WORLD CUP OPEN THREAD: DAY NINE

Costa Rica, the improbable group-toppers in Group D and one of the better underdog stories at this year's World Cup, face Italy in a match that could position the winner to finish top of the group.  Meanwhile, Switzerland and France will do battle for the top spot in Group E, while Honduras and Ecudaor will... well, let's just see how long it takes Honduras to get a red card this time.

TODAY'S GAMES:

Italy v. Costa Rica (11 AM CT, ESPN and WatchESPN, Derek Rae and Kasey Keller)
Switzerland v. France (2 PM CT, ESPN and WatchESPN, Daniel Mann and Efan Ekoku)
Honduras v. Ecuador (5 PM CT, ESPN and WatchESPN, Fernando Palomo and Alejandro Moreno)

The usual rules apply.