World Cup Preview Part 2

Group E

This group features Holland, Cameroon, Denmark & Japan

Holland are the clear group favorites here. Hopefully a healthy Arjen Robben will spur this squad to unprecedented success which the Dutch have not experienced in a very long time.

Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o is the key player here. Eto’o, coming off Inter Milan’s Champions League, Serie A & Coppa Italia Championships looks to add a little more hardware to his closet and take Cameroon to the promised land.

Denmark hasn’t participated in a top level tournament since Euro 2004 and looks to correct its ways with a solid performance in South Africa. The problem for Morten Olsen and his troops is their form has been lacking especially losing to Australia & hosts South Africa 1-0. Denmark will not be going to far, tough I look forward to their game with Holland.

Japan’s Keisuke Honda sees his team attacking the other opponents in this group and blitzing them with all out offense. However, Japan has lost their 3 warm up games and to me look like they will lose a few more.

The Sports Rabbi Picks Holland & Cameroon to make it out of Group E

Group F

This group features Italy, Paraguay, Slovakia & New Zealand

Italy, the reigning world champions will have an easy time moving on from this group. Marcello Lippi has many weapons at his disposal from solid goal keeping with Gianluigi Buffon to solid mid fielders with Gennaro Gattuso leading the way and strikers beginning with Alberto Gilardino. Italy are my favorites to take this group even without Andrea Pirlo who may only play in the last group match.

Paraguay qualified for the World Cup for the fourth consecutive time and look to make it out of group play after failing to do so in 2006.

Slovakia will be at the tournament for the first time as a country and look to muscle their way into the 2nd round upsetting Paraguay in doing so. Their 3-0 win over Costa Rica was impressive and should help their confidence to get out of this group.

New Zealand has no chance to go anywhere’s out of the bottom of this group and though the Kiwis are at the World Cup for the first time since 1982, they will not make an impression that they belong. Look at the USA 1998 France for that definition.
The Sports Rabbi Picks Italy & Slovakia to make it out of Group F

Group G

This group features Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast & North Korea

Ah, Brazil, what can I say, the greatest footballing nation in the world has little chance of not making it out of this group. Even without Pato & Ronaldihno, they squad is so strong from Kaka to Robinho to Maicon even without Inter Keeper Julio Cesar they are in no threat to find the 2nd round.

Portugal have been hit with the injury bug losing Nani and somehow never find a way to make it out of the big tournaments like Spain before their Euro 2008 victory. Portugal always look threatening especially with a player such as Cristiano Ronaldo, but they always seem to choke it up at just the right moment. Maybe this is their year.

Ivory Coast looks to have a somewhat healthy Didier Drogba at their disposal after he broke his arm over the weekend. Their games against Brazil & Portugal will be very intriguing and will determine the 2nd team to come out of the group.

North Korea, no chance, enough said.

The Sports Rabbi Picks Brazil & Ivory Coast to make it out of Group G

Group H

This group features Spain, Chile, Switzerland and Honduras

Spain are clearly the favorites to make it out of first place in this group and should clean up the other 3 teams. After wining all 10 of their qualifying matches all cylinders are clicking and Fernando Torres and company will look like clear favorites to take the World Cup crown.

Chile on the other hand will have to fight it out with the other squads to make their bid into the 2nd round. Humberto Suazo was to be their main threat but the injury bug has hit him and is questionable if he will return for any of the matches.

Switzerland is a squad I have seen numerous times and though unimpressive always seem to find a way to win when they need to. Their youngsters will attack and not play bashful as Valon Behrami may play in their first match next week.

Honduras has one person to thank for their ticket to South Africa, USA’s Jonathan Bornstein who had the late equalizer against Costa Rica in qualifying that allowed Carlos Pavon and company a trip across the globe. But that is as far as they will go.

The Sports Rabbi picks Spain & Switzerland to go through

Part 3 of The Sports Rabbi’s World Cup preview will be posted on Friday with my picks for the 2nd round all the way to the Finals!

Thoughts from the Pulpit

1) Congratulations to the Chicago Blackhawks for winning the Stanley Cup last night in a 4-3 overtime match Vs. Philadelphia. It took 49 years to bring the Cup back to Chicago and as a Montreal Canadiens fan I hope I don’t have to wait that long too.  Credit goes to Jonathan Toews, the Conn Smythe winner, MVP of the playoffs, Patrick Kane and the immovable Dustin Byfuglien who was so dominant in front of the oppostion teams goals, game in game out throughout the playoffs. Tough luck to the big losers the orange pumpkin Flyers and their lunatic fans. Scott Hartnell can use a shave and I hope Michael Leighton watches the replay of the game winning goal he let in, over and over and over.  Sorry Mikey, you got to make that save.

2) CC Sabathia and the Yankees rolled over the Baltimore Orioles in Camden Yards last night 4-2. I find it sad to see that only 16K fans showed up, granted the East Coast weather was not great but 16K? That’s it? And probably most were Yankees fans.