Group Strength Group D and Group G are both very evenly balanced, while tricky challenges await the Netherlands and Spain in Group E and Group H respectively. Group F, on the other hand, is relatively lightweight. While it contains the holders, neither New Zealand nor Slovakia hold any real weight on the international scene. This is only the All Whites' second World Cup, while 2010 is Slovakia's debut. Paraguay have had slightly more success in the World Cup, but have never progressed beyond the last 16. Don't expect anyone but Italy to reach the latter stages of the competition from this group. Group Favourites Italy must be considered heavy favourites for this group. The Azzurri are reigning world champions and have shown their quality during the qualification phase, dropping just six points. Marcello Lippi has already intimated that he knows the majority of his squad for the World Cup, and they will have both the talent and the experience with which to qualify from the group with relative ease. Battle for Second Having picked up wins against both Argentina and Brazil during the CONMEBOL qualification phase, Paraguay showed that they will be no pushovers on the big stage. They conceded less than a goal a game during qualifying, while the likes of Roque Santa Cruz and Salvador Cabanas will be leading the line. Like Italy, the Paraguayan mentality is more inclined towards defence than attack, but they should have enough going forward to secure second place in the group. The Outsiders It's a toss up between New Zealand and Slovakia to see who will finish bottom of the group. New Zealand's only previous appearance in the World Cup finals came in 1982, when they lost all three matches. Slovakia have the stellar Marek Hamsik in their ranks and came through a far more difficult qualifying campaign than the All Whites, but their lack of experience at the very top level may hinder them a little. The Long Road Forward Whoever tops Group F will meet the runners up in Group E in Pretoria. Cameroon and Denmark are likely to be competing for second place. The runners up will meet the Group E winners, most likely the Netherlands. It will get more difficult as the tournament goes on, as the group winners should meet Spain in the quarter finals, while the runners up could meet Brazil.
World Cup 2010: Group F Analysis - Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand & Slovakia
World Cup 2010: Group E Analysis - Netherlands, Japan, Cameroon & Denmark
Group Strength The only heavyweights in this group are the Netherlands and among the four teams only they can realistically aspire to get beyond the last 16 stage of the competition. The rest of the teams look good but they wouldn't be able to challenge for a quarter-final berth. Yet the games would be interesting to watch as the four teams play different style of football and follow different philosophies and there could be a surprise result or two. Group Favourites The Netherlands are the favourites to win this group. They were in great form in the qualifiers and won all their eight matches. Bert van Marwijk's side have exceptional attacking players such as Robin van Persie, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben and although they are vulnerable at the back, the Oranje should comfortably win the three games in the group. Battle for Second The battle for the runners-up spot would be interesting as Japan, Cameroon and Denmark all would count themselves second favourites in the group. Cameroon would especially believe in themselves given that they are an African side and would be buoyed by a 'home' support. Moreover, they have players such as Samuel Eto'o, Carlos Kameni and Stephane M'bia. The Outsiders Japan could find themselves struggling in the group and with Denmark would be trying to avoid the bottom place. The former World Cup quarter-finalists are one of the strongest teams of Asia but struggle against physical and technically superior sides. Cameroon can be physically intimidating and the Dutch are far superior to them in every aspect. The Long Road Forward Group favourites Holland could potentially meet potential Group F runners-up Paraguay while Cameroon should meet Italy in the last 16 stage if they qualify.
World Cup 2010: Group B Analysis - Argentina, South Korea, Nigeria, Greece
Group Strength Compared to the other seven groups in the first round, Group B can be considered as somewhere in the middle in terms of quality. With the exception of Argentina there are no big-hitters in the pool, but there are also no easy-pickings as all four teams are capable of beating one another on their day. Group Favourites Argentina are certainly favourites to win their group, as they contain a host of world class talent from Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero to Javier Mascherano and Esteban Cambiasso. But their shaky qualifying campaign as well as their unpredictable coach Diego Maradona means that there are no guarantees on how the South Americans will perform. Battle for Second All four teams could realistically finish in fourth place. The most likely battle will be between Nigeria and Greece, but South Korea also have a great chance of qualifying for the second round. These three teams also have very contrasting styles, which should make the clashes between them interesting. The Outsiders South Korea are the outsiders in the pool, but their recent performances in the World Cup will give them strength - they reached the semi finals in 2002 and also drew with France four years ago. Park Ji Sung and the European contingent will need to lead by example. The Long Road Forward Group B is on the weaker side of the draw, meaning that none of its occupants can meet big guns Brazil, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Holland or the Ivory Coast until the semi finals. The winners and runners up of Group B will play the runners up and winners of Group A respectively in the second round. This leaves open the possibility of Argentina vs France. In the quarter finals, England and Germany are likely opponents, before the aforementioned giants from the other side enter the fray in the semi finals.
Exciting times
The interior of the Moses Mabhida Stadium. Courtesy ethekwini girl, flickr.
Exterior Moses Mabhida shots courtesy of Leftfoot, SkyscraperCity.
Green Point facade going in place - Mo Rush
The Peter Mokaba Complex
The stadium itself is simple, yet effective. It has an ingeniously designed roof over the main stand, with supports resembling a baobab. Facilities are of the highest order with all bases from executive suites to players changing rooms, to press facilities, to toilets covered. The bowl has been impeccably designed for the watching of soccer and rugby. Slightly concave stands, reminiscent of our own Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, will ensure all attention is directed squarely to the field of play. A comfortable, world-class facility will welcome Polokwane residents with open arms, come completion date towards the end of this month.
All images courtesy Ranma Saotome, SkyscraperCity
The Mbombela Stadium
I focused on the Peter Mokaba Complex in my previous post. Today, I focus on the next 'African' stadium, the Mbombela Stadium of Nelspruit. This stadium, I must confess, is one of my personal favourites. It is a perfect rugby and football venue. It has all the luxuries of any state of the art stadium including: Multiple suites and press boxes, changing rooms, 2 big screens, 44 000 seats etc. What amazes about this build is the ability of the architects and engineers to entwine African design features with a beautiful, modern, fully functional, world class venue. For example: The stunning giraffe figures may, to the layman, seem like an ornamental tie-in to the nearby Kruger National Park. Yet this giraffe structure is imperative to the stadium. The neck holds in place the cantilever roof, the back holds up the second tier, while the front and back legs add support for the roof and second tier. A merger between functionality and African architecture that takes the breath away.
Other African tie-ins are: Zebra stripe patterned seats and multi-coloured walls, many with Ndebele design patterns. All this culminates in a great, intimate venue, in which spectators are close to the action and can feast on the great footballers about to grace our shores.
All pictures courtesy, Levi Guimaraes, Flickr.
Mbombela Stadium officially complete.
All courtesy Tadpolefarm, Skyscrapercity
The testing of the ring of fire
Pictures taken by Bruce Sutherland, City of Cape Town.
First international at PE's 2010 stadium
With tickets all unreserved and costing just R30, the best seats – around the halfway mark – were already taken when we arrived an hour or so before kick-off. Our seats were nevertheless superb, with
The atmosphere was fantastic, with the crowd in festive mood. And those put out by the vuvuzela cacophony can take comfort in knowing that a wad of cotton wool in each ear mutes the sound sufficiently for you to still enjoy being part of the throng.
By the time the game started, the place was almost full to its 48 000 capacity, with fans even taking up seats on the top tier.
The surface looked superb, with passes rolling along the grass like woods on a
But once again, three cheers to the stadium itself, which showed it will prove an ideal showcase during next year’s football fiesta. Roll on the World Cup!
With over an hour till kick-off, the stands around the half-way line were already packed.
Looking out towards the North End lake stand, with the orange players' tunnel just visible.
This Kaizer Chiefs supporter proved a great hit with the Bafana fans.
A giant Blue Samurai shirt and other Japanese calligraphy and images occupied part of the stand. It later made way for more fans.
The Bafana squad warms up ahead of the game.
With kick-off imminent, the place is starting to look packed.
A media scrum outside the tunnel awaits the arrival of the teams.
National anthem time.
Play is under way, with the Japanese on the attack.
Young fans blow their miniature vuvuzelas.
The scoreboard clock shows over 94 minutes have elapsed, with still no score.
2010 stadiums, 2010 world cup, durban stadium, fifa 2010 stadium, south africa 2010, world stadium
The jewel of Port Elizabeth. 36 aluminium roof trusses, cladded with a perforated aluminium membrane. These trusses linked together by the same ETFE memebrane used in Cape Town. Inside, a two tiered bowl of 48 000 seats. Two 12.7x7.2m big screens.
A new stadium being built outside Nelspruit. The Mbombela Stadium is being built in close proximity to the Kruger National Park, and this inter-relationship is shown by the giraffe roof supports (the neck sticking out above the roof). This is an extremely clever and effective architectural design. The facade is plain and affective. The interior, a two tiered, 46 000 seater bowl covered by a cantilever roof. The stands, close to the action in a rounded rectangular shape. The roof, as you can see is lifted quite high above the stands. This is to accentuate the African, open air feeling. All in all, a truly amazing African stadium.
The Peter Mokaba Stadium is a new stadium being built in Polokwane, Limpopo province. Again, clever architecture has been used. The 4 large structures in each corner are roof and floodlight supports. They are also a depiction of the baobab tree, a common tree in this part of South Africa. As in the Mbombela Stadium, this is a very apt inter-relationship. Despite having only a grandstand roof (the thinking was that in this area of Africa, not much of a roof would be needed because of the generally great weather) the interior is simple yet effective. 2 tiers in a concave shaped bowl providing excellent sight lines for football and rugby.
The calabash. Another African stadium designed to look like the traditional African calabash pot. 95 000 seats in a 3 tiered bowl with excellent sight lines to watch a world cup final. What more can you ask for
