Round 1 of Group Stage: Results, Standings, Predictions

Well, today we finished up the 1st round of games for the group stage. Been an awesome World Cup so far... very exciting.

Standings are:

Group A(Including todays game)
-Brazil - 4pts
-Mexico - 4pts
-Cameroon - 0pts
-Croatia - 0pts

Group B
-Netherlands-3pts
-Chile-3pts
-Australia-0pts
-Spain-0pts

Group C
-Colombia- 3pts
- Cote d'Ivoire- 3pts
-Japan - 0pts
-Greece- 0pts

Group D
- Costa Rica- 3pts
-Italy- 3pts
-England- 0pts
-Uruguay- 0pts

Group E
- France- 3pts
-Switzerland- 3pts
-Ecuador- 0pts
- Honduras- 0pts

Group F
-Argentina - 3pts
- Iran- 1pt
- Nigeria- 1pt
-Bosnia- 0pts

Group G
- Germany- 3pts
-United State- 3pts
-Ghana- 0pts
-Portugal- 0pts

Group H
-Belgium- 3pts
- Korea Republic- 1pt
-Russia - 1pt
-Algeria- 0pts

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Predictions:

Group A
-1st place- Brazil
-2nd place- Croatia (Beats Cameroon and Mexico / If they had Mandzukic vs Brazil it would have been a diff game)

Group B
- 1st place- Netherlands
-2nd place - Spain (Beats Chile and Australia / dangerous in KO stage)

Group C
-1st place- Colombia (very impressed with James)
-2nd place- Cote D'Ivoire (Dont see Greece making it to KO stage)

Group D
-1st place - Italy
-2nd place - Costa Rica ( Advance over England due to GD / Joel Campbell is legit)

Group E
-1st place - France
-2nd place- Switzerland (nobody a threat to these 2)

Group F
-1st place- Argentina
-2nd place - Bosnia (beat Iran and Nigeria - Dangerous in KO stage)

Group G
-1st place- Germany
-2nd place - United States (Ties vs Portugal on Sunday, Portugal loses to Ghana)

Group H
-1st place - Belgium
-2nd place - Russia(would love to have Korea Republic here, but dont think they make it)

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Thoughts:

Impressed by: Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Costa Rica, Colombia.

Not impressed with: Brazil and Argentina

Biggest surprise: Netherlands beat down of Spain, Costa Rica beat down of Uruguay.

I know going into the WC the "Group of Death" was Group G with Germany, Portugal, US, and Ghana. However, after the 1st round of games in the group stage, I think Group D is the real "Group of Death". Dont get me wrong... our group is really really hard, easily 2nd hardest. I just think Portugal is overrated.

In Group D you have Italy, Uruguay, and England as the big time headliners.... yet the team I was most impressed with was Costa Rica and the beat down they put on Uruguay and the way they did it. Going into the WC, Costa Rica was the "weak link" here, yet they just embarrassed Uruguay and did it in convincing style.

What are your predictions??