World Cup Update - onto the Quarter Finals

No great shocks in the first stage of knockout matches, unless you count officials missing blatantly obvious calls. Only top seeded team after the group stages to fall was the US, after they ran out of steam against a fairly impressive Ghana team who continue to wave the flag for the African continent. The Germans made the most of some appalling officiating to put the English to the sword 4-1. All the other pre-tourney favorites had fairly comfortable games - Brazil, Holland, Spain, Argentina all meeting little resistance. The one nail-biter ended up being the penalty shootout between Paraguay and Japan, after a truly dull 120 minutes of football. The South Americans gave a clinic on how to take a good spot kick, and won out 5-3. Now the juicy ties are with us...Argentina face Germany in a repeat of the 1986 final, and the 2006 tie that ended with a fight on the pitch after the game; Uruguay have a great chance to reach the last 4 for the first time in over 50 years when they face Ghana; and Brazil and Holland meet in what looks like being the tie of the round. Less games left, more quality on display...should be a cracking last 8 games...