Other than the ridiculous number of vuvuzelas in South Africa, there's been very little noise so far in this much anticipated World Cup tournament. It would be fair to say that the majority of the 'big' teams have underperformed in the early stages, and several high profile games have been quite drab.
During every stage of the World Cup, I'll be handing out awards to various teams...
Best performance
Germany v Australia
This game caught everyone by surprise. The performance Germany put in was far from the performance we have come to accept. This was attacking, free-flowing, beautiful to watch football, exactly what was actually expected of a number of favourites to win the tournament. Which brings me to my next category...
Worst performance
Uruguay v France
I don't care what anyone says. With the quality Raymond Domenech has in his side, France should be topping Group A and competing deep into the quarter finals. Instead they're not. This team made the final in 2006, but they finished bottom of their group at Euro 2008. They struggled to even qualify for this tournament, as Republic of Ireland fans will know, and they'll have a job to get to the last sixteen this time around.
Best goal
Maicon - Brazil v North Korea
You can always rely on Brazil to pull something special out the bag. There hasn't been a plethora of fantastic goals so far, but Maicon's strike from the narrowest of angles was absolutely wonderful. Catching that ball first time on the outside of the boot and beating the goalkeeper at the near post is something a striker would be proud of, let alone a full back.
Biggest surprise
Spain v Switzerland
Come on, admit it. After winning Euro 2008 and qualifying with relative ease, we all expected Spain to win this game comfortably, top the group and probably make it to the final. Now after losing 1-0, a potential last sixteen match against Brazil looms. They didn't have any answers to a dauntless Swiss defence. Spain must be more clinical if they want to go further.
Best game
South Africa v Mexico
There have certainly been more impressive team performances so far in the tournament, but this match was really something. The old cliche "a game of two halves" rings very true here. Mexico dominated the first half, yet South Africa will have felt they should have won it at 90 minutes. Great football and genuinely exciting to watch.
Worst game
Ivory Coast v Portugal
There were some serious contenders for this category. I can think of at least four games so far which you couldn't pay me to watch again. This match tops them all for the simple fact that two teams of this calibre playing against one another should have produced so much more. Maybe it's the ball, maybe it's the pitch, maybe it's conservative play, but I can't remember more than three chances all game. Awful.
Best moment
Siphiwe Tshabalala's goal against Mexico
This epitomised everything that's great about the World Cup. The host nation in the first game, an ecstatic atmosphere in Johannesburg, and an absolute screamer of a opening goal going right in the top corner, followed by a celebratory dance which will be used on a countless number of future football related adverts. Absolutely wonderful viewing.
Worst moment
Tim Cahill's red card against Germany
It would have been easy to go with Rob Green's howler against the USA, but the more I watch this moment, the more I think most referees barely give a yellow for this. A straight red? No chance. Even Bastian Schweinsteiger (the player fouled) said so. It's a late one, but players get away with much worse. Australia fell to bits soon after, which was a shame as they still looked like getting something out of that match. Now Cahill, more than likely, misses the rest of the tournament.
Well, that's that for now. Of course, your thoughts and comments are much appreciated. Here's hoping for a few more goals in the second lot of group stage games, and much less Adrian Chiles.
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