A Couple Of Surprises...

Japan and Paraguay raised a few eyebrows in the world of football yesterday. Of course I don't mean they physically went up to sleeping folk and jokingly giggled away with their team-mates while pushing random people’s eyebrows up and down. I mean, they seriously managed to surprise a few of us out there.

Firstly, Japan won their first World Cup match off of home soil. Well done! Maybe they carried some soil with them to South Africa as a kind of good luck thing... then again, maybe not. Who knows?!

In a match that the critics described as 'tepid', there wasn't really too much to shout about really. It was a match of 'firsts', however, as Keisuke Honda became the first ever football player with the same name as a car and bike manufacturer's to score a goal (please correct me if I'm wrong here!) and I wouldn't be surprised if Honda's sales have increased in some random parts of the world as a result!

The game was also a ‘first’ in that it was the first time that Cameroon had lost it's opening game in a World Cup competition. To be honest, they probably deserved at least a draw and had Stéphane Mbia's rocket-of-a-shot gone in and not just almost destroyed the cross bar, then I wouldn't have begrudged them a win. Still, it wasn't to be and now, rather shockingly, The Blue Samurai's have joined The Netherlands at the top of group E.

The Dutch - my bet for this year's WC - came out on top against a steely Danish side which seemed out to defend rather than do anything else really. You'd have to say that it was a deserved win but, without Robben out there, they did look like they lacked something.

Everyone had to wait till just after half time for a goal and it came in the form of a bizzare own goal by Daniel Agger. A bit of a mix-up in the box saw - Poulsen, arguably Denmark's best player - head back across his goal only for the ball to hit Agger on the back on bounce clear of Sorensen and into the back of the net. Strange things happen in football.

The game opened up a little after that but the Danes never really threatened with Bentner, their most dangerous player up front, playing too much on his own. They did start to have a little more possession but then the Dutch brought on young winger Elija for his WC debut and he certainly turned the game around again.

His pace down the left caused all sorts of trouble and late on, when put through, was unfortunate only to watch his shot come back off the post. Luckily for him and the Dutch though, Dirk Kuyt was on hand to convert a simple knock-in and put the game to bed.

And then... The Italians. A little surprisingly, the current WC champions are only 16-1 on to retain their trophy but many believe they are just too old this year with 5 players in this game's line-up having played in the final 4 years ago. It seemed to show too, as they struggled to come back and salvage a point against a lackluster and not-very-creative Paraguayan side.

The Azzurri were the dominant side though. They controlled possession well and always looked to pressure their opponents. Paraguay, however, kept their shape very well and always seemed to have the Italians at an arms length.

The game, therefore, was a bit of bore draw. In fact, most of the time it was more enjoyable spotting some of the lovely looking Italian lady fans in the crowd, blowing kisses at their adored players, then watching the match itself!

Still, there was no upset today and it looks like, if Andrea Pirlo comes back soon, they should make it comfortably through this group.