2010 FIFA World Cup Expert Picks: Round of 16

By John in Featured, Now!, Opinion, Soccer ⋅ June 26, 2010 at 11:54am ⋅ Post a comment

Can Brazil, the world's best team, reclaim their World Cup crown? (Ronaldo, "The Simpsons," 'Marge Gamer,' April 22, 2007)

It’s now time for the Round of 16, kicking off with Uruguay and South Korea. There’s plenty of action between now and Tuesday, so turn on your TiVos (TiVoes?) and catch all of the action. I hear the North Korean squad’s execution will be broadcast live on ESPN2. With the Group Stages over, the SoB staff (the remaining seven of us anyway) are hear to give you their choices for the next round. Was Japan able to garner some votes? Can the U.S. move through? Spain and Portugal (#2 and #3) are set to face off, so who will win? Can England, after their embarrassing GOAL!!!!!!!! against the Americans, pull through against WWII rivals Germany? These questions will be answered … right now.

Brazil and the Netherlands were picked unanimously to win, which would set up a huge quarterfinal contest. Uruguay, Argentina, and the United States were all all but unanimously picked, while Spain should defeat Portugal, Paraguay should beat Japan and Germany should beat England, but at 5-2, those games could produce upsets easily, at least easier than the other games. The United States and Ghana is looking to be the game that will go the furthest to the wire, assuming you think America will win. Perhaps not so surprisingly, Brazil looks to have the easiest time.

A correct pick for the winner of each game in the first sudden-death round is worth two points. In addition, experts will also be picking the minute of the game in which they think the winning goal will be made. (If, for example, someone thinks the U.S. will win 3-1, they’ll be guessing the minute in which they think the U.S. will score their second goal.) A correct pick to within fifteen minutes earns one point, and a correct pick to within five minutes earns two points instead. There’s a lot of points (32) up for grabs, so check below to see how everyone is thinking the Round of 16 will go.

	Name	Brian	Dan	Erikk	John	KC	Robert	Teddy
Uruguay vs South Korea	Winner	Uruguay	Uruguay	Uruguay	Uruguay	Uruguay	—–	South Korea
	Minute of Winning Goal	80	33	53	52	25	—–	56
Argentina vs Mexico	Winner	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Mexico	Argentina	Argentina
	Minute of Winning Goal	55	53	39	37	65	65	21
United States vs Ghana	Winner	United States	United States	United States	Ghana	United States	United States	United States
	Minute of Winning Goal	77	87	76	15	84	80	79
Germany vs England	Winner	Germany	Germany	Germany	England	Germany	Germany	England
	Minute of Winning Goal	70	74	63	105	65	35	80
Netherlands vs Slovakia	Winner	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands
	Minute of Winning Goal	45	78	21	23	34	30	32
Paraguay vs Japan	Winner	Paraguay	Japan	Paraguay	Paraguay	Paraguay	Paraguay	Japan
	Minute of Winning Goal	63	38	44	87	22	68	60
Brazil vs Chile	Winner	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil
	Minute of Winning Goal	58	23	17	29	58	55	40
Spain vs Portugal	Winner	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Portugal	Portugal
	Minute of Winning Goal	81	59	56	105	112	70	55
Total	Points	20	26	17	18	19	17	22

…..

Group Stage

	Name	Andrew	Brian	Charlie	Dan	Erikk	Jeff	John	KC	Robert	Teddy
Group A	Winner	France	France	France	France	Uruguay	Mexico	France	France	Mexico	France
	2nd Place	Mexico	Mexico	Mexico	South Africa	France	France	Mexico	Uruguay	France	Uruguay
	Total Goals	6	6	6	5	7	6	5	6	8	6
Group B	Winner	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina
	2nd Place	South Korea	Greece	South Korea	Nigeria	Nigeria	Nigeria	Nigeria	Greece	Nigeria	South Korea
	Total Goals	8	8	8	6	9	7	9	8	6	7
Group C	Winner	England	United States	England	England	England	England	England	England	United States	England
	2nd Place	United States	England	United States	United States	United States	United States	United States	United States	England	United States
	Total Goals	7	5	5	4	7	5	11	6	6	5
Group D	Winner	Serbia	Germany	Ghana	Germany	Germany	Germany	Germany	Germany	Australia	Germany
	2nd Place	Germany	Australia	Germany	Ghana	Serbia	Serbia	Ghana	Ghana	Germany	Ghana
	Total Goals	5	6	6	5	8	6	7	8	6	8
Group E	Winner	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands
	2nd Place	Cameroon	Cameroon	Cameroon	Cameroon	Denmark	Cameroon	Cameroon	Cameroon	Cameroon	Denmark
	Total Goals	10	5	4	4	10	8	8	5	10	9
Group F	Winner	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy
	2nd Place	Paraguay	Slovakia	Paraguay	Paraguay	Paraguay	Slovakia	Slovakia	Paraguay	Slovakia	Paraguay
	Total Goals	6	10	6	3	10	5	10	8	6	8
Group G	Winner	Portugal	Portugal	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Portugal	Brazil	Brazil
	2nd Place	Brazil	Brazil	Portugal	Portugal	Portugal	Cote d’Ivoire	Portugal	Brazil	Portugal	Portugal
	Total Goals	8	8	8	6	8	7	9	8	11	6
Group H	Winner	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain
	2nd Place	Honduras	Switzerland	Chile	Chile	Chile	Chile	Chile	Chile	Honduras	Chile
	Total Goals	11	9	8	5	10	9	6	8	10	9
Total	Points	17	20	21	26	17	18	18	19	17	22