World Cup of Fiction: June 24 Matches

Although I slept part of the night, I don't care to see dawn rise, so onto the day's final round of group play in Groups E and F:

Group E

 Netherlands versus Cameroon - The Indomitable Elephants of Cameroon were the first side to be eliminated on the sports side, but their young, underdeveloped literary side is also playing more for pride than for any hope of advancing in the World Cup of Fiction.  The Dutch, having already clinched a spot in the Knockout stages, have elected to go with Harry Mülisch as their captain.  The Cameroon side counters by turning to national poet Larry Bate Takang:

Prediction:  Despite Mülisch looking more like a bum off the street that they dosed liberally with cheap wine, the Dutch side does prevail in a defensive (and offensive) struggle.

Denmark versus Japan - The winner of this match will move on to the Knockout stages, so both sides have elected to bring out the heavy artillery.  The Danish side has turned to their star fabulist, Hans Christian Andersen, while the Japanese have gone magic realist with the insertion of Haruki Murakami into the lineup:

Prediction:  The Japanese will pen some awesomely strange stories that will confuzzle the Danes, leading to Murakami and Crew scoring twice.  The Samurai march on.

Group F

 Paraguay versus New Zealand - This is do or die time for these sides.  Paraguay trots out its most important 20th century writer, Augusto Roa Bastos, while the Kiwis counter with Elizabeth Knox.

Prediction: When all else is equal, experience trumps youth.  Paraguay, being the more experienced side, moves on after drawing with the Kiwis 1-1.

Slovakia versus Italy - Despite being heavily favored in all their matches, the Azzurri find themselves in the uncomfortable position of needing to win or draw in order to advance.  The Slovakian side is loose, having nothing to lose, so they have elected to go with Jozef Cíger-Hronský as a counter to the Italian semiotics expert, Umberto Eco:

Prediction:  As is now tradition for the Azzurri, the Italians play their best when they finally have nothing to gain and everything to lose.  They get their first outright victory of this tourney and advance to the Knockout stages.