Predictions: Opening day matches

We'll be posting these in the blog day before games, and if you want to tell us we're nuts - in polite language, please - the comments will be open. We start off with a pair of upset calls.

South Africa vs Mexico, 10 a.m. ET

It's impossible to simulate the sound of 88,000 home supporters blowing on vuvuzelas, and that may well be the impossible task for a Mexico side that on paper appears the better one. Mexico boasts some pacey, talented players like young Javier Hernandez, headed to Manchester United after this tournament, but they face a healthy, in-form Bafana Bafana team riding a serious wave of support playing an up-tempo game of their own. Tournament openers can be dreary, but this has all the makings of a real cracker.

Prediction: South Africa 3, Mexico 2
-- C.Y.

Uruguay vs. France, 2:30 p.m. ET

Yes, there's another game tomorrow. By the world rankings, France are the class of Group A. Shows how little the world rankings are worth. Since reaching the final of this tournament in Germany, France has stumbled repeatedly. Uruguay - fielding a tough, inexperienced side with a pair of class strikers in Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez - helped torch France's World Cup hopes eight years ago in Korea. They look ripe to do it again.
Prediction: Uruguay 1, France 0
-- C.K.

Comments

[Sandie]

I'm in a world cup pool, for fun, and following your predictions. I hope you're right. LOL