Match day 3: What Teams need to take it to the knock out stages.

With two match days completed, Just 7 teams out of possible 16 teams have qualified for the second round and out of which only Group B has the spots ready (Though winner and runner will be decided today). Most teams will want to press hard to get their team move to knockout stages and proceed further. In order to avoid the unfair advantage to the teams the final fixture of the group stages(of course last fixture of all football leagues) happen at same time. The fixtures will be Live at 9:30 PM IST and 01:30 AM IST in both Sony Six and Sony Pix in India.

With England, Spain Out of the tournament and Portugal, Uruguay, Italy, Brazil, Mexico to fight their hearts to make it to knock outs. Of Italy and Uruguay, One team has to be eliminated and  fans are all eager nervous to know what their teams are up to.

Let us begin with Each groups and discuss what teams require to make it to the Knock out stages.

Group A
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Teams	Played	Won	lost	Draw	points	GD
Brazil	2	1	0	1	4	2
Mexico	2	1	0	1	4	1
Croatia	2	1	1	0	3	2
Cameroon	2	0	2	0	0	-5

Probably the most open group where 3 teams have chance to book the final 2 spots in order to enter the knock outs.

Cameroon vs Brazil at Estadio Nacional, Brasilia 1:30 AM IST on 24th June 2014.
Mexico vs Croatia at Arena Pernambuco, Recife 1:30 AM IST on 24th June 2014.

For Brazil into knock out stages:

For winner spot: Brazil win with +1 goal than Mexico or Croatia.
For runner spot: Brazil win with +1 goal than Mexico or Croatia or settle for draw.

For Mexico into Knock out stages:

For winner spot: Mexico win with higher goal margin than that of Brazil win. preferably +2 goal margin than Brazil.
For Runner spot: Mexico win with lesser goal margin than Brazil or a draw against Croatia.

For Croatia into knock out stages:

For winner spot: a win over Mexico and Brazil to draw or lose against Cameroon.
For runner spot: a win over mexico

Group B
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Teams	Played	Won	lost	Draw	points	GD
Netherlands	2	2	0	0	6	5
Chile	2	2	0	0	6	4
Australia	2	0	2	0	0	-2
Spain	2	0	2	0	0	-6

In this group Netherlands and Chile have qualified already. If Netherlands win or draw then they will top the group. If Chile wins then Chile will top the group. The other match is a dead rubber.

Netherlands vs Chile at Arena de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 9:30 PM IST on 23rd June 2014
Australia vs Spain at Arena da Baixada, Curitiba 9:30 PM IST on 23rd June 2014

Group C
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Teams	Played	Won	lost	Draw	points	GD
Colombia	2	2	0	0	6	4
Côte d'Ivoire	2	1	1	0	3	0
Japan	2	0	1	1	1	-1
Greece	2	0	1	1	1	-3

Here Columbia has qualified already qualified and for second spot we have rest of the teams battling for it.

Japan vs Columbia at Arena Pantanal, Cuiaba 1:30 AM IST on 25th June 2014.
Côte d'Ivoire vs Greece at Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza 1:30 AM IST on 25th June 2014.

For Côte d'Ivoire into knock out stages:

For Winner spot: win against Greece with 5 goal margin and Columbia to lose or draw against Japan.
For Runner spot: win against Greece and Japan to lose or draw against Columbia

For Japan into knock out stages:

For Winner spot: NOT POSSIBLE
For runner Spot: A win against Columbia with +2 goal difference and Ivory coast to lose or draw.

For Greece into knock out stages:

For Winner spot: NOT POSSIBLE
For runner Spot: A win against Côte d'Ivoire with +4 goal difference and Japan to lose or draw.

Group D
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Teams	Played	Won	lost	Draw	points	GD
Costa Rica	2	2	0	0	6	3
Italy	2	1	1	0	3	0
Uruguay	2	1	1	0	3	-1
England	2	0	2	0	0	-2

Here we go two big guns Italy and Uruguay will lock on the most expected match of the group stages and its going to be winners take all. Costa Rica has already qualified and they just need to draw against England to confirm final spot.

Italy vs Uruguay at Estadio das Dunas, Natal 9:30 PM IST on 24th June 2014
England vs Costa Rica at Estadio Mineirao, Belo Horizonte 9:30 PM IST on 24th June 2014

For Italy into Knock out stages:

For Winner spot: Win against Uruguay with +4 goal margin and costa rica to lose against England
For runner Spot: a win or a draw against Uruguay.

For Uruguay into Knock out stages:

For Winner spot: Win against Italy with +5 goal margin and costa rica to lose against England
For runner Spot: a win against Italy.

Group E
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Teams	Played	Won	lost	Draw	points	GD
France	2	2	0	0	6	6
Ecuador	2	1	1	0	3	0
Switzerland	2	1	1	0	3	-2
Honduras	2	0	2	0	0	-4

In this group France, Ecuador and Swiss will battle for two spots. Honduras is already eliminated in this group.

Honduras vs Switzerland at Arena Amazonia, Manaus 1:30 AM IST on 26th June 2014
Ecuador vs France at Estadio do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro 1:30 AM IST on 26th June 2014

For France into knock out stages:

For winner spot: A win or a Draw against Ecuador
For Runner Spot: If France loses and either Swiss or Ecuador win (one of hem with lesser goal difference)
Crash out:  If France loses and both Swiss or Ecuador win with higher goal margin than France.

For Switzerland into knock out stages:

For winner spot: Win against Honduras with Goal margin of +6
For runner spot: Win against Honduras with +3 goal difference and Ecuador to lose or draw against France.

For Ecuador into knock out stages:

For winner spot: Win against France with Goal margin of +7
For runner spot: Win or draw against France and Swiss to lose or draw against Honduras.

Group F
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Teams	Played	Won	lost	Draw	points	GD
Argentina	2	2	0	0	6	2
Nigeria	2	1	0	1	4	1
Iran	2	0	1	1	1	-1
Bosnia-Herzegovina	2	0	2	0	0	-2

In this group Argentina has already qualified leaving Nigeria also in pole position to take the second spot. But If Iran can win over Bosnia with 2 goal margin and Nigeria loses then Nigeria will be out and Iran will go through. But if Nigeria can win over Argentina then Nigeria will take winner spot in the group.

Argentina vs Nigeria at Estadio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre 9:30 PM IST on 25th June 2014
Iran vs Bosnia-Herzegovina at Arena Fonte Nova, Salvado 9:30 PM IST on 25th june 2014.

Group G
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Teams	Played	Won	lost	Draw	points	GD
Germany	2	1	0	1	4	4
United States	2	1	0	1	4	1
Ghana	2	0	1	1	1	-1
Portugal	2	0	1	1	1	-4

Tactically all four teams have to fight for the final two spots in this group.

Germany vs united States at Arena Pernambuco, Recife 9:30 PM IST 26th June 2014
Ghana vs Portugal at Estadio Nacional, Brasilia 9:30 PM IST 26th June 2014

For Germany into Knock out stages:

For Winner spot: A win or Draw against United states.
For Runner spot: Not losing the match by too many goals and hope Ghana does not win with high goal difference than Germany or Portugal does not win with high goal difference than Germany

For United states into Knock out stages:

For Winner Spot: win over Germany
For runner spot: a draw. If USA lose against Germany then USA must hope Ghana does not win with high goal difference than USA or Portugal does not win with high goal difference than USA.

For Ghana and Portugal into Knock out stages:

For runner spot: Win with goal margin higher than the loser of the match between USA and Germany. If the other match ends with draw then Ghana and Portugal gets eliminated.

Group H
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Teams	Played	Won	lost	Draw	points	GD
Belgium	2	2	0	0	6	2
Algeria	2	1	1	0	3	1
Russia	2	0	1	1	1	-1
Korea Republic	2	0	1	1	1	-2

In the final Group H Belgium has already qualified and its for other three teams that fight for the final spot.

South Korea vs Belgium at Arena de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 1:30 AM IST on 27th June 2014
Russia vs Algeria at Arena da Baixada, Curitiba 1:30 AM IST on 27th June 2014

For Algeria into Knock out stages:

For winner spot: Algeria win and Belgium to lose against Korea
For Runner spot: just a win. In case of draw then South Korea should have not higher goal difference than Algeria.

For Russia into Knock out stages:

For Runner spot: A win. In case of draw then with South Korea (if South Korea wins over Belgium) not having higher goal difference than Russia.

For South Korea into Knock out stages:

For Runner spot: a win with higher goal difference than Algeria and Russia and also Algeria to Lose or Draw.

With all Said lets wait and watch how this week turns out to be for football fans and players across the globe. Brazil is so far exciting and it will be so for rest of the tournament.

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Venkats