be like a wet blanket over the tourney for the home fans.
Mexico wins group if they don’t take any red cards. If they do, three and out. Uruguay and France tie for 2nd.
From reading the comments, I just want to close the France bandwagon before the World Cup starts. Remember what you said. My prediction:
1. France 7
2. Mexico 5
3. Uruguay 4
4. South Africa 0
i have france at the bottom of the group as well:
1) Mexico
2) Uruguay
3) SA
4) France
As some commenters have already pointed out, home field advantage for SA is being hugely underestimated…vuvuzelas, strange continent, winter climate. Have people forgotten how big home field advantage is in soccer? I mean, Klinsmann almost became USA manager b/c of it. And SA haven’t lost in forever, a span of teams that includes Denmark, Colombia, and Paraguay. I predict at least 3 points for them in the group and something like 50/50 to advance.
No, I will make it so. Now be silent or I’ll send you to the cornfield
if mexico and US both finish first in groups and win in the round of 16 they meet in the quarters. beating them again to make the semis would be awesome!
Oy, what a difficult group to predict
Do vuvuzuelas shade one way or the other in terms of support though?
With that logic then China shouldn’t have beaten France a few days go.
My order in this group is:
1) Uruguay
2) South Africa
3) France
4) Mexico
I believe Uruguay is in great form at the moment whom have a very tactically astute manager, and a deadly striker combo in Forlan/Suarez, plus a underrated defensive backline.
South Africa will get the home nation bump, which everyone is completely throwing out the window. They are better than they get better for and are only being dismissed cause most “experts” can only name a few guys on the squad anyway. They are no worse than the US was in ’94 or Japan was in ’02. They won’t make a deep run in the tournament, but they have some dynamic attacking midfielders who will give the others nations fits.
France has an amazing squad on paper, talented enough to win it all. But with their moronic lame-duck manager and all the peripheral drama occuring plus their horrendous form (they lost at home to a Chinese B side), I see this team crashing and burning like in ’02.
Mexico, they can keep possession and can create lots of chances but just as easily waste their chances as well. Its like they need to create 10 chances to convert one. You CANNOT be that wasteful in a World Cup in front of goal. Plus they aren’t very good in defending set pieces, and will be facing three teams with big players who can get on the end of good balls delivered into the box (and the other sides have good set piece takers as well). Plus the Mexicans are notoriously poor in cold weather – which they will be playing in South Africa. They can have their moments when they can play anyone off the pitch – but just as easily disappear.
Let’s go South Africa! I will be rooting for them hard on Friday
+1
Agreed.
I think Ives is forgetting about home field advantage
1)97000 Fans
2)Vuvuzelas
3) There the hosts and playing with confidence plus unbeaten in the last 10 games
4)South African is in there winter season and mexico dosent play well in cold weather. All these are a recipe for disaster. all the friendlies they won in europe were in hot weather very hot weather.
The battle is going to be between Uruguay and South Africa for the second spot. Mexico has looked great even when losing and France has looked unbelievably awful. This is not France from ’98, this is France that needed to cheat to even be in the finals. Home field advantage in world cups has meant everything. Look at N. Korea and Japan from 2002.
1. Mexico
2. S. Africa (qualifies on goal difference)
3. Uruguay
4. France
Ok call me pshycic but after watching a gazallion EPL games I have seen all of their players and I do see England beating the USA so I am going to jump ahead but here is why I think The USA will STILL make it to the next round. Bottom line it matters not if we lose to England as long as we keep it tight AND we have to beat Algeria assuming we tie to Slovenia..Also as long as England beats Slovenia by a better margin we are thru..IE my scenario..
Group C
England 2 vs. USA 1
Algeria 0 vs. Slovenia 2
Slovenia 1 vs. USA 1
England 3 vs. Algeria 1
Slovenia 0 vs. England 2
USA 2 vs. Algeria 0
England goes thru along with the USA if only on goal differential
Mexico will cry and whine and fall down and complain and file grievances and make excuses and sob uncontrollably and lash out at the refs and blame the stadium and say the sun was in their eyes and claim the hotel accomodations sucked and say the flight was too long and the salsa was tainted at Chevy’s and Marquez is a b*tch and so on and so forth…
Mexico seems to be the favorite in this group but the betting line for the game vs SA is almost the same no matter which to you pick to win. I agree SA will advce along with Mexico. France and Uruguay will get left behind. I actually think its a very interesting group because any 2 teams can advace.
They are one of my dark horse picks. They could go far with a little luck. Respek.
Yes, and they had huge problems in 2002 WITH Zidane at SK/Japan. It would not be a surprise to me to see them exit in the first round.
Fifa won’t let South Africa not advance, Sepp has too much invested in it. Its going to be interesting seeing how the referees handle it.
My prediction is the same as Ives. Though it appears Guardado and Hernandez will not be starting for Mexico, as Aguirre’s system doesn’t fit their playing style. Maybe they will be used as half time subs if Mexico has fallen behind.
There is no way in the world they take away CONCACAF’s third spot or give another to CONMEBOL. Half the continent already qualifies from South America.
Mexico will play a 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 formations I believe.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned K. MPHELA for SA! He’s on fire right now with 6 goals in 5 matches (including the winner against Denmark last week). South Africa is definitely getting out of this group.
+1
It was never really close. Brazil was always going to win that game.
No, the home field advantage will make it so. South Africa are going to play out of their skulls.
Unless South Africa happened to get the host nation bump and we end up with everything in the air heading into the third matchday.
My prediction: there are going to be a lot of goals scored in this group.
right – the nice guy/ex-coach of AC Milan..
Ives! How can you not include Nicolas Lodeiro in your young players list?!!!!
My prediction: France crashes out once again, sparking turmoil. Uruguay and Mexico advance.
Seem pretty informed of Mexico, Miguel.
Do they run a 3-man back line, with Marquez dropping back for coverage when needed?
I’d bet the house that Mexico doesn’t win the group. The Us is better than them and we wouldn’t beat France.
He does so well internationally, I love watching him play.
It’s sad he can’t bring that same form to Europe, but as you highlighted in your post, he’s the kind of guy you need to build a system around, I don’t think he operates as well as a peripheral player.
I hope he has a great Cup and Tottenham passes him off to a mid tier club where he can shine.
Rep CONCACAF!
What about the adage of turmoil pulling teams together? If that’s true France may win the group.