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.
Does FIFA 14 Predict A Win For Argentina?
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 this next game is one of the most difficult to predict. After much anticipation, the U.S. is set to face off against Belgium in an unpredictable matchup. The Belgian side is undoubtedly more talented on an individual basis than America's squad, but have yet to display a truly effective team performance so far--something we've seen from the U.S. in some tight games.
Unfortunately for the growing American fan base, FIFA 14 does not think we'll be able to overcome the young, talented opposition. It will be a close 1-0 affair, with Kevin De Bruyne scoring the only goal in the 64th minute. Beglium has won most of its games so far with scorelines like that, but the U.S. could very well get on the score sheet against an injured Belgian defense.
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. There's only one way to know if FIFA got it right in this case--tune in at 4 p.m. ET to see how accurate its prediction is.