Paraguay's striker Nelson Valdez kicks the ball during the Group F first round 2010 World Cup football match Paraguay vs. New Zealand on June 24, 2010 at Peter Mokaba stadium in Polokwane.HOANG DINH NAM/AFP / Getty Images
Spain v. Portugal
This great matchup has the Iberian teams competing against each other at just the right time. Portugal have actually been a surprise in the World Cup, proving critics wrong with their ability to defend better than they have in recent years. Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea) has been superb at the back and in the midfield they have been well-balanced when they attack. Thus far, they have not been caught out with too many players going forward. This shows that Portugal has a determined resolve to stay disciplined.
Meanwhile, their star Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) has not been able to produce the form of a superstar. He has still been a thorn in the side of his opponents with his runs and shimmying, but his goal production has been sparse. So the team's ability to advance has shown that Portugal is much more than Ronaldo. Tiago (Atletico Madrid) has been excellent in midfield, so much so that it will be interesting to see whether manager Carlos Queiroz decides to insert Deco into the lineup now that he has recovered from injury and is available again. One suspects he will not.
With Spain, it will come down to their ability to break down the Portuguese at the back. From the outset, Spain have not been as fluid as expected, even in the final third, and with Fernando Torres still off form it will be their biggest challenge to start connecting more frequently. If they cannot get in behind the back line of Portugal, it will be important for them to shoot on sight as it clearly is one of their strengths.
The inclusion of Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal) surely has to be the best option for Vicente Del Bosque if Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) is declared not fit. Even though Spain has an abundance of talent in the midfield areas, it is still hard to fathom why the Arsenal maestro cannot earn a regular spot. His ability to provide penetrating passes could be key in this game.
Both teams are on positive momentum swings, but Portugal in particular will feel galvanized by their performances so far. And so they should be.
Paraguay v. Japan
This matchup is very difficult to predict as both have proved to be well-balanced in attack and when defending.
The Japanese have been a surprise with their ability to compete physically as well as they have. Technically and tactically they are very good and never get flustered when in possession, which is indicative of the development of the Japanese football culture.
To win at the World Cup level you need to be competent in a number of key areas. In two particular areas the Japanese have proved to be on top form. Stats show that in their first three games the Japanese have out-worked all three of their opponents. When you do this you have a chance of beating even the top teams. Three of their goals have come from set-plays, which is an important feature for teams to get results in games where they are evenly matched, which happens a lot at this stage. With Keisuke Honda (CSKA) proving to be a real force up front and coach Takeshi Okada a savvy operator, expect Japan to be cagey with their tactical approach. The remaining Asian team in the tournament will be a tricky opponent for Paraguay to eliminate.
However, their South American opponents have proved to be very capable so far. With enough talent all over the park, Paraguay have shown they can be a handful for any of the remaining teams - including Japan, who they will quietly feel confident of beating.
The 4-3-3 formation they play is perfect for their current set of players and will likely keep the Japanese on their heels, at least to begin. Japan will probably start in a 4-5-1 defensive formation to counter this. With Nelson Valdez (Borussia Dortmund), Lucas Barrios (Borussia Dortmund) and Roque Santa Cruz in the lineup, the three-pronged Paraguayan attack is tricky to handle. The fact that their strength has proved to be their defensive ability as a team highlights the difficulty Japan will have in getting by their heavily favoured opponent.