The group stages have concluded in one of the most exciting and high-scoring World Cups ever held, and the next round of knockout games are ready to get underway.
FIFA 14 Predicts Result Of France-Nigeria Match
As has been the case through the tournament, I have been simulating the fixtures using FIFA 14's World Cup mode, which is updated to reflect the form and performances of each squad.
So far the favorites of each match have advanced, though it's gone down to the wire in most games. The Dutch grabbed a controversial winner in stoppage time, while Costa Rica defeated Greece on penalties. Nigeria held on for most of the game against France, and Germany took until extra time to find the winner against Algeria.
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FIFA 14 has gotten the winner correct in all but the Costa Rica match, though today's games may be more difficult to predict. First is Argentina vs Switzerland, which EA's engines predicts will end in a win for the South American side.
Messi opened the scoring just 11 minutes in, but it was Switzerland who found the net next through Shaqiri just before halftime. The draw wouldn't hold, though, and the man carrying his nation scored again for Argentina with a curled finish in the 71st minute. The game ultimately ended 2-1, and even though Messi's side has been underwhelming so far, it's hard to see Switzerland walking away victorious today.
My simulation featured two AI-controlled sides on Legendary difficulty facing off against one another, using the squads expected to start the game.
There may be one or two differences in the selections or the way the team lines up, but these were approximations that are as close to the likely starting XI's as possible. Tune in at 12 p.m. ET to see how accurate FIFA 14's prediction is.