By RYAN TOLMICH
While Thursday’s opener officially kicked off the tournament, Day 2 of the World Cup is when the fun truly begins. With a slate of three games on the docket, Friday’s lineup boasts the first full day of World Cup action.
The day’s action will start off with a Group A clash between Mexico and Cameroon in a matchup that will be key for a pair of teams jockeying for position behind yesterday’s winner, Brazil. Both teams limped through qualifying, but Friday’s contest gives both teams a chance to erase any memories of frustration by providing their supporters with three crucial points.
The second contest is the day’s headliner, as defending champion Spain takes on the Netherlands in a rematch of the 2010 final. Friday’s game is a first in the tournament’s long history, as prior to this contest, there had never been a Group Stage rematch between the last tournament’s finalists. While both sides will be gunning for early points, the 2010 tournament proved that it is possible to succeed after stumbling out of the gate, as Spain became the World Cup’s first team to win it all after losing its opening game.
The day’s action will conclude with the other two teams in Group B, Chile and Australia. The two sides will surely have their backs against the wall in their contests with Spain and the Netherlands, so Friday’s opener will be crucial if either team has hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
If you will be watching today’s matches, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (TV listings after the jump):
TODAY’S WORLD CUP SOCCER ON TV
11:30am – Mexico vs. Cameroon – ESPN2
2:30pm – Spain vs. Netherlands – ESPN
5:30pm – Chile vs. Australia – ESPN2