IT all comes down to the final round. This is the time where we find out who will be going through to the quarter-finals and who will be going home. Whatever the results, there are bound to be hearts broken and who will it be for Group A?
Portugal vs Switzerland
Portugal are through to the quarter-finals as the top-placed team. They will be playing Switzerland who have failed to win any points and are already out of the tournament. Winning their final game against Portugal is merely a consolation as they can only play for pride now. With the head to head record between the tied teams takes precedence over goal difference, this means that Portugal cannot be knocked off the top spot and therefore, Portugal will take the liberty to rest many key players. This probably includes Deco, Simao and Ronaldo. While Switzerland are only playing for pride, it is also a chance for the unused stars to make an appearance, therefore this game is likely not to be a thriller.
However, Portugal is a class above Switzerland and with all factors equal, Portugal is still expected to win this match. Scolari has said he is ready to rest his stars with a potential quarter-final match against Germany on the cards and ome would expect Quaresma and Nani to start.
Switzerland on the other hand, has already lost Alex Frei to injury and scoring the goals will be the real problem here. With both teams nothing to play for except clocking up the statistics, the only players who would be working hard are those with a personal vengeance to settle.\
Kicks 4 Kicks! expects Portugal and Switzerland to have a slow start to the game and Portugal to sneak home with a victory after a Switzerland gets caught out on a counter-attack.
Turkey vs Czech Republic
This is the highlight of the day as both teams will be eager to win to avoid the penalty kicks in case of a draw. Most people are still unaware of the rules that dictate who goes through to the quarter-finals in case of a tie on points during the group stages.
If 2 teams are tied on points after all matches are played, the head-to-head win will be the first decider, followed by goal difference, number of goals scored, with the penalties to be the final deciding criteria.
The results for Turkey and Czech Republic means that both teams have 3 points, both teams have scored 2 goals and conceded 3. Since both teams are playing to qualify, if the match ends in a draw, the head-to-head win criteria does not decide the winner. if it ends in a draw, both teams will have the same goal difference and the same number of goals scored. Therefore, the penalty kicks still loom over this match.
That aside, let us look at the 2 teams. Czech Republic is perhaps one of the more physical sides in this group. We have seen how Portugal struggled in the first half to keep up with the physical approach by Brueckner's side and while Turkey seems to be tougher, they need to face a Czech side desperate to win at all costs.
The Turks have seen unimpressive against Portugal and needed a last gasp winner to deny Switzerland. In fact, Switzerland led in the first half and sad to say, Turkey merely proved to be the better of the 2 that day. Nihat is bound to start the game against Czech and their only hope of beating the Czech, is with their individual flair. Turkey's passing has gone sloppy in this tournament and players certainly do not show any trickery like we used to know.
The Czechs will have Jan Koller back but the highlight of the team has been Libor Sionko. Brueckner could choose to have Sionko starting on the wing and give Baros another start alongside Koller. With height and pace and skill all starting, the Czechs look a tough nut to crack.
Kicks 4 Kicks! say Czech Republic to lead Turkey after a good move down the flanks, and with Turkey desperate to equalise, expose a few holes in defence and allow Czech to steal a 2nd. Losing discipline, Turkey will let in a 3rd late in the game and the Czechs will eventually go through to the quarter-finals.
K4K! predicts : Portugal 2-0 Switzerland, Czech Republic 3-0 Turkey
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