Zwei karten zu Hause bitte (The games of 6.25.2006)

England v. Ecuador

Lucky for England they get to start off against a side from Ecuador that few picked as a sure bet to make the second round. Lucky for Ecuador that they get to come up against an English team that still hasn't found its sea legs despite occasional flashes of the brilliance of which they are capable. If Ecaudor can strike first in this one they have a very good chance of leaping over England and into the next game. However, that won't happen. England has just enough to get by and the wounded beast lumbers into the next game with a 2-0 win that doesn't look as good as it sounds. Who will finally put this English beast out of its misery?

Portugal v. Netherlands

The Netherlands are a team that doesn't have the star power of Brazil or England. They don't have the expections of Germany or Argentina. But that just may serve as their sweet spot. Drifting just under the teams that have the targets drawn on them and for which everyone wants to bring down, the Netherlands play dependably and have the best chance of surprising everyone and willing the tournament. They will have a tough match against Portugal but if the Dutch can get dependable play from their midfield they will control the possession battle, the pitch and the score. The kids from Holland have something to dance about with a solid 2-0 win.