[_____V_____]

The Group Stage is over, and there have been some remarkable results. Some of the heavyweight contenders have been knocked out, while some pretenders and outside-chancers have advanced on.

Specially for 2 teams, their heavy losses in their respective openers proved to be their downfall from the tournament - Spain losing 1-5 to the Netherlands, a result from which they could never recover, and Portugal losing 0-4 to Germany, which stacked up all the odds against them.

One team which made a remarkable comeback even after losing it's first match was Uruguay, whose final match has become notorious for a really bad, unsavory incident.

Anyway, here's a look at how the favorites fared:-

KNOCKED OUT IN THE GROUP STAGE

Spain - You would think that the defending champions would start off as real favorites, but as if there was some seething revenge planted in the collective Netherlands' minds (who had lost the 2010 WC Final to the Spaniards), they got a real drubbing in their opening fixture itself. And when they went down 0-2 to Chile, it was all over. A consolation win against Australia did nothing to their cause in the end. 1 win, 2 losses.

Portugal - With arguably the second-best soccer player in the world in their ranks in Cristiano Ronaldo, you would think that Portugal were real contenders for the title. Instead, the rest of the team played mediocre soccer and even the fighting-for-fitness Ronaldo could do little for their cause. A heavy defeat against Germany in the opening fixture, followed by a surprising tied draw against the USA, all but sealed their chances. They needed to win really big in their last match to have any hope, but even that didn't happen. A close 2-1 win against Ghana wasn't solace enough. 1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss.

Italy - The Azurri had lifted the WC in 2006, and came in with mixed reactions - their overtly defensive play received criticism from some quarters, while their late finishes were the stuff legends were made of. They started well by beating England 2-1, but the surprise moment came when they went 0-1 down to Costa Rica. Needing to win in their last fixture against Uruguay, they were literally bitten out of the reckoning - a solitary Uruguayan goal and a chunk of Luis Suarez teeth ensured that the Italians caught an angry flight home. 1 win, 2 losses.

England - The side with one of the best domestic cup competitions in Europe in the English Premier League, couldn't do their chances a lot of good. Much was dependent on their defense and Wayne Rooney, and neither delivered while it mattered the most. Incurring a loss in their opener against Italy, they lost to Uruguay 2-1 in Luis Suarez's comeback game, and when they needed a win to have any hope, Costa Rica held on to a fighting 0-0 draw for them. Promised too much, delivered too little. 1 draw, 2 losses.

Other KOed teams who fared adequately -

Ecuador (1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss),
Ivory Coast (1 win, 2 losses),
Croatia (1 win, 2 losses),
Bosnia & Herzegovina (1 win, 2 losses).

Rest of the KOed teams and their performances -

Russia: 2 draws, 1 loss,
Ghana: 1 draw, 2 losses,
Korea Republic: 1 draw, 2 losses,
Iran: 1 draw, 2 losses,
Japan: 1 draw, 2 losses,
Australia: 3 losses,
Cameroon: 3 losses,
Honduras: 3 losses.


this is how the Round of 16 Eliminators stacks up:


Round Of 16


Match 49: [28/06/2014] BRAZIL (A1) - CHILE (B2)

Match 50: [28/06/2014] COLOMBIA (C1) - URUGUAY (D2)

Match 51: [29/06/2014] THE NETHERLANDS (B1) - MEXICO (A2)

Match 52: [29/06/2014] COSTA RICA (D1) - GREECE (C2)

Match 53: [30/06/2014] FRANCE (E1) - NIGERIA (F2)

Match 54: [30/06/2014] GERMANY (G1) - ALGERIA (H2)

Match 55: [01/07/2014] ARGENTINA (F1) - SWITZERLAND (E2)

Match 56: [01/07/2014] BELGIUM (H1) - USA (G2)


PREDICTIONS:

#49 - Brazil seem to be the favorites, but don't count the Chileans just yet. They are quite capable of springing a surprise upset (remember they beat Spain, the defending champions). Still, one would favor Brazil here.

#50 - In Greece, Ivory Coast & Japan, Colombia haven't been really tested yet. But can the buoyed Uruguayan team, minus Luis Suarez who has been banned due to the biting incident in the last match, overcome them? Will Cavani & Forlan shrug off indifferent form and be inspiring? Should be a evenly contested, keen-for-win match. No predictions just yet.

#51 - The Netherlands are in red-hot form, and trust them to make short work of Mexico. Odds stacked with the Dutchmen in this one.

#52 - Greece just about squeezed through by beating Ivory Coast in their last encounter. But that will be tough to keep the high-flying Costa Ricans away. Despite the draw against England, Costa Rica have delivered when it matters the most (Uruguay & Italy would know). Costa Rica edging ahead in this.

#53 - France too are in heavy-duty form. Heavy wins against the Swiss and Honduras have been keeping their flags flying high. Despite the dull draw against Ecuador in their final encounter, France would be looking forward to making short work of the Nigerians, who haven't been too impressive in their way in. France all the way here.

#54 - The other team who started in spectacular fashion but have gone off the boil for a bit - Germany - would be looking forward to this encounter with relish. First-timers Algeria don't seem like they can match the Germans punch-for-punch, specially when it comes to KO games. Germany ahead in this.

#55 - THE match of the Round of 16, IMO. The Swiss have shown some remarkable promise in their matches, specially in their last one where their striker Shaqiri got a hat-trick of goals. Argentina haven't been TOO convincing in their wins, with Messi magic leading from the front and propelling them forward, and Di Maria, Higuain & Mascherano looking very promising in their last game against Nigeria. Their defense still needs tightening up, and unless they do so, the Swiss just might spring a real surprising upset here. 60-40 in Argentina's favor here.

#56 - Belgium's been doing "just enough" to win till now, with a single goal difference in all their three matches. The USA have promised much in all their 3 games, drawing with Portugal and stretching Germany to the distance. Should be a great encounter with the US attacking and Belgium tightening their defense. Again, 60-40 in Belgium's favor.


If results go as predicted, we are looking at a humdinger of a match in the Quarter-Finals stage itself -
GERMANY taking on FRANCE.


Let's see how the Round of 16 unfolds (from tomorrow night), and which teams go through.