MINNEAPOLIS, MN (smt) -- E2-Ghana (2-1-0) continued their magical run by holding off a listless E3-USA (0-2-1) team, 2-1, with a benefit of a ticky-tack PK call. The USA had destiny in their hands as E1-Italy (2-0-1) easily took care of E4-Czech Republic (1-2-0), 2-0, ending what was a promising start for the WC for CZE. F4-Japan (0-2-1) made things interesting scoring first, but F1-Brazil (3-0-0) was never really in trouble and scored the last four goals. F3-Australia (1-1-1) rallied twice to tie F2-Croatia (0-1-2) sending the Socceroos into the R16, the first Oceania (and possibly last, since AUS is now in the Asian Football Confederation) team to qualify.

On Thursday, all four European teams won with shutouts. H1-Spain (3-0-0) cruised to their 7th straight RR win and 25th straight match without a loss (overall). ESP's 1-0 win over H4-Saudi Arabia (0-2-1) was the first time in their last 7 RR matches they did not score at least 3 goals. H2-Ukraine (2-1-0) took advantage of a questionable PK to outlast H3-Tunisia (0-2-1), 1-0, and finished 2nd in Group H. Well, G1-France (1-0-2) pulled it off getting a 2-0 win over already eliminated G4-Togo (0-3-0) and advanced to the R16 but as the second place finisher. G2-Switzerland (2-0-1) is the surprising Group G winner after beating G3-Korea Republic (1-1-1), 2-0. Both Group G games were 2-0 and both Group H games were 1-0. KOR was the only team with 4 or more points to not make the R16.

PAOLO ROSSI (76 pts) regains first with a record 34 (of 37) RR wins. But 16 others are within 10 pts. Five got 14 R16 teams correct (including yours truly, FUTBOL FABONE (4th-Tied, 73) and not surprisingly they comprise the top 5 picks just 3 pts apart. But it's still early.

GHA's surprise entry into the R16 snapped ROSSI and MR. WONDERFUL's shot of a perfect R16. Just two picked GHA to beat the USA and make the R16 (go ahead and bow, SALSAKING (7th, 70) and MIREAL (44th, 28)). Just 13 thought the Aussies would advance to the R16 and only 17 nailed SUI. Four actually picked a ESP-FRA R16 matchup, a pretty nifty feat. While most have both ESP and FRA going to the Quarterfinals, we now know only one can do it. And that's the lovely thing about the pool. You don't lose points for picking FRA 1st instead of 2nd but eventually it'll mess up your bracket (e.g., FRA-ESP).

Okay, with 44 entries (from 23 last time), the calculating of possible outcomes is almost crashing my computer. I definitely need to write more efficient code, but it finally spit out the answer we are waiting for. Just four entries have no chance of finishing in the money, which is pretty good. The bad part is Lisa M lost both of her entries (MIREAL and SNOWINLA (31st-T, 58))! CHERNUNDOLO (31st-T, 58) and RGLORI (43rd, 46) are also eliminated. Just 28 still have a chance for the $220 1st Place prize. SALSAKING has the best chance for 1st (15.6%) while THE MIGHTY MOBELFAKTA (3rd, 74) has the best chance for any money (39.4%). The longshot would be ISH (37th-T, 56) who has a 5 in 32,568 chance of winning any money. ESTEBAN Y ALEXI (52) sits 3rd to last but still has a chance for 1st (0.1%)! On the flip side, HOFBRAU FUTBOL (72) sits in 6th just 4 pts from first place but can't finish higher than 2nd place because he has the exact picks (from now on) as THE MM who is two points above him in the standings. Exciting times ahead.

CONCACRAP: CONCACAF teams went 0-4-0 in their last games and did the worst of all the confederations, going 1-8-3... The AFC (Asia) went 1-7-4 but didn't qualify any teams to the R16 (at least MEX made it)... CAF (Africa) went 3-9-3 sending GHA into the R16 while OFC (Oceania) qualified their lone rep (AUS)... Of course, UEFA dominated with just SCG failing to earn a point... The 14 UEFA teams went 23-9-10 and qualified 10 teams to the R16... CONMEBOL (South America) did very well, qualifying 3 of their 4 teams for a 8-3-1 record

CONCACRAP II: In addition to sending our American players abroad because MLS competition just isn't cutting it, why doesn't the USA switch from CONCACAF to CONMEBOL for better competition? If AUS can move from OFC to AFC...

GOOD/BAD NEWS: The good news is that USA didn't finish dead last like in 1998, tying for 25th... the bad news is they tied with nemesis IRN... SCG, playing in the Group of Death, finished dead last with zero points and a -8 GD

SCORELESS: ANG went through a record 236 minutes before either their opponent or themselves scored a goal... ANG's goal in the 60th minute of their 3rd match was the first goal scored in their game since the 4th minute of their first match (scored by POR)... SUI is the only team to not give up a goal (well maybe ITA, who didn't give up a goal by an opponent (only GA was an own goal v USA)... TRI was the only side to not score a goal

GREAT START BAD FINISH: JPN lost 2 games after scoring the first goal of the match... SCG was the only team to blow a 2-goal lead (and lost)

VICE VERSA: UKR and GHA became just the 2nd & 3rd teams in the past 36 to qualify for the R16 after losing its first match (UKR by 4 goals!)

COINCIDENCE?: In addition, UKR and GHA were the only teams (of 7) to qualify for the R16 in their first WC

USA WC 1990-2006: All-time Round Robin (2-10-3); overall (3-11-3)... U.S. record when opponent scores in 1st half (0-10-2)... when U.S. doesn't score in the 1st half (0-10-0)... team who has scored in the first 40 minutes (12-0-1) - USA-ITA first game where both teams scored in first 40 minutes and thus does not count... vs. European teams in Europe (0-6-1) (0-8-1 all-time v UEFA teams in WC)... vs. any team in Europe (0-8-1)

WC STATS: 48 matches (11 ties)... 117 goals (2.44 per game)... 18 Red Cards (4-TRI, 14-TOG, 15-UKR, 17-POL, 21-SCG, 22-ANG, 25-ITA, 25-USA(2), 26-CZE, 39-MEX, 38-SCG, 38-CIV, 41-CZE, 44-CRO(2), 44-AUS, 48-TUN); team with advantage (13 goals, 0 against)... 12 PKs (9/12) (15-ESP (G), 24-POR (G), 26-GHA (LP), 28-CRO (S), 31-ESP (G), 39-POR (G), 39-MEX(H), 38-CIV(G), 38-CIV(G), 42-GHA(G), 44-AUS(G), 48-UKR(G))... Scoring first: 31-6-6 (12-JPN, 14-TOG, 31-TUN, 34-CRC, 38-SCG, 43-JPN)... Shutouts: 34 (5 0:0 ties)... Leading at the half: 23-4-3 (12-JPN, 14-TOG, 31-TUN, 38-SCG)... Both teams scoring in the first half: 10 (1-GER-CRC 2:1, 7-MEX-IRN 1:1, 25-ITA-USA 1:1, 22-NED-CIV 2:1, 34-CRC-POL 1:1, 39-POR-MEX 2:1, 38-CIV-SCG 1:2, 42-GHA-USA 2:1, 43-JPN-BRA 1:1, 44-CRO-AUS 1:1)... Own goals: 3 (3-PAR, 25-ITA, 36-TRI)