Two of football’s powerhouses are set to clash in South Africa on Saturday afternoon with a spot in the semi-finals at stake.
Friday 2nd July 2010
Argentina is set to meet Germany tomorrow afternoon from Cape Town in the quarter-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup with the 1986 champions favoured by most to progress to the next round.
The South Americans almost didn’t make it to South Africa after a turbulent qualifying campaign that saw coach Alfio Basile quit following a narrow defeat to Chile in the tenth game in favour of Diego Maradona. The legendary former striker subsequently led his national side to fourth spot and a place in the 2010 FIFA World Cup after a slim victory over Uruguay in Montevideo, where they had not won since 1976.
In South Africa, Argentina dominated its group by winning every match and scoring seven goals while letting in only one. The subsequent round of 16 saw the two-time world champion defeat Mexico thanks to a controversial refereeing decision and Ladbrokes.com, Bodog.com and StanJames.com are now offering the South Americans at odds of 6/5 to defeat Germany and progress to the quarter-finals.
Slightly longer, Coral.co.uk, 888Sport.com, SportingBet.com, ToteSport.com and BlueSq.com show ‘La Albiceleste’ at odds of 5/4 to defeat Germany on Saturday while BoyleSports.com, SkyBet.com, VictorChandler.com, ExtraBet.com and PaddyPower.com list 13/10.
The winner of this match will face Paraguay or Spain on Wednesday evening from Durban for a spot in the final with WBX.com offering Argentina at odds of 67/50 to walk away as winners after 90 minutes.
Numerous fans of Argentine football are dreaming about repeating the epic 1986 campaign in Mexico that saw the team lift the World Cup after a similarly torrid qualifying campaign with Bwin.com showing odds of 23/17 on Maradona’s men tasting victory on Saturday. This is being followed by BetDaq.com with 34/25 and Betfair.com offering 137/100 while WilliamHill.com, BetFred.com and Bet365.com currently list 11/8.
By contrast, Germany enjoyed an unbeaten qualifying campaign under Joachim Loew as it held off a challenge from Guus Hiddink's Russia to secure top spot in its group. After starting its campaign in ominous fashion with a six goal hammering of lowly Liechtenstein, the Germans then secured two victories over Russia with the second coming in Moscow in October to guarantee participation in South Africa.
At the tournament, ‘Die Mannschaft’ recorded two victories to secure top spot in its group behind Ghana and scored five goals while conceding one to Serbia. The Germans then demolished a below-par England in the round of 16 to secure a spot in the quarter-finals with Bwin.com offering odds of 24/13 on a win for the three-time world champion against Argentina in 90 minutes.
For its part, ExtraBet.com has a German win at odds of 2/1 while SportingBet.com shows 21/10 followed by PaddyPower.com and SkyBet.com with 11/5.
Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger recently accused Argentina of a ‘lack of respect’ ahead of the sides’ quarter-final meeting and stated that his side must be wary of being ‘provoked’. The Bayern Munich star believes Maradona's men will be keen to influence officials and cited the Mexico game while BetFred.com, VictorChandler.com, BlueSq.com, BoyleSports.com, bet365.com, Coral.co.uk, WilliamHill.com and 888Sport.com are showing odds of 9/4 on a win for the 1954, 1974 and 1990 champions. This is followed by Betfair.com and BetDaq.com with 57/25 while bettors can get 23/10 from Bodog.com, WBX.com and ToteSport.com and 12/5 at Ladbrokes.com and StanJames.com.
Should the match remain level after 90 minutes, the teams will play two 15-minute periods of extra time, which is an eventuality WilliamHill.com is offering at 2/1. This is followed by a slightly longer 51/25 with WBX.com while ExtraBet.com is just behind at 21/10.
The two sides have met numerous times during the World Cup including in 1990’s final while their most recent encounter in 2006 saw a new-look German side under the management of Juergen Klinsmann slip through on penalties after Argentine manager Jose Pekerman elected to leave star playmaker Lionel Messi on the bench. Bodog.com is offering odds of 43/20 that the match-up will again end in a draw after 90 minutes while punters can get 109/50 from BetDaq.com and Betfair.com 109/50.
Germany has traditionally come to life in the final stages of the World Cup reaching the last eight in every World Cup since 1938. However, even with this record, VictorChandler.com, Coral.co.uk, Ladbrokes.com, BoyleSports.com, SportingBet.com, ToteSport.com, BlueSq.com, PaddyPower.com, SkyBet.com, StanJames.com, bet365.com and 888Sport.com are offering odds of 11/5 that the match-up will end in a tie while Bwin.com and BetFred.com show 9/4.
