World Cup Update, June 23

Yesterday's Results:
Belgium 1, Russia 0
Algeria 4, South Korea 2
United States 2, Portugal 2

Three thoughts on the games
- Belgium entered this tournament as a dark-horse candidate to go deep into the tournament. This despite being one of the youngest teams in Brazil. Their collection of individual talent is not in question, but their ability to put it together into at least the sum of their parts is. This is now two straight games that a) they've won, but b) haven't looked at all threatening in doing so.

- I had no idea Algeria was capable of a multi-goal output, kudos to them. To be fair, South Korea's keeper had a very large hand in many of those goals.

- I'm still stewing about the US-Portugal result, I will have my thoughts on the game a little later today.

Today's Games: 
note, all games are available streaming on ESPN3/the WatchESPN app
Australia vs Spain (12:00 PM, ESPN2)
Netherlands vs Chile (12:00 PM, ESPN)

Notes: Netherlands and Chile are both advancing, the only question is who's first out of the group and who's second. The Netherlands wins the group with a win or a draw. Chile wins the group with a win.

Cameroon vs Brazil (4:00 PM, ESPN2)
Croatia vs Mexico (4:00 PM, ESPN)

Notes:
Brazil advances with

• a win
• a draw

Brazil wins the group with

• a win
• a draw AND a Croatia-Mexico draw

Mexico advances with

• a win 
• a draw 

Mexico wins the group with

• a win AND a Brazil loss/draw
• a draw and a Brazil loss

Croatia advances with

• a win 
• a draw AND a Brazil loss

Croatia wins the group with

• a win AND a Brazil loss/draw

Updated Tables
A reminder: the number in parentheses next to each team name is the latest FIFA World Ranking.

Qualified for Knockout Round: Netherlands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, France, Argentina, Belgium
Eliminated from the Knockout Round: Cameroon, Australia, Spain, England, Honduras, Bosnia-Herzegovina

GROUP A
TEAM	GP	W	D	L	GD	GF	GA	PTS
Brazil (3)	2	1	1	0	2	3	1	4
Mexico (20)	2	1	1	0	1	1	0	4
Croatia (18)	2	1	0	1	2	5	3	3
Cameroon (56)	2	0	0	2	-5	0	5	0
GROUP B
TEAM	GP	W	D	L	GD	GF	GA	PTS
Netherlands (15)	2	2	0	0	5	8	3	6
Chile (14)	2	2	0	0	4	5	1	6
Australia (62)	2	0	0	2	-3	3	6	0
Spain (1)	2	0	0	2	-6	1	7	0
GROUP C
TEAM	GP	W	D	L	GD	GF	GA	PTS
Colombia (8)	2	2	0	0	4	5	1	6
Ivory Coast (23)	2	1	0	1	0	3	3	3
Japan (46)	2	0	1	1	-1	1	2	1
Greece (12)	2	0	1	1	-3	0	3	1
GROUP D
TEAM	GP	W	D	L	GD	GF	GA	PTS
Costa Rica (28)	2	2	0	0	3	4	1	6
Italy (9)	2	1	0	1	0	2	2	3
Uruguay (7)	2	1	0	1	-1	3	4	3
England (10)	2	0	0	2	-2	2	4	0
GROUP E
TEAM	GP	W	D	L	GD	GF	GA	PTS
France (17)	2	2	0	0	6	8	2	6
Ecuador (26)	2	1	0	1	0	3	3	3
Switzerland (6)	2	1	0	1	-2	4	6	3
Honduras (33)	2	0	0	2	-4	1	5	0
GROUP F
TEAM	GP	W	D	L	GD	GF	GA	PTS
Argentina (5)	2	2	0	0	2	3	1	6
Nigeria (44)	2	1	1	0	1	1	0	4
Iran (43)	2	0	1	1	-1	0	1	1
Bosnia-Herzegovina (21)	2	0	0	2	-2	1	3	0
GROUP G
TEAM	GP	W	D	L	GD	GF	GA	PTS
Germany (2)	2	1	1	0	4	6	2	4
United States (13)	2	1	1	0	1	4	3	4
Ghana (37)	2	0	1	1	-1	3	4	1
Portugal (4)	2	0	1	1	-4	2	6	1
GROUP H
TEAM	GP	W	D	L	GD	GF	GA	PTS
Belgium (11)	2	2	0	0	2	3	1	6
Algeria (22)	2	1	0	1	1	5	4	3
Russia (19)	2	0	1	1	-1	1	2	1
South Korea (57)	2	0	1	1	-2	3	5	1