Group C gave us two games of World Cup football on Friday night- and two more different games you might never expect to see.  Ultimately, both ended in the same result.  But with qualification chances of all four teams so evenly poised, the emotions carried over from the dichotomous matches might just see the biggest group stage boilover of the 2010 World Cup.

The early game between Slovenia and the United States was arguably the most enjoyable of the Cup to date.  It had drama, it had twists and most significantly, it had goals.  Indeed for the first time since a certain Harry Kewell scored against Croatia in almost four years ago we managed to get two teams scoring multiple goals in the same match.  And there were plenty more chances on top of that.  Maurice Edu's surprisingly disallowed goal was the obvious stand-out, but Tim Howard in the US goal was also forced into a couple of smart saves to keep his side in the match.

Perhaps neither side will be remembered for a technical masterclass in the match.  Perhaps neither side will be remembered for causing a massive shock result.  Perhaps neither side will be remembered for creating one of the all-time great World Cup moments.  But certainly both sides will be remembered for playing out an entertaining match that will have left both sets of fans happy, if a little aggrieved at the minor details that denied them all three points.  Certainly if the US can get a win against Algeria, the inexplicably denied Edu goal will be quickly forgotten.  Slovenian fans will also surely forgive goalkeeper Samir Handanovic his shirk as Donovan drove home the equaliser if he can hold his nerve for 90 minutes and keep out England.

Handanovic might also give himself a good chance of a second clean sheet of the tournament after England's dismal attacking display against Algeria.  Fabio Capello's side looked every bit the side that couldn't qualify for Euro 2008 as they laboured to fashion any sort of genuine threat to the Algerian goal.  It might be harsh on Algeria to dismiss their determination and aptitude defensively, but really a team with the talent on the pitch that England have should have been more than capable of breaking down the north Africans at least once. 

But then, is the talent on the pitch for England really all that has been suggested?  Lampard and Gerrard are supposed to be among the most feared midfielders in world football but in the absence of the superstar teammates at their disposal at Chelsea and Liverpool respectively are they really the sorts of players that can deliver a side trophies?  Youngsters Lennon, Milner and Wright-Phillips were meant to provide the X-factor but so far it's been more like the zzz-factor.  Heskey of course was never expected to produce the runs on the board, which is indeed ironic because against both Algeria and the US he has looked like England's most threatening player in front of goals.

Then there is Rooney.  Many had expected one of the stars of the world game to flop on the biggest stage.  While most of the talk had focused on Messi's struggles in national colours, Cristiano Ronaldo's lack of help from his Portugal teammates or Xavi coming in under an injury cloud, it's been Rooney who has raced away to an almost unassailable lead in the 'flop of the tournament' charts.  He still has time to turn it around, but so far it's been not nearly so much the 'Sir Wayne' of Nike's advertising campaign as the washed up field marker living in a caravan.  With their star player in such poor form, it's almost hard to see England getting the win against Slovenia they might need to stay in the tournament.

SECOND MATCH PHASE

STARS

Hassan Yebda - perhaps the best attacking player in the pitch given England's troubles

Algeria defence - looked good value for their clean sheet and should make life hard for the US, meaning Algeria's chances of progress are still alive

VILLAINS

Wayne Rooney - has a lot to prove in England colours and is running out of time to do it in this World Cup

Referee Koman Coulibay - denied Maurice Edu a winning goal for reasons only he can know

PREDICTIONS FOR NEXT PHASE

England will get out of the group stage- but only just with a fluky goal earning an ill-deserved win against Slovenia.  Whoever they face from group D though will send them crashing out even earlier than usual.  Slovenia will join them in the second stage the Algeria and the US draw.