Week 1 round-up and verdict

Loretta:

FIFA World Cup 2010 -- opening night would prove to be an indication of what was to follow with both South Africa Vs. Mexico and Uruguay Vs. France ending in draws -- about a third of all matches have ended the same way. Uruguay upped their game in the next match earning 3 points to put them at the top of the group with Diego Forlan in the running for the Golden Boot; Forlan is currently second only to Argentina’s Huguain who scored a hat trick against South Korea.

South Korea provided a strong start for the continent with a 2-0 win over Greece while Japan added to Asian accomplishment s with a 1-0 win again Cameroon. North Korea scored against Brazil but failed to draw; Still, the team was most impressive with an almost impenetrable defence.

Adding to the World Cup thrillers, New Zealand equalised with Slovakia with literally seconds to spare in the 3rd minute of extra time. Another shocker was Spain’s 1-0 loss to Switzerland, which has left the tournament favourites pointless in Group G.

With two more matches to go, favourites Spain and Portugal need to win to qualify for the next round. Germany and Argentina are both setting fire to the field, set to stay confidently ahead in their groups.  Expectations for this year’s key strikers such as Ronaldo, Rooney (aobve, right) and Drogba continue to run high, although nothing spectacular has yet been seen.

Best Team

Gone are the glorious days of Oliver Kahn and Jens Lehmann. Michael Ballack is out and Miroslav Klose is getting old. Germany, however, still tops the list as most impressive team in the World Cup so far. With a phenomenal win in their first match against Australia, the Germans evenly paced themselves with success -- 4 goals from 4 players, 2 in the first half and 2 in the second.

Lukas Podolski and Germany: Blowing hot and cold?

With Midfielder Mesut Ozil’s tactical offence and Klose’s experience in scoring goals in the World Cup -- he’s 4 goals away from Ronaldo’s record of 15 -- and an unbreakable flair and pace throughout the German side, things look set to be uphill from here for Deutschland.

Update: OK, so the usually reliable German machine faltered against a resilient Serbian side, eventually losing 0-1. And chief striker Miroslav Klose will miss the next game after his red card. Still, would you bet against the Germans to NOT qualify for the second round?

Worst Team

Never mind the fact that the Socceroos, as they are called, conceded 4 goals to Germany but the Australian team made a severely disappointing World Cup debut with poor performance and sportsmanship. Tim Cahill’s red card was undeserved, but a 10-men team was a contributing, not determining factor in Australia’s game as two goals had already been conceded prior to this. So far it has been frustration and dismay for Socceroo fans but perhaps they will see an improvement over the next two matches.

Update: Gaining a point with Ghana, Australia proved what they were made of with a 1-1 draw despite Harry Kewell being sent off due to an accidental handball. The Socceroos remain at the bottom of the group but based on their most recent game, the boys from down under are kicking back with a fighting chance of making it to the next round.

Kopi Tarik Award for Best Player of the Week

With too many draws and not enough goals, World Cup 2010 has been all about the goalkeepers. While Germany’s Manuel Neuer deserves a mention for a stellar performance against Australia, especially given Germany’s forward-focused team, it is Nigeria’s Vincent Enyeama who stands out as a top goalie so far. Despite losing against Greece (2-1) and Argentina (1-0), even the Argentinians have conceded that without Enyeama’s world-class performance, the margin would have been very much wider.

Update: After all his great work in the opening game, Mr Enyeama and friends might still end up on the next flight to Lagos after losing their grip on the match against Greece.  After taking the lead, the Nigerians succumbed to two very soft goals, ending the match as losers.

Kopi Peng Award for Worst Player of the Week

It might be unfair to name England’s goalkeeper Robert Green as the worst player so far. But given his agonising blunder that led to England’s draw against the USA, Mr Green is the first name that comes to mind. He did make some important saves later but after that grave mistake -- probably the biggest face-palm moment in the World Cup yet -- none of them matters when England has lost 2 points.

Sharyl:

The 2010 FIFA World Cup has started off with a whimper.

Low scoring games, with the exception of Germany, who in truth, played a much inferior team anyway, and players who were expected to set the tournament on fire were lukewarm at best. Starlets like Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo both laboured through their opening matches as both England and Portugal only managed to draw their opening games.

Les Blues (France) were toothless in attack, despite being rather long in the teeth, while the Azzurris (Italy) huffed and puffed through their opening match like a 60-year-old trying to keep up with his grandchild.

Things have not been going well for the traditional European powerhouses of world football, and some of the African and Asian teams are showing that they are no pushovers on the global stage. Ivory Coast gave a good performace against Portugal, effectively snuffing out their dangerous threat in Ronaldo, and the precise-like-a-predator-drone passing of Deco. And South Korea taught Greece a good footballing lesson. Nigeria also played heroically under the spell of midfield wizard Lionel Messi, and kept the scoreline to a respectable 1-0.

The Netherlands, despite not playing up to their full potential, and missing the penetrative qualities of winger Arjen Robben, still managed to squeeze a victory against the Danes. Critics are divided though, as to whether the Dutch actually struggled, or if the Oranje deliberately played out the match in third gear.

Brazil also struggled to impose themselves against a spirited North Korean side It seems that Brazilian coach Dunga, is trying to build his team around star player Kaka, but Kaka, seems to be having difficulty carrying the team. Nevertheless, managing to eke out a 2-1 victory, Brazil can only improve.

Best Team

South Korea has won me over again after their dismantling of former European champions Greece. Tough, speedy and disciplined, the South Koreans showed the world that their exploits in the 2002 World Cup were not just a flash on the pan.

Update: The South Koreans opted for an open game against Argentina and paid the price. Despite the efforts and boundless energy, the Korens were eventually outclassed by Lionel Messi anc Company, losing  1-4. I'm hoping for Korean revival in the next match against Nigeria.

Worst Team

This “honour” goes to France. Toothless in attack and lacking in imagination, France’s reported off-the-pitch problems has not helped in their campaign especially with the players’ public criticism of coach Raymond Domenech.

Update: OK England's getting to be pretty bad after two insipid draws.  But my verdict stays as France's mounting off-the-pitch issues threaten to derail the team's World Cup campaign. Recent reports revealed inter-squad squabbles, which resultted in the booting of striker Nicolas Anelka and several players refusing to attend training.

Kopi Tarik Award for Best Player of the Week

Blessed with the agility of an acrobat, Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama single-handedly kept the Argentine’s at bay. Apart from the solitary goal by Gabriel Heinze, Enyeama’s acrobatics have denied world class players like Messi, and his control of the area has been impeccable. There is little doubt, if any, that he is the best player thus far, and deserving the Kopi Tarik Award for Best Player.

Update: See Loretta's update.

Kopi Peng Award for Worst Player of the Week

I’ll argue that the worst “player” on the pitch is not technically a player. Actually it is not even human. The worst “player” of the 2010 FIFA World Cup thus far has been the Jabulani ball (picture, below).

Bola Gila (Crazy Ball) indeed: Adidas' much-maligned Jabulani soccer ball

Despite being tested by adidas -- the ball’s designer and manufacturer -- at Loughborough University, the Jabulani has been criticized by coaches and player alike. They have cited its unpredictability in flight as one of the main reasons why, according to England coach Fabio Capello, it is “the worst ball that I have seen in my life.”

Loretta:

Drink Up!

If your throat needs a break after excessive cheering or you need a pick-me-up after mourning the fall of your favourite team, it’s time for Africa. Singapore Kopitiam has created 6 new cocktails based on the colours of the South African flag: Red, blue, green, white, yellow and black.

Hear the verdict on these drinks from a panel of Singapore Kopitiam kakis and learn how to make them yourself here!

Permission to Spend!

This year’s Great Singapore Sale (GSS) coincides with the FIFA World Cup, providing the perfect excuse to shop in the spirit of the season. Treat yourself to some great buys as you add fuel to your football fever.

Quirky iPhone casings are just some of the items featured in the Great Singapore Sale

From classy team jackets to quirky iPhone casings, there's plenty of stuff you can buy to add spice to this World Cup season. Check out some of the great items on sale here!

Up next: A look at some of the weirdest rituals people do during the World Cup season. Also, we demystify some myths associated with football's biggest tournament.

With her first clear memory of the world cup as recent as 1998 when she was just 10, Loretta has eagerly awaited every FIFA World Cup since. While she still shudders at the recollection of 2006’s England-Portugal Quarter Final, the (relatively) long-term supporter hopes, prays and imagines only good things for both her teams.

Blessed with Wayne Rooney’s looks, and with the piercing gaze ala Pierluigi Collina, Sharyl Lidzhan first experienced football during the FIFA World Cup in 1986, Sharyl’s passion for football was cemented during the 1988 European Championships . He still remembers the countless hours spent on the football pitch trying to emulate Marco Van Basten’s wonder goal against the Soviet Union during that tournament.