World Cup Game 35 – Slovenia 0 vs. 1 England

England produced a vastly improved display and their best performance of the tournament so far as Fabio Capello’s men edged a 1-0 win over Slovenia to book there place in the last 16 of the knockout stages as group C runners up.

It was England who dominated possession throughout most of the game carving out a number of good opportunities and chances with an improved surge of urgency which was missing from the last two group games against the USA and Algeria. Slovenia only needed a point to progress to the last 16, and set up to adopted a solid defensive line which would hit England on the break at every opportunity.

However it was on the 22^nd minute that England grabbed a crucial goal, scoring from a superb James Milner cross which was met by Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe to head home the winner and spare Fabio Capello and his men any further embarrassment.

World Cup Game 36 – USA 1 vs. 0 Algeria

The USA triumphed to a well deserved victory in the Loftus Versfield Stadium as they scored a last minute winner against 10 men Algeria to seal there place as Group C winners ahead of favorites England and underdogs Slovenia.

Landon Donovan was the hero for the USA as he smashed home a Clint Dempsey rebound in a packed Algerian box into stoppage time to grab a 90^th minute winner. It was the American’s who dominated for the full 90 minutes creating several clear cut chances and opportunities with Clint Dempsey hitting the woodwork and having a goal disallowed for offside early in the first half.

Algeria were very poor, and only the heroics of Algerian keeper Rais M’Bohli kept them in the game saving countless shots from the attacking minded Americans. A red card for Antar Yahia summed up Algeria’s tournament when the nations captain was sent off for his second bookable offensive to send the Algerians down to ten men in the dying minutes.

World Cup Game 37 – Australia 2 vs. 1 Serbia

Serbia failed to take there chances against an Australian side playing with no fear, the Serbians who needed the three points before the game to progress to the knockout stages set out in an attacking style of play to score as many goal as possible, however the Serbians failed with there profligacy in front of goal missing a host of chances after dominating large periods of the game.

It was the Australians who took the lead in this Group D encounter scoring in the 69^th minute of the match thanks to a Tim Cahill header as the Everton man made amends for his sending off in the first group game. A few minutes later the Australians were ahead again, when a stunning 30 yard effort from substitute Brett Holman flashed past the Serbian keeper giving him no chance. A shocked Serbian got back into the game scoring in the 84^th minute when Marko Pantelic pounded from close range but it was little to late as Australia took all three points in an action packed match in the Mbombela Stadium.

World Cup Game 38 – Ghana 0 vs. 1 Germany

Germany set up a last 16 showdown with England after a hard fought win over Ghana in the Soccer City stadium, Johannesburg. It was a sensational strike from young German midfielder Mesut Ozil on the hour mark which saw the Germans progress as group winners after an excellent game of football in which the African side despite losing also qualified for the knockout stages thanks to an important Australian win over Serbia.

Both side played some excellent passing football, with Germany being the most dangerous testing Ghana keeper Richard Kingston from strikes from Podolski, Cacau and Ozil. Ghana did have there attacking moments with Asamoah Gyan going closest for the African side, having a penalty denied in the first half when Philipp Lham apparently handled the ball on the line. However, the game was separated with a piece of brilliance when Mesut Ozil powered home a strike from outside the box to book the Germans place and set up a much awaited encounter against the English.

World Cup Game 39 – Denmark 1 vs. 3 Japan

Japan ran out deserved winners in this group E encounter against a poor Denmark side in Rustenburg. With a win good enough to send both sides into the knockout phase of the tournament, It was the Japanese who took advantage scoring two excellent free-kicks one from Keisuke Honda and the other from Yasuhito Endo to stun the Danes and send them into a comfortable half time lead.

Denmark managed to pull one back in the 81^st minute when Jon Dahl Tomasson was awarded a penalty for Makoto Hesebe’s clumsy challenge on Daniel Agger, despite his spot kick being saved the forward pounced on the rebound to pull one back for the Danes. As the game came to an end Denmark pushed for an equalising goal but it was Shiniji Okazaki who found a third for Japan tapping into an empty net to dump Denmark out and send them into an interesting last 16 encounter against Paraguay.

World Cup Game 40 – Cameroon 1 vs. 2 Holland

Holland maintained there 100% record with a excellent 2-1 win over Cameroon ensuring them of a place in the last 16 as Cameroon left the tournament pointless in a disappointing World Cup campaign. The Dutch took the lead in the 36^th minute when Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie gathering a neat one-two pass from Van der Vaart to smash home between the keeper’s legs and send the Dutch into the lead. Cameroon responded in the second half, and were rewarded in the 65^th minute when Rafael van der Vaart was penalised for a handball after a Geremi free kick, Samuel Eto’o stood up to take the penalty and never disappointed calmly slotting the ball past Maarten Stekelenburg to level the game.

With a game against Slovakia awaiting the winners of Group E, the Dutch pushed forward to grab a winning goal, finally getting the rewards in the 83^rd minute when a long range shot from Arjen Robben cannoned off the post only to rebound to the feet of Dutch striker Klasse-Jan Huntelaar who passed into the net to score the second and winning goal.

World Cup Game 41 – Paraguay 0 vs. 0 New Zealand

New Zealand’s outstanding World Cup campaign came to an end in Polokwane with a hard fought 0-0 draw with group winners Paraguay. The All Whites continued to shock the world after playing out a bruising encounter against a Paraguay side full of confidence, but a lack of cutting edge in front of goal stopped the All Whites from doing the unthinkable and qualifying for the last knockout round of 16.

With only a point needed from the Paraguayans to ensure them of group F winners, a cautious approach looked like the tactics employed by the Paraguay coach as the team looked comfortable without taking any risks, relying mainly on set-pieces for there source of goals. New Zealand tried to grab that all important goal, but failed as a Paraguay held a tight defensive line to hold onto the draw and claim that vital point which would see them set up a last 16 encounter with Japan in Pretoria.

World Cup Game 42 – Slovakia 3 vs. 2 Italy

Defending World Champions Italy crashed out of the World Cup at the group stages, thanks to a wonderful display from Slovakia, as the teams battled out for a point to progress to the next round of the tournament. It was the Slovakian’s who took the lead in the 25^th minute when Robert Vittek slotted home a right footed shot from the edge of the box beating Italian keeper Marchetti. Italy desperately tried to draw level with Quagliarella going close having a volley cleared off the line in the early second half.

The Slovakian’s doubled there lead in the 73^rd minute of the game when Robert Vittek knocked in a Hamsik volleyed cross beating the Italian defender to the ball for his second goal of the game, as the game came to a end Italy were desperate to get something out the game and found themselves level when Di Natalie pounced to prod in a Qualiarella shot which was parried by the Slovakian keeper. A third soon came in the dying minutes for the Slovakians as Kopunek raced through to lob Marchetti before Italy pulled a surprised goal back deep into stoppage time from a stunning Quagliarella sublime lob, arguable one of the best goals of the tournament so far.