Soccer: The Democratizer

The group stages ended, now the soccer will change because rather than having three matches to prove their worth, the remaining 16 teams in the competition have one game. Winner takes all, losers fly home early. Latin football predominates – constituting 8 of the remaining 16 teams. The country with the largest GDP per capita (USA) was beaten today by the country with the smallest GDP per capita (Ghana).

Photo: Soccer: The Democratizer

Soccer: The Democratizer

In the last 16, six are from Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay) and one from North America (USA); one from Africa (Ghana), two from Asia (Japan and Republic of Korea) and the rest, 6, from Europe: England, Germany, Holland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain. Latin football is represented by 8 out of the last 16 teams.

Calendar:

A Saturday June 26 Uruguay v. Republic of Korea (2-1); B USA v. Ghana (1-2)

C Sunday June 27 Germany v. England; D Argentina v. Mexico

E Monday June 28 Holland v. Slovakia; F Brazil v. Chile

G Tuesday June 29 Paraguay v. Japan; H Spain v. Portugal

W July 2 Winner of E v. Winner of F; X Uruguay v. Ghana

Y July 3 Winner of C v. Winner of D.; Z Winner of G v. Winner of H

July 6 Winner of W v. Winner of X