Germany, the host country, should not face difficulties in front of its home crowd when trying to qualify for the Round of 16 of the World Cup. It is drawn in the same group as Poland, Costa Rica, and Ecuador.
The Mannschaft, coached by Juergen Klinsmann, has been preparing for two seasons for the World Cup. Somewhat like France in 1998, it has experienced significant turbulence, especially with substantial interference from Franz Beckenbauer. Across the Rhine, the head coach, who lived in the United States, was challenged. Concerns were raised about his defensive choices. The team was outclassed in friendlies by Italy (4-1 in March) and Turkey in October 2005. The Mannschaft can rely on some strong performances like the 0-0 at Stade de France in November, the 2-2 in Rotterdam against the Netherlands in August, and during the Confederations Cup, a general rehearsal, finishing third behind Brazil and Argentina. Another confidence booster for the host nation: its successful World Cup run in 2002. Germany reached the final, to the general surprise, and must use this experience to try and repeat that performance.
The squad is of quality, perhaps not the most dazzling in the World Cup, but it should be sufficient to finish at the top of Group A. Youth and experience. Youthfulness with players like Bayern midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, Chelsea defender Robert Huth, and Dortmund midfielder David Odonkor, all three aged 22, and Lucas Podolski (21 years old) and experience with the two goalkeepers Jens Lehmann and Oliver Kahn (36 years old). The team’s major star, akin to Zidane for France or Ronaldinho for Brazil, is Michaël Ballack. If he is at the peak of his form, Germany will go far.
Poland is the second European team of this group. It qualified by finishing second in Group 6 of the qualifying phase right behind England. Madej Zurawski of Celtic Glasgow is the most dangerous striker of this Polish team. Coach Pawel Janas can also count on midfielder Euzebiusz Smolarek, who knows Germany and the Mannschaft players very well as he plays for Borussia Dortmund. Jacek Bak, former Lyon and Lens player, is also included in this team. The ambition of this team is to do better than in 2002 where it did not manage to get past the first round.
Poland must be cautious of the other two teams in the group with a similar playing style, Ecuador and Costa Rica. To underestimate these two teams is to misunderstand football.
Firstly, Ecuador can boast of being the only team to have beaten Argentina and Brazil almost consecutively during the qualifiers. We discovered Ecuador in 2002 in South Korea and Japan. A very pleasant team to watch with a game almost exclusively based on short passes. Key Ecuadorian players to watch during the World Cup will be the lanky striker Augustin Delgado, full-back Ulises De la Cruz, Edison Mendes, and the pocket midfielder Christian Lara.
Costa Rica did not leave only good memories for Fabien Barthez. We remember. During the return to the French national team of the divine bald one, Costa Rica troubled the French team in Martinique in November by leading 2-0 at halftime. Four years ago, at the 2002 World Cup, Costa Rica was close to progressing past the first round but was only eliminated on goal difference by Turkey, the eventual third-place finisher. The team’s only star, Paulo Wanchope, will try to help the Costa Ricans reach the Round of 16 as they did in 1990.
Germany should make it through. For the second place, Poland will have to adapt to the atypical play of Costa Rica and Ecuador.
Forecast by the editorial team of Nice Première:
1-Germany
2-Ecuador
3-Poland
4-Costa Rica
Schedule:
– June 9 in Munich: Germany – Costa Rica
– June 9 in Gelsenkirchen: Poland – Ecuador
– June 14 in Dortmund: Germany – Poland
– June 15 in Hamburg: Ecuador – Costa Rica
– June 20 in Berlin: Ecuador – Germany
– June 20 in Hanover: Costa Rica – Poland
