Two more teams that each won their opening fixture and I expect both to advance to the Last 16.
A point for both Colombia and Ivory Coast would probably suit on Thursday but it was the South Americans that showed more zip during the first round of matches and are tipped to secure their place in the next round with a victory.
Colombia found the net three times when routing Greece, while keeping a clean sheet, and they didn’t noticeably miss their star man.
Radamel Falco was cruelly ruled out of Brazil 2014 through injury but in-form River Plate striker Teofilo Gutierrez was among those on target in the beating of the 2004 European Champions and Colombia are a force to be reckoned with.
Having eased through South America qualifying, winning eight of their final 13 matches, Jose Peckerman’s side were on all ‘dark horse’ lists heading into the finals and the Argentinean manager has a wealth of talent to chose from.
James Rodriguez, who also found the net versus Greece, could well be one of the young stars of the tournament and he is expected to show just why Monaco shelled out 45 million euros to secure his services from Porto.
The 22-year-old playmaker has an eye for goal but so too does his upcoming opposite number, Yaya Toure, and Ivory Coast will be looking to their star man for inspiration in Brasilia.
It was Wilfried Bony and Gervinho that struck in the beating of Japan, the Africans had fallen behind, but all their good passages of play go through Toure.
However, the concern for Ivory Coast is defensively and the ruthless Colombians should have no trouble finding Boubacar Barry’s net at least once.
It is now eight matches without a shutout for Barry but Colombia are significantly sounder at the back, keeping nine clean sheets in 15 outings, and the odds against about the South Americans looks decent value.
3pts Back Colombia (vs. Ivory Coast) @ 23/20 (William Hill)