Football 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa - England draw America for comfortable first round
Last updated 05/12/2009 09:35:49
Football 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Draw
Not even the stone faced Fabio Capello could hide his delight when England were presented with the ideal first round draw for the World Cup Finals which begin in South Africa in June.
Capello, along with every optimist in the country, will be breathing a sigh of delight after the team were paired with the United States, Algeria and Slovenia.
This was no group of death, in fact the groups were incredibly even, but England know that their draw is stiff enough so that they are not complacent and strong enough for them to build the necessary momentum if they are to go all the way to the final.
Even the bookmakers were beginning to believe a little more in Capello's team for qualification in first place, the immediate target, will mean a knock out time against second place in Group D, headed by Germany with Australia, Ghana and Serbia.
The Germans are always a danger in any knock out competition but they are not at their strongest at the moment and will be concentrating on coming through their group rather than trying to work out who they want to meet in the next round.
Inevitably England drawing the US will arouse memories of Bella Horizonte back in 1950 when a team of expats beat a very strong England team in one of the great flukes and upsets in football.
It is also worth remembering that it was the Americans who ended European Champions' Spain's 35 match unbeaten run in the Confederation Cup.
These days the Americans are far better know, have a team of players who perform in the top Leagues of Europe, a team always difficult to break down and beat, although Capello's team did just that a couple of years ago and also beat Slovenia in a much tighter match.
Algeria are Africa's weakest side at the tournament but their results in qualifying were good enough to suggest they will make England flex their muscles to beat them.
There are no walkovers in the group but it is one which England should top with maximum points.
Their opening game will be against the Americans in Rustenburg and that means that not only have England the opponents they want but also the area where they wanted to play, close to their desired base.
England and Italy, who drew New Zealand, Paraguay and Slovakia, have the most comfortable draws while hosts South Africa have one of the toughest, having to face Mexico, Uruguay and France in Group A. Much will depend on the unpredictable form of the French who struggled to reach the finals but, from a distance, it looks as though the Bfana Bfana have a tough ask on their hands.
The same might be said in Group B where Argentina, normally so consistent and with some of the world' best players on call, are not a great team under the management of Diego Maradona and their opponents South Korea, Nigeria and Greece will fancy their chances after watching the Argentineans struggle to qualify in the South American group.
Group E, with Holland, Japan, Cameroon and Denmark, will produce interesting games with the Dutch strong favourites, while Spain will be odds on to come through on top of Group H against Honduras, Chile and Switzerland.
But, perhaps, the most glamorous group is G where the favourites Brazil will meet the soul brothers from Portugal, the powerful Africans from the Ivory Coast and little known North Korea.
Much, of course, can change between now and June with injuries and loss of form but there will be growing confidence in England that this, at last, could be the moment. 1966 and all that!
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