Predictions: Day 6

Honduras vs. Chile, 7:30 a.m. ET

Neither one of these teams have won a World Cup match in 48 years. Honduras scrapped their way into this tournament. Chile finished second in the South American bracket, only a point behind Brazil. They feature one of the most attractive, eye-catching attacks in world football. In a tournament still searching for its surprise package, this could be it.

Prediction: Chile 2, Honduras 1

Spain vs. Switzerland, 10 a.m. ET

Germany raised the style bar on all the other glamour sides with their opening 4-0 shellacking of Australia. Now the classiest team in the whole thing gets a chance to pick up that gauntlet. Fernando Torres won't start, but there's plenty of talent laid in behind him in the World Cup's deepest squad. The Swiss? After today, they should fall into the 'just happy to be here' category.

Prediction: Spain 3, Switzerland 0

South Africa vs. Uruguay, 2:30 p.m. ET

Here's the whole tournament. After a battling draw with Mexico in the first game and a final group game with France looming, the host nation needs a win to make advancing a reality. Uruguay looked beyond sluggish in their dreary opening draw. Skill's one thing. Heart's another. Look to the hosts to solidify their knockout round dream in Pretoria tonight. It's Youth Day here, the public holiday in remembrance of the 1976 Soweto uprising. All the more reason to figure Bafana Banafa get a lift.

Prediction: South Africa 2, Uruguay 1

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.

Predictions: Day 2

South Korea vs Greece, 7:30 a.m. ET

Two sides that have never met in this tournament before kick off the day at Port Elizabeth. Korea has had a pretty good buildup but it all came a-cropper in a loss to Belarus and then, entirely understandably, a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Spain in their final tuner. At least they didn't have to endure being robbed at their team hotel, as three Greek players were this week. The edge may well be Greece's height up front against a smallish but speedy South Korean team.

Prediction: Greece 1, South Korea 0

Argentina vs Nigeria, 10 a.m. ET

Argentina has dented Nigeria twice in the finals, a 2-1 win over the Super Eagles in 1994 and a 1-0 victory eight years ago. They've won five straight matches including a one-sided 5-0 drubbing of Canada last month, and have a big edge in star power. Nigeria were rocked by the injury defection of midfielder Jon Obi Mikel and will bring a more defensive approach with his absence. They have forwards, but distribution is questionable.

Prediction: Argentina 2, Nigeria 0

- C.Y.

England vs. USA, 2:30 pm ET

After some friendly jousting in the press, one of the most anticipated matches of the first round should contain extra fire. The questions here all revolve around England – will they come out firing, or fold back as they have depressingly chosen to do in recent tournaments. The U.S. comes in unfancied and unburdened by pressure. They can absorb or attack – both tactics that they manage well. Highly anticipated first round matches rarely amount to much. Expect this one to be the exception.

Prediction: England 2, USA 1

- C.K.

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.