The World Cup 2010 schedule will look different for a while. Today, the World Cup 2010 schedule has simultaneous World Cup games for the first time, which will go on for the next four days. From today to Friday, two matches each will go on at 10 a.m. est and end at 2:30 p.m., to set things up for the knockout round. Each group will determine its destiny at the same time, as only 16 nations can go at the end of it all. This change in the World Cup 2010 schedule comes at a fitting time, since this tournament is actually halfway over now.
Although the first round isn’t over yet, the tournament is halfway done in terms of matches. Now that each nation has played two games, the World Cup 2010 schedule has gone through 32 matches. There are 64 overall in the tournament, which makes it 50 percent over.
The final 16 matches of the first round are scheduled in a different fashion than usual. Instead of having a game at 7:30 a.m., 10 a.m., and 2:30 p.m., the World Cup 2010 schedule now has two matches at 10 and two at 2:30. This makes it so each group will determine its final standings at the same time.
This morning, Group A held their final matches starting at 10 a.m., with Mexico vs Uruguay and France vs South Africa. By noon, everyone will know which two teams will advance from Group A, with Group B to determine its final order this afternoon. After today’s World Cup matches, not only will the knockout stage have its first four teams, but the first second round matchups will be determined as well.
The Uruguay vs Mexico match will determine the Group A champion, who will start the World Cup 2010 schedule for round two on Saturday, against the Group B runner-up. That team will either be Greece or South Korea, as Group B champion Argentina would play on Sunday against the Group A runner-up.
With those second round matchups settled today, the World Cup 2010 schedule would then set the other matches in stone, from tomorrow to Friday. Group C will hold its last games tomorrow morning, as America, England, Slovenia and Algeria fight for their two spots. Group D’s teams will play tomorrow afternoon, as Ghana, Germany and Serbia fight for crucial points.
Thursday has the Group E teams playing one last time in the morning, with Group F wrapping up that afternoon. Friday is the last day of the first round, as Groups G and H settle their standings. Afterward, the 48 matches of the first round will be over, and only 16 will remain to determine a champion.
The most thrilling days on the World Cup 2010 schedule might be this week, as scoreboard watching, goal difference stats, and simultaneous action close round one. Afterward, it’s all sudden-death from here on in.
Sources
Yahoo Sports- “Matches and Schedule”
