June 15 will be the fourth time these two teams will have met in as many tournaments. Germany has beaten Portugal each of the last three times, but all three of those have been by a narrow margin. Just like it has been in previous occasions, the opening match of Group G will surely be entertaining and offer a multitude of chances for both sides.
The big question looming around Germany has been their defense. Arsenal’s Per Mertesacker and Dortmund’s Mats Hummels are most likely going to be starting at the back for the Germans and despite good domestic campaigns from both of them, questions still remain about the solidity of their defensive line.
The biggest question coming into the match for Portugal is whether or not Cristiano Ronaldo will be at full fitness as he has been struggling with patellar tendinosis as of late. Ronaldo comes off a long campaign that saw his Real Madrid side finally win “La Decima” and the grind of having their star man playing that many games in a calendar year could hurt the Portuguese side.
Look for this game to offer both teams a good amount of chances. Portugal will play to their strengths of getting the ball out wide and to try to deliver on crosses. Portugal can use their strength and aggressiveness to counter balance the quality that Germany has in their midfield. Real Madrid’s Pepe will anchor the back four for the Portuguese side that will have to deal with the likes of Andre Schurrle and Miroslav Klose up top.
Look for Bayern Munich’s Toni Kroos to anchor the German midfield as he had a stellar campaign for the Bavarian giants. Keep a close eye on Mario Goetze in this one as there are many around the world who believe that Brazil will be the 22-year olds coming out party.
This game will surely be filled with excitement and chances for both sides. Though Portugal offer a staunch test for the Germans, I think the quality of “Die Mannschaft” will be too much to handle for Ronaldo’s Portugal.
My prediction: Germany wins 2-1
Betting odds provided by Bovada.lv
Germany: -0.5 (-115) Moneyline: +110
Portugal: +0.5 (-105) Moneyline: +300
Draw: +230
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
