France vs Mexico Preview

Following draws in their opening Group A encounters here at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, France and Mexico are both in need of a positive result in Polokwane on 17 June. What is more, a win for either could prove a hammer blow for the other’s hopes of reaching the Round of 16.

The match: France-Mexico, Group A, Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane, 20:30 (local time)

After a lacklustre display in their goalless opener against Uruguay, France coach Raymond Domenech still appears unsure as to his best formation. Favouring a 4-3-3 system in pre-tournament warm-up action, Les Bleus’ supremo opted for a 4-5-1 against La Celeste. Now though, he is expected to push midfielder Yoann Gourcuff closer to central striker Nicolas Anelka and flank the Chelsea man with club-mate Florent Malouda and Franck Ribery. Intriguingly, while France have won just one of their five games in 2010, they have never been beaten by Mexico at senior level, with three of the sides’ six meetings coming at FIFA World Cup finals.

Over in the Mexican camp, the aim is to improve on the wayward finishing shown in the 1-1 draw with South Africa. Clearly unhappy with his charges’ display, El Tri coach Javier Aguirre is set to start Andres Guardado in place of Paul Aguilar, though young tyros Carlos Vela, Efrain Juarez and Giovani dos Santos are expected to keep their starting berths. Mexico are bidding to improve on a record of just one win from eight encounters with European nations at the finals.

Players to watch: Carlos Vela vs Abou Diaby

Arsenal striker Vela, a star of Mexico’s FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning side in 2005, could end up facing no fewer than four club colleagues in defenders William Gallas, Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy and midfield man Abou Diaby, who is charged with shielding Les Bleus’ rearguard after the withdrawal of Lassana Diarra from the squad. Both Vela and Diaby put in promising shifts in their respective openers, with the young Mexican looking lively throughout and the marauding Frenchman winning plenty of tackles and carrying a threat going forward.

The stat: 1 – France have won just one of their last seven group matches at the FIFA World Cup, when they beat Togo 2-0 in their final section encounter on German soil to squeeze through to the Round of 16. What's more, Les Bleus scored just three times in those seven matches.

What they said: “We’re up against a great team and we have to win the game any way we can. This is a vital match and France are strong opponents, both in defence and attack. Even though they’re not playing to their usual high standards, they’ve got players who can turn a game at any moment,” Rafael Marquez, Mexico midfielder.

“We mustn’t let Mexico control possession. They’ve got a very, very good team. When they click into gear, they up the tempo and hold onto the ball for a long time, which can unsettle any side in the world. But my players are really up for this game, I can sense that vibe coming from them,” Raymond Domenech, France coach.

Greece vs Nigeria Preview

Just a single game into the tournament, the pressure is on both Greece and Nigeria, as both lost their opening Group B fixtures. Korea Republic deservedly downed the Greeks 2-0, and although Nigeria gave a creditable account of themselves against Argentina, they ultimately had in-form keeper Vincent Enyeama to thank for limiting the damage to a 1-0 reverse.

The match: Greece–Nigeria, Group B, Mangaung/Bloemfontein, Thursday 17 June, 16.00 (local time)

Both sides really require a victory to keep alive their hopes of reaching the last 16. The need is arguably greater for the Greeks, as they face the daunting prospect of going head-to-head with La Albiceleste in their third group game. In the circumstances, the sides can be expected to jettison at least some of the caution which has generally characterised the first round of matches in South Africa. Certainly, the Nigeria camp has made no secret of its intention to pursue all three points with vigour.

The nations have met twice in the past, each coming away with a 2-0 victory. The Super Eagles came up trumps in a 1994 FIFA World Cup™ meeting in Foxboro in the USA, but the Greeks took at least partial revenge in a friendly five years later. The loser of the clash in South Africa can almost certainly pack for home.

The Nigeria camp reacted calmly to defeat in their opening match. Lars Lagerback and his men had obviously at least allowed for the possibility of losing to two-time world champions Argentina. The mood among the Greeks was considerably more agitated, although there was also a ray of hope with the likely return of key defender Evangelos Moras for the Nigeria clash.

Player to watch: Vincent Enyeama (NGA)

If the sides play to the form shown in their opening matches, the Greeks appear to stand little chance of breaking their scoring duck at the FIFA World Cup finals, as Enyeama turned in a world-class display against Argentina. The 27-year-old proved a particular thorn in the side of superstar Lionel Messi, thwarting the Barcelona striker time and again. If the shot-stopper comes anywhere near that level of performance, it will take the combined efforts of the entire Greece side to overcome him.

The stat: 0 - Greece are contesting their second FIFA World Cup finals and have played four matches in total, but they have yet to score. Their debut appearance in 1994 in the USA started with a 4-0 defeat to Argentina, followed by the same result against Bulgaria, and a 2-0 defeat to Nigeria. The sorry pattern continued into their opening match in 2010, with a 2-0 reverse against a much livelier Korea Republic side. In a curious coincidence, Greece now face two of the same opponents from 1994, the Argentinians and the Nigerians.

What they said: "I’m happy enough with our approach against one of the best teams in the world. We had our fair share of luck and it ended up a good evening for us. I think we showed we have potential and proved we could go a long way. We’ve lost a match at the World Cup, but I’m hearing that the folk back home are happy. We didn’t play as well in attack as we’d hoped, but it’s good that we only conceded the one goal. It's going to be easier against the other teams," Peter Odemwingie, Nigeria forward.

"Nigeria are a good team. We’ll analyse every aspect of our game and do the same with Nigeria, and we’ll see what’s needed to win. We’re not giving up. We all know you frequently suffer poor results in football. We’re not disappointed, because we’re taking a realistic view of our potential and what we can hope to achieve. The job now is to prepare well, play better against Nigeria, and register our first win," Alexandros Tzorvas, Greece keeper.

Argentina vs Korea Republic Preview

Group B's early pacesetters meet at Ellis Park knowing that a second victory could potentially seal their progress to the last 16. Argentina and Korea Republic won their respective opening games against Nigeria and Greece although both have different goals for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, with the South Americans' sights fixed firmly on a third title and the South Koreans chasing qualification for the knockout rounds for the first time beyond their own shores.

The match: Argentina-Korea Republic, Group B, Johannesburg (Ellis Park), Thursday 17 June, 13.30 (local time)

The two coaches are no strangers to each other having featured in their teams' meeting at Mexico 1986, where La Albiceleste ran out 3-1 winners. South Korean coach Hun Jung-Moo had the unenviable job of man-marking Diego Maradona that day – a thankless task for anybody in a tournament where today's Argentina coach inspired his country to their second FIFA World Cup triumph.

Twenty-four years on, they cross swords again with Huh hoping for a different outcome as he bids to become the first homegrown coach to lead Korea Republic into the last 16. Argentina are 41 places higher in the FIFA/Coca Cola World Ranking but Korea Republic have proved in the past they are more than capable of springing surprises, a fact borne out when they beat Italy and Spain to storm into last four on home soil in 2002.

Their 2-0 victory over Greece on Saturday should ensure confidence is high in the Korea Republic camp although betterin an Argentina side including the likes of Lionel Messi, Javier Mascherano and Juan Sebastian Veron is evidently a more awkward proposition. Although Maradona's men beat Nigeria by just a single goal, the victory margin would have been greater had it not been for Super Eagles goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama's brilliant Man of the Match performance.

Players to watch: Lionel Messi vs Park Ji-Sung

After doing everything but score against Nigeria, Messi will hope for better luck in front of goal in his team's second outing at Ellis Park. If Messi is pivotal to Argentina's hopes, the same can be said of Park Ji-Sung, who underlined his talismanic status against Greece by sealing Korea Republic's victory with a wonderful solo strike of which Messi himself would have been proud.

The stat: 4 –Argentina have reached four FIFA World Cup Finals, beating the Netherlands in 1978 and West Germany in 1986 but losing out to Uruguay in 1930 and the Germans in 1990. Korea Republic finished fourth on home soil eight years ago which remains the best-ever result by an Asian team on the world stage.

What they say: "Comparing ourselves with other teams, we have played some of the best football in the competition and created more chances than anybody else so far. Now we need to take the games as they come. We are still one of the favourites and that is why we are here – to win this World Cup," Gonzalo Higuain, Argentina forward.

"To be honest we are a little nervous heading into the match-up with Argentina as they have some of the world's best players. But we are not intimidated by their qualities and we have unwavering confidence in ourselves. They may boast Messi, but we can count on captain Park Ji-Sung to lead us to a good result," Kim Nam-Il, Korea Republic midfielder.

South Africa vs Uruguay Preview

Group A looks too close to call after two draws on the opening day, but hosts South Africa and Uruguay should have a clearer idea of their destinies at this FIFA World Cup™ after what promises to be a hotly contested encounter in the heartland of Tshwane/Pretoria. While it is far-fetched to suggest that their Loftus Versfeld Stadium encounter will be decisive, a victory for either side would go a long way to booking a place in the Round of 16.

The match: South Africa-Uruguay, Loftus Stadium, Wednesday 16 June, 20.30 (local time)

They may be riding a wave of optimism inside the host country, but Carlos Alberto Parreira's South Africa will face a tough task against Uruguay. In their opening game against France, the Uruguayans showed that they possess the ability to contain teams and launch dangerous counter-attacks. Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has hinted that against South Africa they will be more adventurous compared to that safety-first approach.

Uruguay have been preparing in Kimberley, a town famous for the surrounding gold mines, but it is goals that Uruguay want after their stalemate with France hence Tabarez's expection decision to go with an extra striker in Edinson Cavani. The South Africans too want to improve on their finishing after the 1-1 draw with Mexico, where striker Katlego Mphela missed a glorious chance in the dying moments, watching in agony as his shot shaved the upright.

Still, South Africa gave their millions of home supporters cause for optimism with their opening display against Mexico. When pressed against the ropes in the first 20 minutes, they were able to absorb the pressure and, having overcome the stage fright that gripped them early on, found a head of steam in the second half. It was a performance that served notice that the hosts should not be taken lightly and the fact that they were less than 10 minutes from victory against an organised and polished Mexican side earned them rave reviews.

Players to watch: Itumeleng Khune v Diego Forlan

South Africa's exciting young goalkeeper, Itumeng Khune, is in the form of his life, as seen by his flying save from Alessandro Dos Santos in the second half of the game against Mexico. He showed his importance to Bafana Bafana in that Opening Match and may need to be at his best again to deny a Uruguay front line including Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan. Although expected to play behind the front two, Forlan will be hustling for an opportunity to open his account after missing a late scoring chance against France. South Africa showed a lack of concentration when conceding an equaliser to Mexico and Forlan will be looking to exploit any such weaknesses.

The stat: 7 – the number of goals scored between the two sides in their two previous meetings. All the goals came during the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup match in Saudi Arabia where South Africa lost 4-3.

What they say: "I think we broke the ice [against Mexico]. We will be much better against Uruguay because now we know what we're going to get and what to expect. I think there are some things that we need to fix as well. We need to concentrate until the last minute and we need to take our chances in a game like this because they are a really good team," South Africa midfielder Steven Pienaar.

"All matches are different – now we're facing South Africa, then Mexico, they will all be different, all difficult games. Hopefully we will be able to get more control of the ball; that way we will be able to run less and rest more, and manage the flow of the game better. South Africa is a team with good players, fast players that can counter and come out very quickly so we are going to have to be very careful," Uruguay forward Diego Forlan.

Spain vs Switzerland Preview

Spain can expect some chilly temperatures in Durban when they take on Switzerland in what will be their 50th FIFA World Cup™ finals match. The heat will almost certainly be on the Swiss, however, who have yet to beat La Roja in 18 attempts.

The match: Spain-Switzerland, Group H, Durban, Wednesday, 16 June, 16.00 (local time)

Having barely put a foot wrong in the last two years, Spain will take the stage at South Africa 2010 amid high expectation. Last week's 6-0 demolition of Poland represented the perfect send-off for a mature and settled side that has been boosted by the recent return to fitness of Fernando Torres and Cesc Fabregas, both of whom have shaken off worrying late-season injuries. The only question mark hangs over Andres Iniesta. Although coach Vicente del Bosque said the Barcelona wizard would recover from his niggles in time, Iniesta has been training at a slower pace than his team-mates in recent days.

The Swiss have plenty of injury problems of their own to ponder. Alexander Frei and Valon Behrami are definitely out, forcing Nati coach Ottmar Hitzfeld to reshuffle his pack. Switzerland's recent form is also a cause for concern, defeats by Costa Rica, Norway and Uruguay having raised doubts about their ability to match their run to the last 16 at Germany 2006 – one they are hoping to repeat, at the very least, this time around.

Players to watch: Cesc Fabregas v Philippe Senderos

When Fabregas signed for Arsenal in 2003 the richly gifted midfielder shared a house with the tall central defender, himself of Spanish descent. Senderos, recently signed by Fulham, took his new team-mate under his wing and the pair built up a strong friendship over the next few seasons. Should Del Bosque be forced to bring in Cesc for Iniesta, the two will renew acquaintances in the most challenging of circumstances.

The stat: 394 - The number of minutes Switzerland have gone without conceding a goal at the FIFA World Cup finals. The Swiss kept clean sheets in every one of their games at Germany 2006, going out on penalties to Ukraine in the Round of 16. As fate would have it, it was the Spanish who were the last team to score against them on this stage, midfielder Txiki Beguiristain netting the third in a 3-0 victory in the last 16 at USA 1994.

What they say: "The Spanish aren't just technical, they run a lot too. We'll need to be compact at the back, defend with nine men and hit them on the break when we can. We also need to get in among their midfielders and force some free-kicks. That's where we can be very dangerous," Ottmar Hitzfeld, Switzerland coach.

"When you're a striker with this national team you can't just stand around, waiting for a chance to come along. You have to keep moving, help out on the flanks and keep changing positions with the other forwards, and you have to use the whole width of the pitch. I score goals because I play for the team," David Villa, Spain forward.

Honduras vs Chile Preview

The Chile side coached by Marcelo 'El Loco' Bielsa were one of the genuine revelations of the qualifying stage for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, the Argentine strategist's hard-running outfit finishing second in the South American section behind Brazil. Up against them in their opening encounter in Group H are CONCACAF side Honduras, returning to football's biggest stage after a 28-year absence.

The match: Honduras-Chile, Group H, Nelspruit, Wednesday 16 June, 13.30 (local time)

In a section containing tournament favourites Spain, the remaining three teams would appear condemned to battling it out for a single Round of 16 berth. That being the case, this opening duel looks vital to both sides' hopes of progressing. On paper at least, the attacking prowess of Bielsa's Chile may give them the edge, given they were 32-goal top scorers in the South American Zone. One concern, however, is the fitness of Real Zaragoza's Humberto Suazo, their ten-goal leading marksmen in qualifying, who is battling to recover from a muscle strain.

His Honduran namesake David Suazo is in a similar situation. A pulled muscle in the warm-up game against Romania could well force the Genoa hitman out of the Chile match, while there was bad news on the eve of the game with key attacking midfielder Julio Cesar de Leon ruled out of the tournament with a muscle problem. These heavyweight absentees will pile even more responsibility on the shoulders of 36-year-old striker Carlos Pavon, who struck the winning goal against El Salvador which sent Los Catrachos to South Africa.

Players to watch: Wilson Palacios v Matias Fernandez

Despite the knocks and niggles that have cast a cloud of uncertainty over the encounter, both teams have their playmakers intact and ready to assume creative duties. For Honduras that job falls to Wilson Palacios, who is normally a defensive midfielder at club level with Tottenham Hotspur. Chile's string-pulling should be done by Matias Fernandez of Sporting Lisbon, though given the doubts surrounding Suazo and fellow forwards Alexis Sanchez and Esteban Paredes, Bielsa could also bring in fellow schemer Jorge Valdivia in a more advanced role.

The stat: 2 — On their only previous trip to the finals at Spain 1982, Honduras picked up two points via 1-1 draws with the host nation and Northern Ireland. La Bicolor missed out on a spot in the next round, however, after falling to a 1-0 defeat against Yugoslavia.

What they say: "Chile are a tough team to play, they don't give you any space and work the ball very well in midfield. They're the type of side that need everybody on their game to really click. So, when we have the ball we need to keep hold of it, and win it back quickly to be able to cause them problems," Hendry Thomas, Honduras midfielder.

"Why shouldn't we aim to reach the last four? Our team's capable of getting great results, but we're also aware that we mustn't get carried away. For the moment, our most important game is the one against Honduras," Claudio Bravo, Chile captain and goalkeeper.