RUSTENBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 22: Diego Forlan of Uruguay is tackled by Guillermo Franco of Mexico during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group A match between Mexico and Uruguay at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on June 22, 2010 in Rustenburg, South Africa. (Photo by Abbey Sebetha/Getty Images)
Group A featured the same kind of play as the tournament overall:
| Passes/G | Weighted | Avg | Shots/G | Goals/G | Shot% | |
| Group A | 349 | 76.05 | 21.8 | 10.58 | 0.92 | 8.66 |
| Overall | 351 | 75.18 | 21.4 | 10.56 | 1.07 | 10.13 |
The biggest difference was slightly better goaltending - these four teams allowed 11 goals but would have allowed 13 if they'd had the same shooting percentage as the rest of the tournament overall.
The pass summary doesn't tell us much - Uruguay had very little ball possession but gave up zero goals:
| Passes | For | Weighted | Vs | Weighted | % of Pass |
| France | 1000 | 219 | 954 | 200.3 | 51.2 |
| Uruguay | 765 | 165.5 | 1288 | 286.6 | 37.3 |
| South Africa | 1124 | 245 | 1152 | 248.7 | 49.4 |
| Mexico | 1294 | 283.1 | 789 | 177 | 62.1 |
Some of this is score effects, but some of it is Uruguay scoring even though they didn't dominate the game. When teams score one goal per game on average, you sometimes get effects like that.
There are also so few shots taken in a handful of games that we don't learn much there either:
| Shots F | Goals | Sh% | Shots A | Goals | Sh% | |
| France | 29 | 1 | 3.45 | 34 | 4 | 11.76 |
| Uruguay | 35 | 4 | 11.43 | 27 | 0 | 0.00 |
| South Africa | 35 | 3 | 8.57 | 34 | 5 | 14.71 |
| Mexico | 28 | 3 | 10.71 | 32 | 2 | 6.25 |
Here are the game-by-game passing and shooting totals:
| Team | Passes | Weighted | Avg | Shots | Goals | Team | Passes | Weighted | Avg | Shots | Goals |
| France | 371 | 87.8 | 23.7 | 12 | 0 | Uruguay | 259 | 52.1 | 20.1 | 6 | 0 |
| France | 324 | 73.4 | 22.7 | 9 | 0 | Mexico | 294 | 58.7 | 20.0 | 10 | 2 |
| France | 305 | 57.8 | 19.0 | 8 | 1 | South Africa | 401 | 89.5 | 22.3 | 18 | 2 |
| Total | 1000 | 219 | 21.9 | 29 | 1 | Total | 954 | 200.3 | 21.0 | 34 | 4 |
| Team | Passes | Weighted | Avg | Shots | Goals | Team | Passes | Weighted | Avg | Shots | Goals |
| Uruguay | 259 | 52.1 | 20.1 | 6 | 0 | France | 371 | 87.8 | 23.7 | 12 | 0 |
| Uruguay | 312 | 69.1 | 22.1 | 15 | 3 | South Africa | 452 | 96.2 | 21.3 | 8 | 0 |
| Uruguay | 194 | 44.3 | 22.8 | 14 | 1 | Mexico | 465 | 102.6 | 22.1 | 7 | 0 |
| Total | 765 | 165.5 | 21.6 | 35 | 4 | Total | 1288 | 286.6 | 22.3 | 27 | 0 |
| Team | Passes | Weighted | Avg | Shots | Goals | Team | Passes | Weighted | Avg | Shots | Goals |
| South Africa | 271 | 59.3 | 21.9 | 9 | 1 | Mexico | 535 | 121.8 | 22.8 | 11 | 1 |
| South Africa | 452 | 96.2 | 21.3 | 8 | 0 | Uruguay | 312 | 69.1 | 22.1 | 15 | 3 |
| South Africa | 401 | 89.5 | 22.3 | 18 | 2 | France | 305 | 57.8 | 19.0 | 8 | 1 |
| Total | 1124 | 245 | 21.8 | 35 | 3 | Total | 1152 | 248.7 | 21.6 | 34 | 5 |
| Team | Passes | Weighted | Avg | Shots | Goals | Team | Passes | Weighted | Avg | Shots | Goals |
| Mexico | 535 | 121.8 | 22.8 | 11 | 1 | South Africa | 271 | 59.3 | 21.9 | 9 | 1 |
| Mexico | 294 | 58.7 | 20.0 | 10 | 2 | France | 324 | 73.4 | 22.7 | 9 | 0 |
| Mexico | 465 | 102.6 | 22.1 | 7 | 0 | Uruguay | 194 | 44.3 | 22.8 | 14 | 1 |
| Total | 1294 | 283.1 | 21.9 | 28 | 3 | Total | 789 | 177 | 22.4 | 32 | 2 |
We'll have to see if Uruguay can continue to dominate on the scoreboard despite not apparently dominating on the field.
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