Mike's Final World Cup Preview: The Knockout

Alright, my soothsaying and bone-rolling has produced the results of how I think the group stages of the World Cup will end. If you didn't finish first or second in your group, you are out of luck, and if you lost on a tiebreaker like goal differential, then life just plain sucks for you. With that being said, here's how the bracket WOULD shape out IF this blog's token niche sport blogger is right.

Group stage Finals
A: Germany, Poland
B: Sweden, England
C: Holland, Ivory Coast
D: Portugal, Mexico
E: Czech Republic, United States
F: Brazil, Croatia
G: France, Switzerland
H: Ukraine, Tunisia

Based on these results, the left side of the bracket would be
Germany vs. England
- If any team can beat Germany, it's England, but I like the Germans at home.
Holland vs. Mexico
- El Tri chronically underachieves in the knockout rounds (see: 2002)
Czech Republic vs. Croatia
- A tough match, but the Czechs are just too much of an offensive machine to stop.
France vs. Tunisia
- I'd say Les Bleus are a shoo-in, but the French as a people don't really have a lot of luck against North African upstarts. I like the idea of an upset here...

The right side of the bracket would be
Sweden vs. Poland
- Sweden. In a rout.
Portugal vs. Ivory Coast
- Portugal ends the cinderella run of the war-torn West Africans.
Brazil vs. United States
- This is why it is imperative that the US win their group. If the US plays Croatia, I am convinced they can win, or at least have a better shot at winning than against Brazil. I gotta pick the Brazilians here...hopefully the Stars and Stripes can keep it close.
Ukraine vs. Switzerland
I'm going to pick the Swiss as my upset specials this round. After Schevchecnko, the Ukranians don't really have anyone of note.

Quarterfinals
Germany vs. Holland
- Holland. Book them.
Czech Republic vs. Tunisia
- Tunisia's fairy-tale run comes to an end against the juggernaut Czechs, but they'll keep it close.
Sweden vs. Portugal
- I still like Sweden.
Brazil vs. Switzerland
- Brazil. No explanation necessary.

Semifinals
Holland vs. Czech Republic
-Holland overcomes years of frustration to reach the Final in Berlin.
Sweden vs. Brazil
Brazil is obviously the favorite to win the tournament, however, the last time a non-European team won a World Cup on European soil was Brazil.....in 1958! One could argue the field at Germany 2006 is a lot deeper than Sweden '58, which is why I'm picking the Upset of the tournament as Sweden knocks off Brazil in a 1-1 game decided on PKs.....just a hunch.

Third-place
Czech Republic vs. Brazil
-Brazil, but no one really cares. Players are all assigned personal bodyguards for return trip back home.

Final
Sweden vs. Holland
The Dutch paint the town Oranj.