Landon Donovan
“Another World Cup, another scenario in which the U.S. has its destiny in its own hands. The question is: Will the Americans seize the moment and advance to the knockout stage, or will they suffer an early exit for the second tournament running? The circumstances are simple: Beat Algeria and the U.S. is in the second round. Even a tie, combined with the right result from the England-Slovenia match, could allow the Americans to progress.” (ESPN)

Questions for Judgment Day
“My wife had a kid on Sunday. Day 10 of the World Cup. She thoughtfully waited until Brazil had swatted aside the Ivory Coast before looking over to me, bedraggled on the couch, and declaring “Ke nako” (it’s time, the official World Cup slogan). The birth of our child brought joy into a world that had been distinctly mirthless since Friday’s England-Algeria debacle, a 90-minute spectacle so unfathomably dire that I found myself accidentally cheering for the Desert Foxes at times and was overwhelmed with nostalgia for a return to the good old days of English footy, when Sven-Goran Eriksson was commanding at the helm, the WAGs added depth and seriousness to the news reporting from Germany, and a plethora of insightful autobiographies were released by the team’s leaders the moment they came home.” (ESPN)

Why the U.S. will win
“The task at foot against Algeria tomorrow is simple: win and the Americans are in. Win big, and they’re even likely to finish first in their group. (Plus, given their last match, it can’t hurt to load up on some spare goals in case a referee starts hallucinating in the penalty area.) And while I’m not dumping Gatorade on my Landon Donovan action figure just yet, here are five reasons why I’m keeping some on ice.” (ESPN)

Live From South Africa: How the English Hate Themselves
“Watching the dispirited, sad, frankly pathetic display the English team put on against Algeria, I couldn’t help but wonder what we can learn about this nation that once ruled the world. Over and over again they looked like over-privileged, over-priced, over-pampered aristocrats, with all the skill in the world, and absolutely no heart. It was like they never met each other. How do we explain how a team with some of the greatest players in the world, from a country that actually invented the game, could be so horrible?” (Huffington Post)

World Cup 2010: Stakes are high but we are not afraid, say Slovenians
“Fabio Capello sends his side out at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium tomorrow afternoon with his opposite number warning that, whereas Slovenia pinch themselves at being on the verge of the knockout phase, England’s weighty reputation demands they progress to the second round.” (Guardian)

World Cup 2010: Rooney hampered by fatigue and pressure, says Ferguson
“Sir Alex Ferguson has been so concerned about Wayne Rooney’s state of mind in the World Cup he has broken off from a holiday in France to ring the out-of-form striker and urge him not to succumb to what the Manchester United manager described as the ‘debilitating’ atmosphere in the England camp.” (Guardian)