Shown below is the schedule for the last 16 games.
The predictions are listed below. (W = Winner, L = Loser)
Predicted W Actual W Points
Match 49: Jun 26. Uruguay-Korea. Uruguay Uruguay (2-1) 1
Match 50: Jun 26. USA-Ghana. Ghana Ghana (2-1) 1
Match 51: Jun 27. Germany-England. Germany Germany (4-1) 1
Match 52: Jun 27. Argentina-Mexico. Argentina Argentina (3-1) 1
Match 53: Jun 28. Netherlands-Slovakia. Doesn't Matter Netherlands (2-1) NA
Match 54: Jun 28. Brazil-Chile. Brazil Brazil (3-0) 1
Match 55: Jun 29. Paraguay-Japan. Paraguay Paraguay (5-3) 1
Match 56: Jun 29. Spain-Portugal. Doesn't Matter Spain (1-0) NA
1 point for each right prediction at this stage. Total 8 points..
Quarterfinals
Match 57: Jul 2. Brazil - Netherlands Brazil Netherlands (2-1) 0
Match 58: Jul 2. Ghana - Uruguay Uruguay Uruguay (5-3) 3
Match 59: Jul 3. Argentina - Germany Argentina Germany (4-0) 0
(It's painful to have to contend with an octopus but such is FIFA fever http://bleacherreport.com/articles/412055-england-world-cup-2010-psychic-octopus-predicts-germany-victory. The octopus won!!! For a sneak preview of the octopus in action see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFvrAdyFUJ8&feature=player_embedded)
Match 60: Jul 3. Paraguay - Spain Doesn't Matter Spain (1-0) NA 3 points for each right prediction at this stage. Total 12 points..
Semifinals
Match 61: Jul 6. Uruguay - Netherlands. Uruguay Netherlands (2-3) 0
Match 62: Jul 7. Germany - Spain. Argentina Spain 1-0 0
7 points for each right prediction at this stage. Total 14 points..
Losing Semifinalist
Match 63: Jul 10. Uruguay - Germany. Brazil Germany (3-2) 0
16 points for each right prediction at this stage. Total 16 points..
Finals
Match 64: Jul 11. Holland - Spain. Argentina Spain (1-0) 0
(After reading http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/294056, I am now having second thoughts).
50 points for each right prediction at this stage. Total 50 points..
Max points for all right predictions = 8+12+14+16+50=100 points.. I will keep updating the actual results (and, if possible, the points obtained as the matches proceed..). A big hip hip hooray for the person who either gets more than 33 points or less than 7 points.
Unfortunately i have accumulated 9 points at the end of the quarterfinals stage and will end with the same 9 points. So I neither get less than 7 points nor more than 33 points.. :(
Unfortunately i have accumulated 9 points at the end of the quarterfinals stage and will end with the same 9 points. So I neither get less than 7 points nor more than 33 points.. :(
Incidentally, I was looking at the number of teams participating in the World Cup this year from different regions and the number of teams that have made it to the last 16.
Total -- Made It To Last ---
Participants 16 8 4 2
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Americas (North and South) 8 7 4 1 0
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Americas (North and South) 8 7 4 1 0
Europe 13 6 3 3 2
Africa 6 1 1 0 0
Asia and Oceania 5 2 0 0 0
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Total 32 16 8 4 2
Guess that explains why the quota of teams from Asia is lower than for Europe and Americas.. Africa's performance has been very poor in this world cup with only Ghana making it to the last 16. Should FIFA consider increasing the "quota" (of number of teams qualifying in the World Cup) for South America at the expense of Africa?
Let's see what surprises are in store in the last 16 games.. The 48 games resulted in about 100 goals average a little more than 2 goals per game in the qualifying around.
This world cup has left a bad taste in my mouth.. This is the first time i realized (I am sure its been happening in all other world cups as well) the number of mistakes made by referrees and linesmen. I feel bad for the goal scored by Gerrard in England's match against Germany which was disallowed.. A lesser game like cricket has made use of technology by having a 3rd umpire which has largely eliminated wrong decisions. Football, which is so much more popular, still lives in the stone age when it comes to preventing wrong decisions. A friend of mine quoted her father as saying that a "3rd umpire" was difficult to implement in football since it takes a lot of time to get the right decision and it would affect the flow of the game.. I dont agree. How much time does it take for us to see the replay.. 4 seconds? 5 seconds? Is it too much if it can avoid the 2 or 3 wrong decisions (with goals, offsides, fouls) that we see in every game? When will FIFA wake up?
Guess that explains why the quota of teams from Asia is lower than for Europe and Americas.. Africa's performance has been very poor in this world cup with only Ghana making it to the last 16. Should FIFA consider increasing the "quota" (of number of teams qualifying in the World Cup) for South America at the expense of Africa?
Let's see what surprises are in store in the last 16 games.. The 48 games resulted in about 100 goals average a little more than 2 goals per game in the qualifying around.
This world cup has left a bad taste in my mouth.. This is the first time i realized (I am sure its been happening in all other world cups as well) the number of mistakes made by referrees and linesmen. I feel bad for the goal scored by Gerrard in England's match against Germany which was disallowed.. A lesser game like cricket has made use of technology by having a 3rd umpire which has largely eliminated wrong decisions. Football, which is so much more popular, still lives in the stone age when it comes to preventing wrong decisions. A friend of mine quoted her father as saying that a "3rd umpire" was difficult to implement in football since it takes a lot of time to get the right decision and it would affect the flow of the game.. I dont agree. How much time does it take for us to see the replay.. 4 seconds? 5 seconds? Is it too much if it can avoid the 2 or 3 wrong decisions (with goals, offsides, fouls) that we see in every game? When will FIFA wake up?
