World Cup Day 11: Holy goalfest Batman! Portugal turn it on

Day Eleven results

prediction: North Korea 0-1 Portugal - "Portugal are ... quite good"

result: North Korea 0-7 Portugal

Right result, wroooonnnnng score. Yep, that's right, seven goals. Three halves of stalwart defending (game v. Brazil plus first half here) is still quite respectable. We'll hear about this loss every time NK and the World Cup are mentioned together, but I don't think North Korea have anything to be ashamed of. Here's hoping the Great Leader agrees.* Portugal turned on the class in the second half and scored in bunches. C-Ron even scored an amusing goal after unknowingly bobbling the ball on his neck, back and head.

prediction: Chile 2-0 Switzerland - "Switzerland can't keep it up forever"

result: Chile 1-0 Switzerland

Right result, half-wrong score. I didn't know this, but Switzerland were on course to set the record for the longest time without conceding a goal in World Cup history, and they did it in the first half before Chile finally broke them down. A bit of a fortunate non-call for offside on the goal, but Chile deserved the win, helped on by a soft red card to Switzerland in the first half.

prediction: Honduras 0-2 Spain - "Spain will score goals"

result: Honduras 0-2 Spain

Right result, right score. Spain scored. That was more like it: flowing, attacking football leading to two nice goals. They didn't dominate like they can, and there are some serious questions marks over the head of Fernando Torres. So much for my "Fernando Torres will be the leading striker" prediction. He can't put a shot on net. Watch for a barnstormer against Chile in a few days. Spain need to win, Chile could lose or draw.

And that's 3 for 3 on the day for my predictions. Thank you, thank you. Back to .500 on the tourney.

Did you know?

Did you know that after France won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 they exited the 2002 World Cup after the group stage without scoring a single goal? They famously lost the opening game to Senegal, a former French colony.

Whoops. That wasn't part of the plan for the reigning

world and euro champions.

Contrast that with Switzerland, who didn't allow a single goal at the 2006 World Cup but were still eliminated in the Round of 16, going out on penalties to Ukraine.

* Apparently after a big loss to South Korea in 1994 Kim Jong Il refused to let the team play any international matches until 1999. What a dick.