Day 14 saw the final group matches in Groups E and F:
The upset of the tournament for me. Slovakia were so average against Paraguay in their second group match that their progress from the group looked very bleak. But, they were super-motivated against the defending champions and try as they might (within the book and outside), the Italians were left second-best in an encounter that left many neutrals surprised and entertained in the same measure. Surprised because the famed Italian defence was slack and lethargic and entertained because Slovakia refused to give up even when Di Natale made it 2-1 nine minutes from time. Quagliarella looked to have it squared but much to the Italians' chagrin, the assistant referee ruled it out for offside, which though marginal, was the correct decision. Quagliarella refused to be denied a goal and scored one of the goal of the tournaments, a sweetly-timed chip shot that beat the exceptional Jan Mucha in goal for the Slovaks. Marcello Lippi took the blame for his side's early exit, but in all honesty, his players, especially the forward line, were woeful in all 3 matches. So much for the Italian newspapers calling it an easy group!
Having taken 4 points from 2 games, Paraguay would have been eliminated only if they lost to New Zealand today and there was a big win in the match between either Italy or Slovakia. Neither possibility occurred, ensuring that Paraguay retained their pole position in the group and Slovakia joined them in the last 16 with their tense win over the Italians, who suffered the ignominy of finishing last in the group. For their part, the Kiwis left with their heads held high, having drawn all 3 matches. I have a hunch that striker Shane Smeltz, who currently plays for Gold Coast United in the Australian A-league, will soon depart for a European club after the World Cup is over!
With the Dutch having sealed their qualification and Cameroon the first nation to exit this edition, this match had everything at stake for both Japan and Denmark. The Japanese needed only a draw to make it while Denmark needed a win to qualify. The Blue Samurai were rewarded for their approach in playing for a win, instead of a draw, thanks to terrific freekicks by Keisuki Honda and Yasuhito Endo and some wizardry by Honda (reminiscent of the famous Cryuff turn) to set up Shinji Okazaki for the 3rd goal. The Danes looked shocked after the defeat, but they were unable to prevent a highly motivated, well-drilled Japanese team from running away with the match. As group runners up, they now face Paraguay on 29 June at Tshwane/Pretoria.
This has been a World Cup to forget for the Indomitable Lions, as they finished on zero points from 3 games. The only silver lining was an individual record for Rigobert Song (uncle to Alex Song of Arsenal), who became the first African player to feature in 4 World Cup tournaments (1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010). As for the Dutch, there was more than 1 reason to savor the win, as Arjen Robben made a successful return to action and almost scored an identical goal to the winner he let rip against Fiorentina in a Champions' League match earlier this year. This effort saw the ball rebound off the post and fall kindly to the AC Milan striker, Klaas Jan Huntelaar, who finished with panache for the winner. As group winners, they now face Slovakia on 28 June at Durban.
So, here are the matches from the last 16 stage arising from Groups E and F:
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