Scenarios (and some updated predictions)

Now that two rounds are complete (more tonight on today's matches. I promise. Including me naming the final score of Spain-Tunisia before Spain had even equalised...) everyone knows what they need to have happen, and as service to you, we break it all down here at WAP

Group A
Germany and Ecuador are through. Germany wins the group with a win; tie or loss and Ecuador takes it. Costa Rica and Poland are out.

Group B
England are through, win the group with a win or tie vs. Sweden.
Sweden win the group with a win, take 2nd with a draw, and are out with a loss and a T&T win with a combined margin of 4 or more (or 3, depending on the scores)

Group C
Argentina and the Netherlands are through. Netherlands needs to win to win the group, draw means Argentina win on goal difference.

Group D
Portugal are through and win the group with a win or tie vs. Mexico
Mexico win the group with a win, take 2nd with a draw, and are out with a loss and an Angola win with a combined margin of 4 or more (or 3, depending on the scores)

Group E
This one is complicated. Italy, the Czechs and Ghana are all through with a win.
Italy wins the group with either a win, or a draw combined with Ghana not winning. The Czechs win the group with a win combined with Ghana not winning by a larger margin. Ghana wins the group with a win and either a draw or a Czech win by a smaller margin.

Now, for the U.S. to qualify...well first of all, just win (vs. Ghana) baby, and then one of

1. Italy defeats the Czech Republic.

2. Italy ties the Czech Republic 0-0 or 1-1 AND the United States beats Ghana by at least four goals.

3. Italy ties the Czech Republic 2-2 or with a higher score AND the United States beats Ghana by five or more goals.

4. Italy ties the Czech Republic 2-2 or with a higher score AND the United States beats Ghana by four goals AND the U.S. team scores at least three goals more than the Czechs do in their tie.

5. The Czech Republic beats Italy AND the total combined margin of victory for the Americans and Czechs is six or more.

6. The Czech Republic beats Italy AND the total combined margin of victory for the Americans and Czechs is five AND the U.S. team scores at least three goals more than the Italians do in their loss.

7. The Czech Republic beats Italy AND the total combined margin of victory for the Americans and Czechs is five AND the U.S. team scores exactly two more goals than the Italians do in their loss AND the Americans win a drawing of lots by FIFA.

Obviously, any scenario by which the U.S. advances also KO's Ghana. The scenarios involving an Italian win or tie KO the Czechs. The U.S. can win the group if they win by 5 and the Italians and Czechs tie.

Moving on.

Group F
Brazil are through and win the group with any result except a loss combined with an Australia win with a combined margin of 3+.

The Aussies are through with a win, or a draw and any result except a Japanese win by 3 (or by 2 if Japan scores 2 more in the win than Australia does in the draw)

Croatia is through with a win as long as Japan does not win by more than Croatia.

Japan is through with a win by 3+ goals and an Australia draw, or a win by more than Croatia beat Australia.

Group G
Switzerland are through with a win or a draw. They also advance if they lose and France does not beat Togo. They win the group with a win, or a draw a France winning by less than 2, or if France win by 2 and the Swiss score in their draw.

Soute Korea are through and win the group with a win. They are through with a draw or loss if France does not win. They advance with a draw and a France win if France only wins by one and scores no more than 1 more goal in their win as South Korea does in their draw.

France is through with a win by two or more, or with a win by one if they score 3 more goals in the win than S.K. does if they draw. They win the group if they win by 3 goals and a draw, or 2 goals if they score 2 more goals in their win than do Switzerland in drawing S.K. If France wins by one, scoring exactly 2 more goals in their win than does S.K. in a draw, I have no idea what happens. Coin flip?

Togo are out.

Group H
Spain are through and win the group with a win or tie or a loss combined with a Ukraine loss or tie. They also win the group with a loss and a Ukraine win with a combined margin of less than 6. If the margin is excatly 6, then it's total goals, I believe. If total goals are tied, Spain wins.

Ukraine are through with a win, or a draw and a Spain win or draw; or with a draw and Saudi Arabia beating Spain by less than 4.

Tunisia are through with a win by at worst 2 less than Saudi Arabia beats Spain (or obviously a draw or Spanish win).

Saudi Arabia are through if they beat Spain by at least 4 and a Tunisia win where S.A. wins by 3 more than does Tunisia (or by 2 more than Tunisia and the Saudis score 3 more than do Tunisia, if Saudi Arabia wins by 2 more and scores exactly two more, then it's a coinflip)

Predictions
I have no earthly idea what happens in Ecuador vs. Germany, so I'll punt, call it a draw and say Ecuador wins the group.

England and Sweden draw 0-0, but T&T lose to Paraguay so they both advance, England on top.

Argentina beats an understrength Holland to win the group.

Portugal and Mexico play to a desultory draw, both teams advancing.

US and Ghana tie 1-1, as do the Italians and the Czechs in a smelly match sending both the Italians and the Czechs through.

Brazil wins, finally turning on the style, Croatia can only manage a draw vs. the Aussies.

France carves Togo to pieces, the football gods being displeased with the attempted extortion at the World Cup. South Korea proves too fit for the Swiss winning on two late goals.

Spain pounds Saudi Arabia about 7-0, Tunisia has nothing in the tank and loses 2-0 the the revitalised Ukranians.

Giving final 16 pairings of my pick to win bolded
Ecuador - Sweden (Sweden has nothing, especially with Ibrahimovic probably out)
Argentina - Mexico (Mexico is aiiight, but Argentina still blows their doors off)
Italy - Croatia (1-1 on some janky scrambled, 90th minute Italian goal. Probably by f'in Inzaghi in his only action of the tourney. Italy then wins on Penalties)
South Korea - Ukraine (A brace from Schevchenko as class tells over industry.)
England - Germany (Rooney breaks his foot and the goal post on the last penalty)
Portugal - Netherlands (Figo runs out of gas, Robben outduels Ronaldo)
Brazil - Czech Republic (The real Ronaldinho stands up, scores one makes 2 more, fatbastrdo gets on the scoresheet. Finally.)
Spain - France (Zidane delivers his final masterpiece, Spain are, per usual overawed by the bigger stage)

QF
Ecuador - Argentina (Crashing down to earth)
Italy - Ukraine (Schevchenko brutally exterminated by 'crafty' Italian marking)
Netherlands - Germany (RUUUUUUUUD gets the better of the wobbly center of the German defense)
Brazil - France (Finally on form, Brazil carves the aged French to pieces)

SF
Argentina - Italy (Playing against a foe who can be equally as cynical, dramatic and dirty, the Italians lack of real class is brutally exposed.)
Netherlands - Brazil (Holland mainly happy to have gotten this far with their young team, Brazil fully in exhibition mode)

3rd place!!!!
Netherlands by about 30 over the couldn't give a shit Italians

Final
Vamos a Argentina - South American grudge match with the Argentinians' greater toughness and organization winning a game that is uglier than it might have been.