And so folks, we go into the big
SEMI-FINALS after yet another 2-day break in WC 2010...
NETHERLANDS - URUGUAY
GERMANY - SPAIN
After all the unpredictability WC 2010 has provided so far, it would be a brave heart to keep predicting away and guessing correctly, but then what would a hotly-anticipated set of matches be without any predictions?
Let's see them.
My picks - Netherlands and Germany.
Uruguay are a very talented side and play some solid team football but Netherlands should be very capable of shooting them down, now that they have edged out Brazil.
And Spain has been super impressive too. Iniesta, Ramos and Xabi Alonso combine with David Villa superbly to keep getting Spain past their opponents.
But you have to wonder about Villa's luck running out sometime?
Or maybe the law of averages catching up with him?
The dude is running on some really solid steaming form right now but can that be good enough to take Spain past a side who is both young, hungry and raring to tear you apart? Not to mention that their main forward, Fernando Torres, looks woefully out of form and has been repeatedly substituted by Fabregas in almost all of Spain's matches.
Germany have looked unstoppable, and apart from that shocker against Serbia in the group stages, pretty formidable too. All their players are young, fit and in superb form and they all compliment Miroslav Klose pretty nicely. So much so that a certain Michael Ballack hasn't been missed so far.
Either way, the second Semi-Final should provide some real fireworks on the field. One of the best matches of this WC, I daresay.
And finally, with THREE European teams in the fray right now, it would be a safe bet to assume one of them will take the WC home.
Good night, folks.