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17.12.2013 Brazil 2014 will see European heavyweights Germany and Portugal, African representatives Ghana and USA all do battle in Group G for a place in the knockout round of the competition.
Germany
Germany are strong favourites to win Group G however their opening match sees them face their toughest fixture of the group stage when they take on Portugal in Salvador. Joachim Low’s Germany will face Portugal in the group stage for the second major tournament in a row following their 1-0 victory at Euro 2012. Germany went on to be eliminated in the semi final of the tournament, however, are certainly capable of reaching the final in Brazil and looked a very strong outfit in World Cup Qualifying winning nine out of their ten games. After Portugal, Germany come up against Ghana in Fortaleza and USA, managed by ex-Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann, in Recife in two games they will be strongly fancied to win. Germany’s current squad is extremely talented with a good mix of youth and experience in the likes of Bayern Munich’s Phillip Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger, Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil and young attacker Mario Gotze who will all feel they are capable of winning the World Cup with Germany for the first time
since 1990.
Portugal
Portugal will look to qualify from Group G with the help of their talismanic Captain Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal’s opening fixture against Germany in Salvador could set the tone for the whole tournament with a win being sure to give the Portuguese a huge confidence boost and make them a force to be reckoned with in the latter stages. Portugal will then face the USA in Manaus and Ghana in Brasilia in two matches that are certainly winnable but shouldn’t be taken lightly. Portugal had to overcome Sweden in a very difficult encounter in order to qualify for the 2014 World Cup after Paulo Bento’s side finished second in their World Cup Qualifying group behind Russia. Portugal often fail to impress in World Cup tournaments having never reached the final however, with a squad including top quality players such as Real Madrid defender Pepe, Monaco midfielder Joao Moutinho, Porto forward Silvestre Varela and the brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal are capable of going a long way in the tournament.
Ghana
Following their impressive performance at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Ghana have qualified for Brazil 2014 in what will be their third appearance in a World Cup finals. Ghana can consider themselves extremely unlucky to not have reached the Semi-finals in 2010 following a controversial defeat to Uruguay and, although a repeat performance in 2014 is extremely unlikely, many people are now aware of the threat Ghana can pose. Akwasi Appiah’s team will begin the 2014 campaign with a must win clash against the USA in Natal knowing that a victory would give them confidence going into much more difficult fixtures against Germany and Portugal in Fortaleza and Brasilia respectively. Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng will have his eyes on Ghana’s match against Germany come 2014 in which he is expected to compete against his brother Jerome Boateng who, unlike his sibling, opted to represent Germany instead of Ghana. Boateng will be joined in Brazil by Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien, Marseille duo Andre an
d Jordan Ayew and Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari who are all important players in the Ghana squad.
USA
The USA have been handed a difficult group for the 2014 World Cup and will have to record at least one major upset to progress to the knockout stages. The USA begin their tournament against Ghana in Natal and are then required to travel to Manaus and Recife to face Portugal and Germany respectively. Hope for USA fans in this difficult group lays in the fact that manager Jurgen Klinsmann knows all about final group opponents Germany following a spell as manager making a shock result on the 26th June slightly more of a possibility. USA’s 2014 appearance in the World Cup finals will allow the team to look back on the USA’s third place finish in 1930 for inspiration in Brazil. Although not the same level as the likes of Germany, USA’s squad contains some well known names such as Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard, Sunderland striker Jozy Altidore, Roma midfielder Michael Bradley and attacker Landon Donovan who has made over 150 appearances for the USA.
