Guesses: Day 15

After yesterday's Italy result, I've renamed the predictions. I'll probably get rapped by the boss, and maybe we're back to "predictions" tomorrow. Someone's making a lot of money betting the other way on these, but hey - I always thought this World Cup in Africa was going to throw up some surprises. But Italy out? Spain on the ropes? Pinch me. 

Portugal (1-1-0 W-D-L) vs Brazil (2-0-0), 10 a.m. ET

Portugal's 7-0 thumping of Korea DPR puts them in charge of second spot on goal differential over Ivory Coast, if it should come to that. Matchup of former colony against parent country is intriguing but unlikely to shift the balance in Group G. For Brazil, Kaka is out after that harsh red card in last. Deco is doubtful to return to Portugal. Brazil has looked like a side shifting through its gears. This one could be good.
Guess: Portugal 1, Brazil 3

North Korea (0-0-2) vs Ivory Coast (0-1-1), 10 a.m. ET

With a nine-goal difference between them, only an unlikely combination of a win here by a ton and a Portugal loss by a ton will put Ivory Coast into the knockouts. Not going to happen. Ivory Coast have played it a touch too conservative so far and are promising to open it up here.
Guess: North Korea 1, Ivory Coast 3

Chile (2-0-0) vs Spain (1-0-1), 2:30 p.m. ET

Game of the night matches two crowd-pleasing sides, even if the Spanish have shown reluctance to turn all their possession advantage into goals. Chile needs a draw to win group and avoid likely Brazil next out, but they'll be missing two starters (Carlos Carmona, injured, and suspended Matias Fernandez). Spain must win to assure advance and possibly win group. David Villa gave a hint of their class with two goals last time out, but he also missed a penalty – not good. But Andres Iniesta should be fit and return to the midfield – that's good for Spain. Slim edge for Spain, but Chile certainly capable here.
Guess: Chile 1, Spain 2

Switzerland (1-0-1) vs Honduras (0-0-2), 2:30 p.m. ET

After that opener, a clutch 1-0 win over Spain, Swiss stubbed it against Chile. They trail Spain on goal differential by one, but this might get grim, Honduras without a goal to their credit but have slim hope of advancing, while Switzerland with just that one. Midfielder Valon Behrami sits out after his red-card in last. At least Eren Derdiyok, their fine young attacker, is worth watching.
Guess: Switzerland 1, Honduras 0

Predictions: Day 11

Portugal (0-1-0 W-D-L) vs North Korea (0-0-1), 7:30 a.m. ET

This could get interesting, at least in a competitive sense if not in terms of goals, after Portugal opened with a cagey 0-0 against Ivory Coast and North Korea gave Brazil a run. Midfielder Deco has gone from questioning coach Carlos Queiroz, to issuing a mea culpa, to injured and out of the lineup. Koreans are 9-to-1 underdogs to win this. Tough call, but they won't quit and Portugal camp doesn't sound quite right.

Prediction: Portugal 1, North Korea 1

Chile (1-0-0) vs Switzerland (1-0-0), 4 p.m. ET

Swiss' shocking upset of Spain has turned this group upside down. Now they face a similarly slick, attacking Chile side without lumbering central defender Phillipe Senderos. At least Alexandre Frei is back in training and available. Look for Swiss to absorb pressure and try and hit back on the counter. Hey, it worked well the first time around. Twice?

Prediction: Chile 1, Switzerland 0

Spain (0-0-1) vs Honduras (0-0-1), 2:30 p.m. ET

“It's not a disaster if we don't get out of the first phase,” the Spanish FA president says. Come again? The pre-tournament favourites looked jaded in their opener against Swiss, but they should be primed to snap out of it here. Fernando Torres should start, and we may even see Cesc Fabregas, while influential Andres Iniesta is sidelined. Honduras will defend, but they look up against it here.

Prediction: Spain 2, Honduras 0

Before Kickoff: Portugal vs. Ivory Coast

Predictions: Day 5

New Zealand vs Slovakia, 7:30 a.m. ET

Now here's a hot ticket over in Rustenburg, site of the mother of all traffic jams before Saturday's England-US. Pretty good chance the roads will be clearer for this. Kiwis simply don't have the depth of talent to match the likes of Marek Hamsik and Stanislav Sestak as Slovaks compete in their first World Cup finals as an independent nation.

Prediction: Slovakia 2, New Zealand 0

Ivory Coast vs Portugal, 10 a.m. ET

Is this Elephants team over the top? Is Cristiano Ronaldo ever going to score an international goal again? Will Didier Drogba risk it? Remember the days when Sven-Goran Eriksson was a big name? Tough call here. So we split it.

Prediction: Ivory Coast 1, Portugal 1

Brazil vs North Korea, 2:30 p.m. ET “Inexperienced and mysterious” is how FIFA describes North Korea. It's similar to the hype around a China side that eight years ago travelled to South Korea's Jeju island, 20,000 Chinese fans along to videotape themselves watching Ronaldo and the lads destroy them 4-0. That sounds about right, except for the part about 20,000 travelling fans.

Prediction: Brazil 4, North Korea 0

- C.Y.

Update: Drogba, Ferdinand out of World Cup

Every World Cup finals has some notable injury hits, but these two are massive: Team officials say Didier Drogba broke his arm this morning in the Ivory Coast's final tuner against Japan. Drogba took a high boot in the arm from a Japanese defender in a collision at midfield, and although nothing's official it surely doesn't look good (video below).

(UPDATE: From the Associated Press: Ivory Coast's Kolo Toure says teammate Didier Drogba will miss World Cup due to broken arm.

(SECOND UPDATE: Now Drogba confirms he's out. From AP: "The World Cup is finished." And from the looks of that video below, Tulio Tanaka has a lot to answer for.)

And in the England camp, fragile central defender Rio Ferdinand has been ruled out of the finals. On a team whose defensive centre looked a little light in terms of reinforcements, this is a big blow. Michael Dawson, one of Fabio Capello's last cuts, is heading to Africa, according to the reports out of the England camp.

So, for this first Mundial in Africa, two of the most influential players from the home continent, both of them teammates at English champion Chelsea, will miss out: Michael Essien with Ghana, and now Drogba. Both teams were contenders for a good long run with them - now, Ghana will be all out to get out of a tough Group D, and as for Cote d'Ivoire, they were drawn into the designated Group of Death against Brazil, Portugal and outsiders North Korea. As for the tournament, two bright lights have dimmed and it's no understatement to say the entire affair has taken a hit.

The Ivory Coast remains the deepest team from Africa, but this is a similar situation to Ghana's - like Essien, Drogba is the beating heart of his team. He's going to be harder to replace than just another star player.

As for England, Ledley King and Matthew Upson move up the depth chart, Dawson flies in and thus it goes from a mild gulp to a really hard swallow. 

How does this change up the groups? You tell us. Comments are open, and here's some video, though not sure how long it'll stay up there:

Today's friendlies

Here you go:

Netherlands vs Ghana: Pick of the day. The Dutch have some high-profile WAGS that, according to one report ("Why the Netherlands Will Lose", and nothing like positive thinking there) could be a distraction. For the team, that is - they're always a distraction for the media (and if there's one thing the Dutch footballers love as much as their accompanying typists, it's a distraction). Ghana camp enlivened this week with reports of a bust-up after Laryea Kingston was cut, so both teams appear ready for some early pre-World Cup self-destruction at Rotterdam.

Australia vs Denmark: In Johannesburg, Aussies will start Schwarzer and their preferred back four as Pim Verbeek starts to tighten the screws and names his final squad. Denmark got down to their final squad last week, but haven’t given a good run to Arsenal forward Nicklas Bendtner yet.

Portugal vs Cameroon: Now if there’s one team that needs a little less friendly and a little more nasty, it’s Portugal, after last week’s 0-0 draw with mighty colony Cape Verde. Samuel Eto’o, meantime, held out of the last game to boo-hoo his way to Les Lions Indomptables' captaincy, so he's long overdue for at least a run-out here. At Covilha.

Switzerland vs Costa Rica: Swiss haven't played a friendly since March. Costa Rica gave France a tussle last week. This one's at Sion, in Switzerland.