World Cup Group D Betting – Germans Look Down On Wild Second-Place Battle
Germany is as solid an online betting pick as they come in the group stages for the World Cup, but Group D could end up having the craziest clash for second place in the tournament as Ghana, Australia and Serbia all have a legitimate shot at going through.
Key Match
The opening match between Serbia and Ghana on June 13th at 10:00 AM ET will go a long way towards deciding who will go through with the Germans. There isn’t much between the two when it comes to World Cup betting odds, so it should be a thrilling and nerve-racked game.
- History: 17th appearance; Third place in 2006
- Best finish: Champions (1954, 1974, 1990)
- World Cup Group D Betting Odds: -130
Why they can win: Well, for one, the Germans have bowed out in the first round only once, and that was way back in 1938. They didn’t lose in their qualifying campaign, and they did it in their typical clinical fashion. Michael Ballack and Miroslav Klose will be hungry to end their World Cup careers on a high note, while Bastian Schweinsteiger could be ready to break out in this tournament to take the torch from Ballack.
Why they can’t win: No.1 keeper Rene Adler is out with a rib injury, and the suicide of former No.1 Robert Enke is still remembered by the team. The Germans now have no idea who the top keeper will be, but it will be between Hans-Jorg Butt, Tim Wiese and Manuel Neuer, and Butt could get the nod as the goalkeeper for Bayern Munich, who still have to compete in the Champions League final against Inter Milan.
- History: 3rd appearance; First round in 2006
- Best finish: Second round (1998)
- World Cup Group D Betting Odds: +350
Why they can win: The Serbs are brimming with confidence after beating France to the top of their qualifying campaign, and even though everyone will be focused on striker Milan Jovanovic, the defense will be the key to Serbia’s hopes. Nemanja Vidic and Branislav Ivanovic have earned a lot of respect in the Premiership, and Ivanovic has even been playing out of position for Chelsea.
Why they can’t win: Outside of Jovanovic, the Serbs don’t have much in the way of scorers, which will hurt their sportsbook odds. Ivanovic was second on the team in goals during qualifying, and if that’s not a good sign.
- History: 2nd appearance; second round in 2006
- Best finish: Second round (2006)
- World Cup Group D Betting Odds: +400
Why they can win: In Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, Ghana has one of the most talented and driven midfields in the entire competition. Appiah and Essien are known as two of the best box-to-box midfielders in Europe, but the problem is that they’ve been injured for the majority of the season. Appiah hasn’t played a game for Bologna yet this year, while Essien hasn’t been on the pitch for Chelsea in a few months. If they’re healthy enough, Ghana can control the middle of the pitch.
Why they can’t win: The above injuries are the reason why Ghana could fall in the first round, as Appiah and Essien have no game action from the last few months. That puts a lot of pressure on Muntari, and the strikers aren’t clinical enough to put away their chances. At least the midfielders can burst forward at points.
- History: 3rd appearance; second round in 2006
- Best finish: second round (2006)
- World Cup Group D Betting Odds: +700
Why they can win: A lot of people are counting out the Aussies already, but they’re very disciplined in their own end of the pitch, allowing just four goals in their qualifying campaign. Keeper Mark Schwarzer is riding a wave of momentum after helping Fulham to the Europa League final, and that could be key in Australia’s success.
Why they can’t win: Midfielder Tim Cahill doesn’t get much help in the way of scoring goals, and we’re not sure that Brett Emerton can provide support for him on the world stage. Harry Kewell has been injured for seemingly the last five years, and he’s arguably Australia’s most talented offensive player.
World Cup Group D Betting Prediction & Outlook
Germany should have no problem winning this group, but that’s where the certainty stops. Serbia and Australia are both solid defensive teams, but goals could be a problem. We’re betting on Ghana to join Germany in the second round as Essien and Appiah are so dynamic that they can make a huge difference for their team’s sports betting odds without much game action. Appiah was a star in 2006 in Germany, and Essien could follow up his performance.
