Group E Musings
With 2 games left there is still all to play for. The only sure thing is Costa Rica are going home. They'll be disappointed, given their exploits at Brazil 2014, but this time they have yet to score a goal. They are hard to beat but that cuts no mustard at tournaments.
With no pressure in their final game Costa Rica could be a bit more dangerous next Wednesday. It is unlikely Switzerland will underestimate them. They sit 2nd, level with Brazil on points but behind on goal difference. They need a win to make certain of progressing to the knock-out phase and it would be a shock if they failed to get it.
Serbia (and Dušan Tadić) lie 3rd, a point behind the top two. A draw with Brazil would be unlikely to lift them above Switzerland so they must seek to beat Brazil to progress.
Brazil have yet to set pulses racing but lead the group. Avoiding defeat in their final game will see them reach the last 16. With Neymar getting off the mark in the dying seconds against CR, he can now relax and start playing for the team and not just himself. Serbia have decent players but they will have to put in an exceptional performance next Wednesday to beat Brazil. I don't see that happening.
With the top 2 from this group meeting those from Group F in their next matches, it is interesting that the final matches in that group will be over before those in Group E kick off. It looks likely that Mexico and Germany will qualify - and probably in that order. Could Brazil risk going for a draw to avoid the Germans? Of course not!
With no pressure in their final game Costa Rica could be a bit more dangerous next Wednesday. It is unlikely Switzerland will underestimate them. They sit 2nd, level with Brazil on points but behind on goal difference. They need a win to make certain of progressing to the knock-out phase and it would be a shock if they failed to get it.
Serbia (and Dušan Tadić) lie 3rd, a point behind the top two. A draw with Brazil would be unlikely to lift them above Switzerland so they must seek to beat Brazil to progress.
Brazil have yet to set pulses racing but lead the group. Avoiding defeat in their final game will see them reach the last 16. With Neymar getting off the mark in the dying seconds against CR, he can now relax and start playing for the team and not just himself. Serbia have decent players but they will have to put in an exceptional performance next Wednesday to beat Brazil. I don't see that happening.
With the top 2 from this group meeting those from Group F in their next matches, it is interesting that the final matches in that group will be over before those in Group E kick off. It looks likely that Mexico and Germany will qualify - and probably in that order. Could Brazil risk going for a draw to avoid the Germans? Of course not!
