Asamoah Gyan, Striker (Ghana vs Serbia)--Gyan was a real nuisance for a strong Serbian defense that features Man Utd's Nemanja Vidic. Gyan made good runs across the lines and held up play well when needed. Some dribbling runs ended with bad shots, but who didn't shoot poorly in the opening round. The Ghanaian striker hit a header off the post but was rewarded with a goal thanks to a well-taken penalty off of Kuzmanovic's inexplicably stupid handball to earn the Black Stars a win.
Eljero Elia, Left Wing (Netherlands vs Denmark)--Elia came in as a second half sub and instantly made an impact, turning two defenders and racing down the wing before crossing. Denmark's right flank had no answer for Elia's creativity and double teams were fruitless. His effort on goal from a Sneijder chipped through ball was unlucky to hit the upright but provided a tap in for everyone's "favorite" work horse, Dirk Kuyt.
Alexis Sanchez, Right Wing (Chile vs Honduras)--Sure, Honduras isn't exactly the world's best defense, but Sanchez was an absolute joy to watch on the ball, frequently taking on two, three, or even four defenders with aplomb. While he looked a little too Walcott-ish in front of goal and probably should have claimed a goal, Sanchez was quite dynamite and deserves a spot in the top XI.
Lionel Messi, Attacking Mid (Argentina vs Nigeria)--You had to know Messi would be on this list. Little Leo was up to his usual darting runs with the ball glued to his foot and was certainly the spark in the Argentina offense. Messi should have put one away, but a few efforts went tantalizingly wide and a few were heroically denied by Nigeria's keeper Vincent Enyeama.
Bastian Schweinsteiger, Center Mid (Germany destroys Australia)--In what was easily the most lopsided game, Schweini pulled the strings delightfully and made the center of the pitch his own. Ball control, pinpoint passing, and disrupting tackles were all on display from the German in their dismantling of the Socceroos that certainly made Aussie keeper Schwarzer want to die for real.
Gokhan Inler, Center Mid (Switzerland vs Spain)--Easily the biggest upset of the tournament so far, the Swiss held the Spaniards at bay and earned a win thanks to a perfect display of Route 1 football. Inler was instrumental in this victory, helping shield his defenders by making Xavi and Xabi Alonso pass the ball wide instead of up the middle to David Villa or Fernando Torres. Inler also had the energy to go forward the few times the Swiss made their way out of their own half.
Maicon, Right Fullback (Brasil vs Commie Korea)--As always, Maicon was great going forward and uncompromising on defense. He scored the goal that opened the game up for Brasil with a surging run into the box. From a tight angle Maicon saw Luis Fabiano and Robinho both heavily marked and NK keeper Ri Myong-Guk (who otherwise had a great game) cheating the cross so he fired home with the outside of his foot. Its the finishing class we expect from the Inter wing back.
Giorgio Chiellini, Center Back (Italy vs Paraguay)--His partner in the back, Fabio Cannavaro, was having a torrid time, presumably because FIFA prohibited him from playing with his cane (get it? he's old!). Chiellini picked up the slack and put on a typical no-nonsense display, winning headers and tackles and distributing the ball well.
Jay DeMerit, Center Back (USA vs England)--Where was Wayne Rooney this game? You might want to ask his shadow, Mr. Jay DeMerit. Following Wazza around the pitch and denying him chances is no easy task, but DeMerit executed Bob Bradley's instructions well and helped us to an all important draw against England.
Philip Lahm, Left Back (Germany vs Australia)--"Wait!" you say, "Lahm played right back!" But he plays on the left for club Bayern Munich, and therefore he earns the starting role on the left on my team. The German captain put in a solid display for Die Mannschaft and provided the cross for Klose's goal and rounds out the outfield players for the best XI.
Tim Howard, Goalkeeper (USA vs England)--Timmy had a fantastic game, denying the Three Lions with 7 saves, including a breakaway against Emile Heskey (but who hasn't denied Heskey on a breakaway). Add in the fact that Howard played a majority of the game with a broken rib after a crunch with Heskey, he also earns the coveted Ambitious Effort Thug Life Award for the first round.
Manager: Ottmar Hitzfeld, Switzerland--Hitzfeld engineered the defeat of Euro champions and tournament favorites Spain. A disciplined back line and midfield pushed the Spaniards wide and made them send in aerial crosses, which favored the height of the Swiss so they could clear it comfortably. A country of skiers, watch-makers, and chocolate eaters beat a powerhouse that plays a beautiful passing game but has no Plan B. Spain is beatable, but as Americans we already knew that.
On the bench: As mentioned, Nigeria's goalie Enyeama had a great game. For Italy, Daniele De Rossi was a marshal of the midfield and grabbed their only goal; Mauro Camronesi came on as a sub and nearly instantly doubled the average playing speed of the Azzuri. Robinho provided the flair for Brasil and his perfect pass for Elano provided their second goal. Javier Mascherano was up to his usual business in the midfield for Argentina and committed one of his classic end of the game, doesn't matter if I get a yellow card reckless tackles. Ji Sung Park was the talismanic captain for South Korea's win over Greece and got his name on the score sheet.
As the games continue, I have one request: Attack more, score more! Thank you.
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