Argentina face biggest World Cup challenge vs hosts Germany

What a FIFA World Cup quarterfinal clash is in prospect when host nation Germany and South American powerhouse Argentina stake their claims for a place amongst the last four of the World Cup. There will be fireworks.

The stats based on past meetings between the two nations gives rise to how closely matched they have been over the years. And while both teams have obviously evolved with time, they remain just as closely matched now as they were when Argentina prevailed in a 3-2 thriller to the final of the 1986 World Cup Finals in Mexico.

In total, Germany and Argentina have locked horns on ten occasions, with the south Americans winning four, Germany three, and three ended all square. In the games in question, the two sides scored a collective total of ten goals apiece. The most recent clash between these world football heavyweights was in the FIFA Confederations Cup in Nuremberg last June, and the game resulted in a 2-2 draw.

Jose Pekerman’s charges were then elevated to joint favoritism with Brazil to win the competition with many bookies after their deeply impressive 6-0 hammering of Serbia & Montenegro. Indeed, the Argentineans really treated us in that match to what is best described as champagne football. And it was champagne football of the Cristal variety.

But, and it’s a big but, Germany are going from strength to strength and the effect of having the weight of the nation’s support behind them in their bid to win this tournament in their own backyard cannot be understated. They really will have a twelfth man in this game.

Golden Boot favourite Miroslav Klose, scorer of twenty-eight goals in fifty-nine matches for his country, is looking extremely dangerous in this tournament – he’s already scored four times and there is undoubtedly more to come.

Meanwhile, Michael Ballack continues to showcase his extensive repertoire of footballing genius. His performances in the Finals so far will do little to aid the restful sleep of Chelsea’s Premiership rivals. And twenty-one-year-old Lucas Podolski, who weighed in with both of Germany’s goals in their 2-0 win against Sweden in the last 16, is up there with the likes of Fernando Torres, Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney, as one of they most exciting young footballers in the game at present.

On the subject of Argentina’s Messi, the Barcelona man looks capable of causing havoc for his rivals whenever he is in possession. The nineteen-year-old is probably they most naturally gifted teenager in football right now, and he will provide a stern test for the German defence, whether Pekerman opts to pitch him in from the start or bring him on as an impact substitute.

Both Germany and Argentina possess squads laden with talent in every area of the park, especially attack-minded players. There have been five competitive encounters between these two sides since, and including, the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, and fourteen goals were scored within that quintet of ties, that’s an average of 2.8 goals per game.

The Germans must win against Argentina if they hope to advance to the semifinal round in World Cup Germany. Get behind the hosts or one of the other contenders for the biggest tournament in sports. Bet on the World Cup in the Bodog Sportsbook!