Game 1:  Netherlands 2 : 1 Slovakia

• Netherlands: Great passing game as always from the Oranje, the attacking line of Sneijder, Van Persie, Robben and Kuyt has shown that they have great chemistry together. Robben’s comeback was a great help, and if he is healthy, the Dutch are on another level. The only nagging question about this team is whether their defense will hold up against a powerful attack. It looked shaky at times today, and for example while playing Russia in Euro 2008, so playing against Brazil should be a great test.

• Slovakia: A very disciplined team, they had some chances in the game which they couldn’t convert, but the team will only keep growing. The main problem was that playmaker Marek Hamšík was always covered, making it hard to string together a lot of plays. Going forward however, they have a team that should be feared. Róbert Vittek has proven himself as a legitimate goalscorer and their 3 upcoming stars in Hamšík, Weiss and Stoch are all under 23 years of age.

Game 2:  Brazil 3 : 0 Chile

• Brazil: Great performance as usual from Brazil, they truly are one of the most balanced teams in the tournament. They have a great defense/goalkeeper, as well as the ability to score in a variety of ways. As shown today with Juan, they are very dangerous on set-pieces, as they have a lot of tall and powerful players (Juan, Lúcio, Fabiano) to score from them. With Robinho’s pace, Brazil is very dangerous on counter-attacks and Kaká’s ability to create goals out of nothing makes them almost impossible to guard. Their only weaknesses seem to be too much dribbling at times, and relaxing when they have a lead. Needless to say, Brazil’s game against the Netherlands should be one of the most exciting matches of the tournament.

• Chile: Did a good job of trying to stand toe-to-toe with Brazil, but in the end  just like most teams, they just didn’t have enough. The attackers were marked tight, and while Sánchez tried to dribble a lot, it didn’t really lead anywhere. They had a few half chances, but nothing too special, though their play kept improving throughout the game . Overall though just like Slovakia, this is a team full of young stars, and with Sánchez and Isla under 23 years of age, their future is bright.