Day 16 preview — Uruguay vs South Korea; USA vs Ghana

By Les Tan/Red Sports

After two weeks of World Cup action, we are down to the round of 16 and every game is a final. Tonight, Uruguay take on Korea while Ghana will play the USA.

Uruguay vs Korea
Les says: 2-1 to Korea

This is a game of contrasting styles — Uruguayan skill versus Korean speed. Defensively, the Koreans are the weaker side, having let in six goals while Uruguay have not conceded any.

If Uruguay score first, they will slow down the game and it will be a terrible bore with constant back passes. But if Korea score first, ah! Maybe we’ll get a fun, open game.

I hope Korea win. I love to see them run and run and run.

Kenneth Tan Says: 1-1 Draw, Uruguay 2-1 Extra Time
My heart says Korea, but my head tells me Uruguay will nick this. The Koreans have impressed me with their superior fitness levels however their defensive frailties overshadow that fact as they have conceded six goals so far in this tournament.

In contrast, Uruguay have kept their defence water-tight so far without conceding any goals. I reckon a balanced encounter between these two sides, with both sides scoring one each. However Uruguay’s superior quality means they will break Korean hearts with an extra-time goal.

Erwin Wong Says: 2-0 to Uruguay

The semi-finals of this World Cup will potentially resemble something from the Copa America, and strong South American representation and dominance deep into this competition will begin right from the first round-of-16 tie.

I’m not sure if Uruguayans enjoy eating kimchi but they will find the South Korean opposition tonight a piece of cake. The Koreans will be ripped to shreds not unlike how they were when they faced Argentina in the group phase.

USA vs Ghana
Les says: 0-0 full-time. USA win on penalty kicks.

These two sides do not score freely. The USA will run forever and so they might score the odd goal because of that, but it will take a Ghana mistake to let them through.

I would love to see the USA go through just to see the reaction in America.

Kenneth Tan Says: 1-0 to USA
Despite making the knockout stages, the Africans have not impressed me so far. They scraped through with a 1-0 win against Serbia in their opening game, scoring through a penalty which was their only shot on goal in the whole game. They then failed to beat a 10-man Australia and subsequently lost to Germany in their final group match.

USA must be have been buoyed by their last-gasp winner against Algeria in their last group match and will look to carry that spirit into this game. With players like Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore in their strikeforce, I think USA will nick this with a solitary goal to put the sole African representatives out of the tournament.

Erwin Wong Says: 1-0 to USA
The Americans have had two perfectly legal goals disallowed in back-to-back matches and are going to benefit from one wayward decision from the referees tonight that will turn out to be the game-clincher.

Landon Donovan will score despite being 10 yards offside, or Clint Dempsey will rocket a shot off the underside of the bar and cannon out into play, only for the assistant referee to signal a goal when the ball has not entirely crossed the goal line. Or both.

Football works in strange ways sometimes.

Previous Encounter in 1990 World Cup: South Korea 0-1 Uruguay

Previous Encounter in 2006 World Cup: Ghana 2-1 USA

2010 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 Fixtures

SGP DATE/DAY	SGP TIME	COUNTRY A		COUNTRY B
Jun 26, Sat	10pm	Uruguay	2	South Korea	1
Jun 27, Sun	2.30am	USA	1	Ghana	2
Jun 27, Sun	10pm	Germany	4	England	1
Jun 28, Mon	2.30am	Argentina	3	Mexico	1
Jun 28, Mon	10pm	Holland	2	Slovakia	1
Jun 29, Tue	2.30am	Brazil	3	Chile	0
Jun 29, Tue	10pm	Paraguay	0 (5)	Japan	0 (3)
Jun 30, Wed	2.30am	Spain	1	Portugal	0

For the World Cup fixtures list with Singapore broadcast timings as well as group tables and the list of CCs with free screenings, go to: http://redsports.sg/2010-world-cup-fixtures-groups/

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