GROUP ANALYSIS* FIRST ROUND
Breaking down each group:
GROUP A
FRANCE, SENEGAL, URUGUAY, DENMARK
Comment--Defending champion France has too many good players and will win the group with relative ease. Denmark, a worthy quarterfinalist in 1998, has the ability to finish second. With luck, debutant Senegal can take third ahead of dour and unattractive Uruguay, whose soccer peaked a half-century ago.
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GROUP B
SPAIN, SLOVENIA, PARAGUAY, SOUTH AFRICA
Comment--Spain can romp through this field without much trouble and will end up on top. Slovenia, making its World Cup debut, gets the nod for second place after going undefeated in qualifying play, finishing ahead of Russia and ousting Yugoslavia. Paraguay and South Africa are only along for the ride.
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GROUP C
BRAZIL, TURKEY, CHINA, COSTA RICA
Comment--Four-time champion Brazil endured a rocky qualifying campaign, but there’s no one here to mount much of a challenge for first place. On paper, Turkey gets second, but China is coached by Bora Milutinovic, who has taken four countries to the second round. Costa Rica might surprise.
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GROUP D
SOUTH KOREA, POLAND, UNITED STATES, PORTUGAL
Comment--Portugal took world champion France to the wall in Euro 2000 and is clearly the class of this group. It will finish first. Poland lost only once in qualifying but has no one really special. Of course, neither does the U.S. Home fans give South Korea a slight advantage.
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GROUP E
GERMANY, SAUDI ARABIA, IRELAND, CAMEROON
Comment--Germany should not be laughing too soon about its group. The three-time world champion logically comes out on top, but any team that underestimates Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medalist Cameroon is making a huge mistake. Ireland will make things difficult for everyone. Saudi Arabia is merely window dressing.
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GROUP F
ARGENTINA, NIGERIA, ENGLAND, SWEDEN
Comment--Argentina is favored to reach the final. England intends to stand in its way. The smart money is on the South Americans, even if England wins the group. Sweden, third in 1994, was undefeated in qualifying. If Nigeria’s organization matched its athletic skill, it would be a factor too.
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GROUP G
ITALY, ECUADOR, CROATIA, MEXICO
Comment--Italy will win the group. The three-time world champion is a definite cut above the rest. Croatia finished a deserving third in 1998 and should be group runner-up. Mexico is a notch below that but with luck could steal second. Ecuador is on a field trip seeking experience.
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GROUP H
JAPAN, BELGIUM, RUSSIA, TUNISIA
Comment--The weakest of the eight groups could be won by anyone. Well, OK, not Tunisia. Belgium and Russia will battle for first in the group finale. Unless, of course, vastly improved Japan upsets the balance before then. And remember, no host nation has ever failed to reach the second round.
