An entire nation, and then quite a bit more, will wait with baited breath as Brazil look to qualify from Group A, as Netherlands and Chile, two of the most impressive sides at this 2014 FIFA World Cup, slug it out for top position in Group B.
All of your Monday blues is likely to be driven away with the action that is in store, with the final two Group B clashes -- Netherlands vs Chile and Australia vs Spain – simultaneously kicking off the proceedings in Sao Paolo and Curitiba respectively.
Get ready to multi-task from Monday to Thursday, with the final group matches all set to be played together, ensuring there will be double the fun – not that it was really needed in this already fun-filled thrill-a-minute FIFA World Cup 2014.
Netherlands and Chile, after their demolition of Spain, will want to finish first in Group B to potentially avoid a clash with hosts Brazil, who do look like the favourites to take first place in Group A. The winner of Group B will take on the second-placed team in Group A, which, if Brazil finish first as expected, will be one of Mexico or Croatia.
Both Holland and Chile will be confident of negotiating their way past those opponents, considering the tremendous form they have shown at this tournament already.
None of the above mentioned teams will be particularly keen on facing either of the two Group B toppers either, so it will be interesting to see how the evening pans out, with Brazil taking on Cameroon in their final Group A game, while Mexico and Croatia go head-to-head a little after the two Group B encounters.
Who would have thought Spain would be playing a dead rubber against Australia in their final Group B match – not because they have already sealed their place in the last 16, which would have been an extremely likely scenario at the start of the tournament, but because they have already been knocked out of the World Cup.
However, Spain will want to put on some kind of show for their fans and bow out with a win, but in Australia they will be up against a side that have played extremely well, and were quite unlucky to lose both their games so far.
After the Group B standings will be done and dusted, Brazil and the other three teams from Group A will grab the spotlight. Brazil have been far from impressive in this tournament so far, scraping past Croatia thanks to a dodgy penalty decision in their opener, before being held to a goalless draw by Mexico.
Cameroon, though, have been quite poor at this World Cup, and Brazil should be able to negotiate their way past the African side – but the home crowd in Brasilia will not only be expecting a win, they will also want that win to come with some panache.
Rounding off the action will be the crucial encounter between Croatia and Cameroon which is likely to decide the second team to qualify into the pre-quarterfinals from Group A. Mexico, like Brazil have four points, while Croatia have three. Mexico will move into the knockout rounds with just a draw, but Croatia need all three points, which should make for some great viewing.
FIFA World Cup Schedule:
Group B: Netherlands vs Chile, Arena Corinthians, Sao Paulo (1 pm local time, 9.30 pm IST (on Sony Pix in India), 5 pm BST, 12 pm ET)
Group B: Australia vs Spain, Arena Da Baixada, Curitiba (1 pm local time, 9.30 pm IST (on Sony Six in India), 5 pm BST, 12 pm ET)
Group A: Brazil vs Cameroon, Estadio Nacional, Brasilia (5 pm local time, 1.30 am IST (on Sony Six in India), 9 pm BST, 4 pm ET)
Group A: Croatia vs Mexico, Arena Pernambuco, Recife (5 pm local time, 1.30 am IST (on Sony Pix in India), 9 pm BST, 4 pm ET)
