World Cup Predictions 2014: Projecting biggest upsets in Group Stage

Published on: 20 May 2014
World Cup Predictions 2014: Projecting biggest upsets in Group Stage
Cristiano Ronaldo

It's the guilty pleasure of every football fan to see David beat Goliath, to witness the "little guy" overcome all seemingly damning obstacles placed before him to take home the glory in surprising circumstances.

This runs as true in the World Cup as it does anywhere else, and in the group stage, the failure to make the most of the three fixtures placed before a team can mean all the difference between glory and failure.

With a month until the pool phase of the 2014 World Cup gets underway, we take a look at some of the upsets that promise to throw a spanner in the works this summer.

Upset Alert: Mexico to Beat Croatia

Croatia
Croatia
With hosts Brazil looking like outright favourites to take top spot in Group A, it would appear that Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon are left to battle it out for second place on paper.

With some serious talent in its playing pool, it's the European incumbent of that trio, Croatia, that looks strongest, with the likes of Luka Modric, Mario Mandzukic, Ivan Rakitic, Dejan Lovren, Darijo Srna and others all boasting fine pedigree on the club stage.

Mexico's World Cup qualification wasn't as pristine as they perhaps envisioned, and an intercontinental playoff against New Zealand—which they won 9-3 over two legs—was needed to get them to Brazil.

Mexico
Mexico
However, Miguel Herrera's offensively orientated squad is capable of an unforgiving approach, and providing the defence can eradicate some of the silly mistakes that saw the team finish fourth in CONCACAF qualifying, Mexico's attack has a chance of making it past even the most structured of outfits.

The Associated Press takes a look at some of El Tri's danger men and previews their tournament:

As is the case with several teams in Central and South America, Mexico's style of play takes influence from its culture: passionate and fiery, while Croatia's, though attractive itself, is somewhat stiffer.

El Tri take on the Croats in their last group game, and if Croatia are unfortunate enough to suffer a very select few injuries, the gulf in talent between their starting superstars and those on the bench could see them fall.

Chile to Beat Spain: 

Chile
Chile
If there was one massive talking point to come from Real Madrid's 4-0 drubbing of Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final last month, it's that possession-based football is not the powerhouse it once was.

Like anything in football, the "in" styles come and go, with counter-attacking play's stock on the rise and the tiki-taka tactics seemingly on the descent.

In Group B, no two sides better represent these values than Chile and Spain, and Vicente del Bosque's men must be wary of the South Americans if they're to win a historic fourth major international tournament in a row.

Let's not be too brash, of course; this is still Spain we're referring to, but not quite the same side that dominated Italy 4-0 in the final of Euro 2012.

Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated sees the danger that Chile pose, along with the rest of Group B's inhabitants:

But just as the Azzurri's attempt at beating Spain with something similar to their own game proved futile two years ago, teams are now adapting to the strategies of the past decade, and del Bosque's men may find their path all the more tumultuous this time around.

An anchoring section of Gary Medel and Arturo Vidal has the makings of a troublesome and disruptive opposition as far as Spain's playmaking stars will be concerned, and that's not to mention the wealth of other counter-suited assets which Jorge Sampaoli has at his command.

Ghana to Beat Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo

 Ghana and Portugal have never met in senior competition, so history is already being made by the pair coming head-to-head in Brasilia, but the Black Stars can hope to do more than simply turn up for the event.

Given Ghana's trip to the 2010 World Cup quarter-finals and Portugal's reputation for choking on the biggest international stage of all, one may not consider a win for the African nation necessarily an upset, but considering the Portuguese cast of top European talents, they'll undoubtedly go in as favourites.

Ghana squad
Ghana squad
However, after losing to Libya in the final of the African Nations Championship, Ghana have some encouraging young, native talent coming into their ranks along with many European expatriates.

SuperSport's Colin Udoh does write that Ghana will not be capable of winning the tournament, however:

This Group G clash will also be the last of either team's pool stage and is likely to be staged with the script that Portugal have the responsibility and pressure to head through, whereas Kwesi Appiah's side will assuredly be more relaxed as a underdog.

It's a context that suits the Ghanaians, and the promise of making it through to the round of 16 in three consecutive World Cups is likely enough to give them ample inspiration.

 

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