More on the world cup and some soccer math

World cup Predictions 
 I wanted Spain to win it again but now they are out*. I want Germany, Belgium or the United States to win.I Most of all I want United states to win. I don't exactly know who would win and all that. But it will be pretty close . My Predictions will based on FIFA ranking, Math, How the teams have played so far and a little tiny bit on who I want to win :)

I will the predictions in my next world cup blog. But Brazil Netherlands France Germany and Colombia all have a shot at it.

* Spain lost 5-1 when they played The Netherlands. Chile vs Spain ended 2-0 for Chile. Spain is out. Their last game will be vs Australia. Even if they had beat Chile and beat Australia Making the knockout stage, they will still probably play Brazil in their first game of the knockout stage.

World cup update
In these groups a win counts as 3 Pts a loss counts as 0 Pts and a tie counts as 1 Pts
Groups
Group A
Teams
Brazil Pts: 4
Mexico Pts: 4
Croatia Pts: 3
Cameroon Pts: 0
Games
Brazil vs Croatia Results: 3-1
Mexico vs Cameroon Results: 1-0
Brazil vs Mexico Results: 0-0
Cameroon vs Croatia Results: 0-4
Cameroon vs Brazil: Unknown
Mexico vs Croatia Results: Unknown


Group B
Teams
Netherlands Pts: 6
Chile Pts: 6
Spain Pts: 0
Australia  Pts: 0
Games
Spain vs Netherlands Results: 1-5
Australia vs Chile Results: 1-3
Australia vs Netherlands: 2-3
Spain vs Chile Results: 0-2
Australia vs Spain: Unknown
Chile vs Netherlands: Unknown

Group C
Teams
Colombia Pts: 6
Ivory coast Pts: 3
Greece Pts: 1
Japan Pts: 1
Games
Colombia vs Greece Results: 3-0
Ivory coast vs Japan Results: 2-1
Colombia vs Ivory coast Results: 2-1
Greece vs Japan Results: 0-0
Colombia vs Japan: Unknown
Ivory coast vs Greece Results: Unknown

Group D
Teams
Costa Rica Pts: 6
Uruguay Pts: 3
Italy Pts: 3
England Pts: 0
Games
Uruguay vs Costa Rica Results: 1-3
England vs Italy: 1-2
Uruguay vs England Results: 2-1
Italy vs Costa Rica Results: 0-1
Uruguay vs Italy: Unknown
Costa Rica vs England Results: Unknown

Group E
Teams
France Pts: 6
Ecuador Pts: 3
Switzerland Pts: 3
Honduras Pts: 0
Games
Switzerland vs Ecuador Results: 2-1
France vs Honduras Results: 3-0
Switzerland vs France Results: 2-5
Honduras vs Ecuador Results: 1-2
Honduras vs Switzerland Results: Unknown
Ecuador vs France Results: Unknown

Group F
Teams
Argentina Pts: 6
Nigeria Pts: 4
Iran Pts: 1
Bosnia and Herzegovina Pts: 0
Games
Argentina vs Bosnia and Herzegovina Results: 2-1
Iran vs Nigeria Results: 0-0
Iran vs Argentina Results: 0-1
Nigeria vs Bosnia and Herzegovina Results: 1-0
Argentina vs Nigeria Results: Unknown
Iran vs Bosnia and Herzegovina Results: Unknown

Group G
Teams
Germany Pts: 4
Untied States of America Pts: 3
Ghana Pts: 1
Portugal Pts: 0
Games
Germany vs Portugal Results: 4-0
Untied States of America vs Ghana Results: 2-1
Germany vs Ghana Results: 2-2
Untied States of America vs Portugal Results: Unknown
Untied States of America vs Germany Results: Unknown
Portugal vs Ghana Results: Unknown

Group H
Teams
Belgium Pts: 6
Algeria Pts: 3
South Korea 1
Russia Pts: 1
Games
Belgium vs Algeria Results: 2-1
South Korea vs Russia Results: 1-1
Russia vs Belgium Results: 0-1
Algeria vs South Korea Results: 4-2
South Korea vs Belgium: Unknown
Algeria vs Russia Results: Unknown

Recent  awesome and surprising  games 
Netherlands vs Australia.
One of the best teams vs One of the very worse teams.
This at first glance is an obvious win for Netherlands. But as the game unfolded it turned out different like other games of this interesting World cup. Netherlands with  Robben scored fist at the 20' but then 70 seconds later Tim Cahill scored a crossbar volley. This was Amazing. Did you hear who scored on Netherlands ? Australia!!! 30 or so minutes later an Australian hit the ball at a Netherlands Defender in the box and it was a Penalty ! At the 54' Australia scored ! They were winning. At the 58' and the 68' Van persie scored 2 more goals and The Flying Dutchmen were on top Again. The Game ended 3-2 With Netherlands barley escaping with victory. Australia played wonderful at this game.

Italy vs England
This was a good and close match. With 2 pretty good teams it usually is a close match. Italy scored first with Marchisio at the 35'. But England came back at the 37' with Sturridge. Right after halftime Italy scored with Balotelli. After this England could not score again. They lost 2-1.

United States vs Ghana
This was a rematch of the 2010  Round of 16. But it turned out better for our national team! At around 30 second into the game Clint Dempsey Scored for America! This was and still is the 6th or 5th fastest goal in world cup history and fastest goal in American history. The United states kept the lead for a long time. But they kept it around in their half and did not really try to score. They were not the best a passing either. So at the 82' Ghana scored with Ayew. But the United states natinaol team did not give up. They scored a goal at the 86' with John brooks. This saved the Americans. It ended 2-1. If they had lost this game they would have extremely small chance of getting to the knockout stage. They would have to win their next 2 games.

Belgium vs Algeria
This game was a real comeback. Algeria scored with a penalty at the 25' .Algeria kept the lead until the
70' in the second half. With Fellaini scoring a header. After that on a counterattack Belgium scored an amazing goal with Mertens.

Brazil vs Mexico
This was a surprising match. With Brazil the home team and winner of the most world cups they practically failed vs Mexico. Brazil had many opportunities but the Mexican keeper Ochoa played amazing. The game ended 0-0. Mexico is now tied with Brazil in their group but if they lose vs Croatia that could turn things around.

Argentina vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
This is Bosnia's first qualification. You'd think Argentinian star Messi would score at least 2 goals. But he did not. He either played a bad game or Bosnia played an amazing game. I think it was partly both. Bosnia did an unintentional own goal at the 3'. Then Messi scored at the 65'. Bosnia came back with 1 goal at the  85'. It ended a tight squeeze for Argentina 2-1. If there had been no own goal it would have been 1-1.

Chile vs Spain
This was a sad and surprising match. It ended 2-0. Spain has lost their magic. 4 years ago they let 2 goals in the whole world cup, both in the group stage. In the Knockout stage Spain won every game 1-0. Now they let 7 goals in their first 2 games. Something happened too the old Spain something terrible. Now there is this Spain who lost 2 games in a row. They are now out of the Tournament. They will have 1 more game vs Australia. The Australians played better than them vs the dutch. The World champions are now out. I think it was crazy they did not put Xavi in and they did not put Villa in. Diego Costa according to me should not be playing for Spain. Casillas also did not play like he did in 2010.

Uruguay vs England
This game was a missed chance for England. It started of with a goal from Uruguay's Suarez at the 39'. England kept having chances but none of them went in like Rooney's header at the 31' . But at last at the 75' Rooney scored. After that though Suarez scored again at the 85' ten minutes later. This goal looked offsides but the ball came from an English player, Gerard. You see it was passed by an Uruguayan player ( the keeper ) and it came off Gerard to Suarez.  Now England is almost out of the World cup.

Italy vs Costa Rica
This was as I think more surprising than Argentina vs Bosnia & Herzegovina but here the " better " team lost. Here the team you would think better would be 4 world cup winners Italy. With Buffon, Pirlo, Balotelli, De Rossi and more. Well the Costa Ricans won yet another game after their 3-1 game vs Uruguay. These are amazingly good players. Costa Rica scored at the 44' with Brian Ruiz. Then they held the Italians back with their Offsides traps. Italy was Offsides 11 times ! The Costa Rican's outlasted the Italians with a final score of 1-0.

Soccer math
Here is some soccer math Will the United States of America make it to the Round of 16 ?
Well there are many scenarios which could happen. But the short answer is if Ghana loses vs Portugal and Germany and United states Beats Portugal they will go. But here are the scenarios. We are assuming Ghana loses all their games.




USA beats Portugal losses Germany
Here United States will most most likely go

Group G Pts
Germany 9
USA       6
Portugal  3
Ghana     0

USA ties Portugal losses Germany
Here USA would be tied with Portugal because both of them beat Ghana  both lost to Germany and they tied each other. But Since Portugal has -4 goal difference right now the tie would probably be broken with USA advancing

Group G Pts
Germany 9
USA       4
Portugal  4
Ghana     0

USA losses Portugal losses Germany
Here United states would not Advance.

Group G Pts
Germany 9
Portugal  6
USA       3
Ghana     0

USA beats Portugal ties Germany
Here USA would Advance

Group G Pts
Germany 7
USA       6
Portugal  3
Ghana     0

USA ties Portugal ties Germany
Here it is pretty close but United states would still probably advance.

Group G Pts
Germany 7
USA       5
Portugal  4
Ghana     0

USA losses Portugal ties Germany
Here it would not be good for USA

Group G Pts
Germany 7
Portugal  6
USA       4
Ghana     0

USA beats Portugal beats Germany

 then they go to
 the round of 16.
Obliviously if you win
all your games then yes you do go .

Group G Pts

USA       9

Germany 6
Portugal  3
Ghana     0

USA ties Portugal Beats Germany

Here the USA would advance

Group G Pts

USA       7

Germany 6
Portugal  4
Ghana     0

USA losses Portugal beats Germany
Here it would be a 3 way tie. And you never know who would advance. But Probably USA and Germany.

Group G Pts

Germany 6
USA       6
Portugal  6
Ghana     0


The most likely thing is Germany win all games. USA vs Portugal will be close but I want USA to win. But then again ya never know ;)


My opinion

So far who the best according to me
Well this World cup has been pretty new and surprising. It is on South American soil so European teams will not do their best. Well that can't exactly be proved but no European teams have won the world cup when it was on South American soil. 1930 host Uruguay winner Uruguay ,1950 host Brazil winner Uruguay ,1962 host Chile winner Brazil,1978 host Argentina winner Argentina. Anyway back to the point. I think Spain, Argentina, Italy and others are not playing like their reputation. I also think Bosnia an Herzegovina, Costa Rica, Australia and others are  playing better than their Reputation. In this 2014 FIFA World Cup I think the top 5 best teams are
                           Team         Nickname
                      #1 Germany    The Eagles
                      #2 Brazil       The green & yellow
                      #3 Netherlands  The Flying Dutchmen
                      #4 Costa Rica   The Costa Ricans ( not a very imaginative nickname )
                      #5 Australia      The Socceroos



Future World cups 2018, 2022, 2026

2018
This World Cup will take place in Russia.
 Many Countries opposed FIFA's decision to hold the World Cup in Russia.
Russia as host , already qualified. They might expand the teams to 40.

2022
This world cup will probably take place in Qatar an Island country off the Arabian Peninsula. But FIFA is not sure yet. FIFA is worried about Qatar's climate. Also the vote might have been bribed.

2026
They will probably change the way they choose the host in 2026. Not much is know about this cup.



sources: Wikipedia