This post will be updated as Group H progresses.<\/p>\n
Group H Preview (Algeria, Belgium, Russia, South Korea)<\/strong> 6\/17, noon – Algeria vs. Belgium<\/strong> Belgium 2 – Algeria 1<\/em> 6\/17, 6:00 – Russia vs. South Korea<\/strong> Russia 1 – South Korea 1<\/em> Day One Recap<\/strong> 6\/22, noon – Belgium vs. Russia<\/strong> \u00a0Belgium 1 – Russia 0<\/em> 6\/22, 3:00 – Algeria vs. South Korea<\/strong> Algeria 4 – South Korea 2<\/em> Day Two Recap<\/strong> 6\/26, 4:00 – Algeria vs. Russia This post will be updated as Group H progresses. Group H Preview (Algeria, Belgium, Russia, South Korea) The final group kicks off on Tuesday, as we welcome the very popular sleeper pick, Belgium, to the dance.\u00a0 Doogan has been talking … Continue reading
\nThe final group kicks off on Tuesday, as we welcome the very popular sleeper pick, Belgium, to the dance.\u00a0 Doogan has been talking up this Belgium team for a long time now, and it seems the rest of us casual fans have caught up to him on them, as they are now generally considered only about a\u00a0half-step down from the “Big Four” favorites in this tournament (Brazil, Argentina, Spain, and Germany).\u00a0 Having literally never seen a soccer match that included a Belgian team, I am very eager to see what all this hype is about.\u00a0 And, not only are they talented, but they were placed in one of the easier groups.\u00a0 It would be a real surprise if they didn’t come out as the Group H champion.\u00a0 Russia is probably the next best team in this group, and they are nowhere near an elite level.\u00a0 Algeria might be dangerous (and my pick as the second qualifier from Group H), as the Algerians have finally started being able to allure many of the French-raised Algerians to come play for the national team across the Sea.\u00a0 Imagine if they had been able to do this a couple decades ago and lured players like Zinedine Zidane and others to come play for Algeria.\u00a0 The course of soccer history would have been different.\u00a0 The fourth team is also not a pushover, in South Korea, but they are not exactly a juggernaut, either.\u00a0 There are no free points in this group, but also no one that should present any real challenge to the Belgians.<\/p>\n
\nThe much-anticipated debut of the Belgians comes here as the final group opens this afternoon.\u00a0 Belgium, with their high expectations, has to deal with an Algerian side that can really give problems.\u00a0 Then again, the Algerians were a shot off the post away from not even making the Cup in their qualifier against Burkina Faso (who has never made the World Cup).\u00a0 There is no doubt that anything shy of 3 points here for the Belgians would be a disappointment, and, on the flip side, a draw would be huge for Algeria.<\/p>\n
\nWell, Algeria came to play and nearly stole a point here.\u00a0 They defensive style was causing fits for a Belgium team that looked – for a half – like the weight of expectations was weighing them down.\u00a0 But, they came out determined in the second half and showed that they are just flat-out better than their Algerian counterparts.\u00a0 The questions about Belgium’s chances to really threaten for a World Cup championship were certainly not answered by this somewhat shaky victory, but a win is a win and the first match for inexperienced players with the weight of a nation on their shoulders cannot be easy.\u00a0 As for Algeria, I think they acquitted themselves well here and probably made people who believe that they can get out of this group (including Yours Truly) feel pretty good about that opinion.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nWith Belgium as clearly the class of this group and the other three sides all relatively equal, the three matches that do not include Belgium are all going to be enormous in deciding the second qualifier from this wide open group.\u00a0 Russia, as the better side here, is really looking for 3 points, while the Koreans would probably be okay with a draw, though are probably also looking to pick up 3.\u00a0 This doesn’t have all that much cache on paper, but might be a pretty entertaining game if they decide to open up and play.<\/p>\n
\nThere is no doubt that the Russians are better and were better on this day.\u00a0 But, the very first game after the most incredible goalkeeping performance I have ever seen came maybe the worst overall goalkeeping performance I have seen.\u00a0 And, it wasn’t just the ridiculous goal that the Russian keeper allowed (a soft shot that went right through his hands), but it was a slew of miscues that led up to that.\u00a0 Fortunately for Igor the Keeper, his teammates sort of bailed him out by scoring shortly after his debacle.\u00a0 But, it is hard not to think that goalkeeping is the reason that the Russians only have 1 point right now and not 3.\u00a0 Then again, with all the chances they had, they should have put more than one into the back of the net.\u00a0 It was domination from the start and yet it ended with a draw.\u00a0 A nice point for the Koreans, as they now have a shot to get out of this group.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nI\u00a0have to say that Group H probably gave us the lowest quality of soccer of any of the groups – at least according to this untrained eye.\u00a0 The Belgians did not live up to expectations, though they got their 3 points against a decent Algerian squad.\u00a0 The Russia-South Korea match, while entertaining, was not played at an incredibly high level.\u00a0 I still think that the Russians are probably the most likely side to come out of the group after Belgium, but their draw with Korea means that they may have to either beat Algeria outright – a feat that did not look incredibly easy given how the two sides performed on Day One.<\/p>\n
\nThese are supposed to be the two best sides of this group, but after the first round of matches, Algeria looks like they may be the front-runner to take the second qualifying position, not Russia.\u00a0 Though, obviously, most of that will be decided on the pitch when the two sides face off on the final day of group play.\u00a0 As for now, the Russians will have to regroup from a disappointing draw with Korea and try to eke out a point against a Belgian side that looks to be the class of this group.\u00a0 Belgium actually went down to Algeria, but rallied for two second-half goals to pull out the victory.\u00a0 Another 3 points here should lock up the group for everybody’s favorite “sleeper.”\u00a0 A draw would be okay for Belgium, considering they already beat Algeria and only have Korea left, but they really should outclass the Russians and take the 3 points.\u00a0 Russia would probably be perfectly content with a draw.<\/p>\n
\nA late goal saves the Belgians, crushes the Ruskies, and wins me money.\u00a0 Our beer- and chocolate-loving friends came through again with an unimpressive victory against a side, though, that is better than people may give credit for.\u00a0 Russia, while playing 23 players that all play domestically (the only side in the tournament that can say that), is still a threat to get through and would be a tough draw in any group.\u00a0 Algeria is also not a pushover, so the two Belgium wins, while not making headlines for their brilliance, are not all that uninspiring.\u00a0 Now, having already qualified, they will try and finish it off by winning the group in order to escape a date with Germany in the Round of 16.\u00a0 Russia is still very much alive and probably playing a win-and-you’re-in match with Algeria in the final round.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nAgain, I am not sure why Vegas has Korea favored in this one, but I definitely placed a solid wager on the Algerian side here.\u00a0 The Desert Foxes looked rather solid against Belgium in defeat, while Korea was rather fortunate to get some abysmal goalkeeping by the Russians to give them a point.\u00a0 After\u00a0a close loss to Belgium and in advance of a huge match with Russia, the Algerians need to stay focused and come to play and pick up 3 points that are well within reach here.\u00a0 The Koreans, while looking like the worst of the four sides in this group, do officially sit at 1 point, so if they can get a win here, they can put themselves in really good position for a surprise qualification out of Group H.<\/p>\n
\nThe Desert Foxes made national history and continental history on this day, as they won their first ever World Cup match and, in the process, became the first African side to ever net 4 goals in a WC match.\u00a0 And, they could have had more.\u00a0 They were all over the Korean defense from the opening kick.\u00a0 They did not exactly have their patented stingy defense, but that may be a product of going up early.\u00a0 They did get an important 3 points and now face Russia in an elimination game for the second spot from this group.\u00a0 A draw or win for the North Africans would put them through.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nAs Doogan aptly put it, let’s not get too hasty on our citing the Belgian performance thus far as “disappointing,” seeing as they have 6 points, are going to win the group, and couldn’t really have done more.\u00a0 As he mentioned, Spain is out, Brazil and Germany have just 4 points and are still in danger or elimination, and the Argentines, while sitting on 6, have not exactly looked great against competition worse than the Belgians have faced.\u00a0 As for the Group H also-rans, the Koreans, expectedly, are a non-factor (making that draw against Russia look even more devastating for the Ruskies than it did previously), and Algeria and Russia will sort it all out on the pitch.\u00a0 Algeria – who, frankly, has looked the considerably better side – will only need a draw to get through, while Russia and their high hopes need to beat the Desert Foxes to qualify.\u00a0 Either way, don’t expect any second-place side from Group H to make any noise, as they are likely staring at a Round of 16 date with ‘Ze Germans.<\/p>\n
\n6\/26, 4:00 – Belgium vs. South Korea<\/strong>
\nThis group is harkening back to the first couple of groups, where the top and bottom sides were all but set and the second qualification would be decided on the pitch.\u00a0 Belgium is going to win this group, while South Korea is going home.\u00a0 The only question that remains is who will be the second qualifier – Algeria or Russia?\u00a0 And, that will be decided on the pitch at 4:00.\u00a0 This is an interesting match between an Algeria side that has looked a LOT better than most people thought they would (not this guy, though – I believed) and a Russian side that has not looked all that good.\u00a0 Algeria will go through with a draw, so they may pack it in (which they like to do anyway), while Russia should get out and attack.\u00a0 The best-case scenario for the viewer is if Russia scores early.\u00a0 That could open up the match, and we could see some up-and-down play.\u00a0 But, it is more likely that the Desert Foxes bunker down and put up their wall.\u00a0 I like Algeria to either get the draw they need or maybe even win the match with a well-timed counterattack.\u00a0 Hell, I have a bet on them at 30-1 to win this group, which is still a possibility, but would require a South Korean win over Belgium.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"