Group H Preview

All right folks, I'll be honest.  His one is going to be short.  Id din't pace myself well and am scrambling to get these out the right before kick-off.  But, in order to finish I'll do a quick recap/preview of our final group.  Hint though...there is one Dark Horse in this group and the rest are "teams to watch".

Belgium:
Belgium is the favorite in this group for sure.  They proved themselves worthy of the seeding when they worked their way through tough European qualifying.  They have a young striker that I got to see in person when Chelsea visited the Sounder named Romelu Lukaku.  He's legit and is likely to be on of the tournaments top goal scorers.  I also enjoy watching Musala Dembele.  He used to play alongside Clint Dempsey at Tottenham and is one of the most athletic soccer players I have ever seen.  These guys will get through the group and may make it to the quarters or more.

Algeria:
You may remember Algeria from 2010.  They are the team that Landon Donovan scored the miracle last minute goal against.  A moment in history I'll surely never forget!  But that moment may only be remember as an image on TV screens by the players who will take the itch for Algeria this time around. Their squad averages only 16 caps (national team appearances) per play, making them the least experienced team on the field.  They have a player worth watching in Dynamo Zagreb striker Hillal Soudani.  He is a "intelligent" player wit skills to match.  This could be the tournament that seems him find a global spotlight.

Russia:
This team is headlined by their coach; former England boss Fabio Capello.  Capello is back in the mix again and looking for redemption.  He'll be hoping that he can wave a magical tactical wand over Russia that helps them see a Round of 16 berth.  In this group, that could be a wish granted.  Capelloa will undoubtedly have spent most his study and preparation figuring out ways to beat Begium.  If he can get a win against them then this Group is anyones game.  Russia is good.  They have mostly domestic players who will be looking to prove that they can play in the European leagues.  Their grit and determination alone could make them fun to watch.  My prediction is that the make the round of 16 IF they can at least tie Belgium.

South Korea:
Probably not something the casual fan would think but here it is:  South Korea will be one of the fastest teams in the tournament. Their speed and fitness lend to a dynamic set up where players weave in and out of each other switching positions on the fly and leaving ill-prepared sides baffled.  They are also young and have the ability to keep their speed well into the game, and well into the tournament if they can make it that far! Their weakness though is their defense.  Every once in awhile they are prone to having a night where let in goals like it's going out of style.  They are going to have to concentrate, and keep as much possession of the ball as possible, if they are going to get past anybody in this group.  Unfortunately not a ton of hope.

Well, that's the last of the previews.  Happy picking and happy viewing!