2010 World Cup

Spain v Germany Betting Odds

Spain to win: 17/10 at Bwin
Draw: 23/10 at Ladbrokes
Germany to win: 19/10 at William Hill

Spain

Twelve World Cup tournaments and nothing to show for it. That is what the current Spanish players are carrying on their shoulders at the moment. That is the daunting record which they are trying to overcome, as the European Champions go into their semi final against Germany, one of the hottest teams in the tournament. Spain lost their first match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and no team who has lost their opening match, has ever gone on to win the World Cup. That is another piece of history which Spain are fighting against, but two pieces of World Cup history have already been shattered, so will it be case of things coming in threes? When South Africa went out in the group stage, they became the first host nation not to reach the second round. Up until 2010, Brazil were the only nation to win a World Cup outside of their own continent, meaning that no European side has ever won it outside of Europe. That will all change too, after Holland knocked out Brazil in the Quarter Finals. So if Spain go on to win the World Cup, they will be creating some more World Cup history. They were outright favourites to win the tournament before it started, and they have just reclaimed that spot after falling behind in betting odds to Brazil and Argentina. With them both gone, the path is apparently clear for this current Spanish side to fulfil their destiny. To do that, they will first need to find a way past Joachim Loew’s impressive young Germany.

The quality over Spain and their chances of lifting the World Cup have never been in question. They clearly have had one of the most outstanding squads at the World Cup. It is a squad which coach Vicente Del Bosque pretty much inherited, and nothing much has changed since their Euro 2008 success. Their victory in the Euro 2008 final was against Germany, the side they now face in the semi finals of the World Cup. That fixture two years ago will have little bearing on what will happen at South Africa 2010, as Spain will be facing a much better German side than they did back then. So let us look at Spain’s qualities. They are one of the best passing teams in the tournament, and have a very South American feel about them. They back themselves so much in possession, it is a joy to watch them knock the ball around with confidence, and patiently wait to create that opening. This is something which has worked so well for them, as they generally have to be patient, for teams tend to line up defensively against them from the outset. Their passing at the 2010 FIFA World Cup has in some ways been detrimental to them running up big scores. They have been over-passing, trying to be a little too cute at times with the ball instead of being more direct and cut throat as their semi final opponents Germany have been. This is because they have looked nervous, perhaps over-compensating after their loss to Switzerland. Spain do possess a lot of patience, and they have needed to during their 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign, where all but one of their victories have been by a one goal margin, and their last two, tough 1-0 triumphs over Portugal and Paraguay respectively.

Spain generally have the upper hand in matches, simply because of their ability to hold on to the ball and dominate possession. That is their strength and that is what they stick too. The passing ability they have in their side, from Xavi, to Iniesta, to David Villa, to Sergio Busquets, to Xabi Alonso and Cesc Fabregas, is probably unrivalled. However, they have not been putting that creativity to great use at South Africa 2010, and without David Villa, one would be wondering just where the goals would be coming from for Spain. Certainly not from Liverpool’s Fernando Torres, who has looked woefully short of his very best, and for all of the possession they have created, Spain have simply not been ruthless enough. This is either a very worrying sign for Del Bosque, or a very worrying sign for the remaining teams left in, that Spain have been winning without hitting their limits of potential. Another thing which Spain do so very well, is throw their full backs into action down the flanks. Sergio Ramos and Joan Capdevila have been dominating in this area, and they are allowed to do so, by the fact that Busquets is generally hanging around backing up the play in front of the defence should anything go wrong. They also have one of the World’s top strikers in David Villa, who is a little unorthodox in that he hugs the left touchline. What this does is create a whole world of extra space in the middle of attacks which Iniesta and Xavi in particular can exploit. Villa likes playing alongside Torres, but the time may have come to yank Torres from the line up, as he has been completely ineffectual. Del Bosque is not short of quality replacements on the bench, and it will be interesting to see if he keeps the same shape against Germany. Spain need to keep possession against Germany and use their width to keep the Germans pressed back. The threat from Germany will come in the form of lighting fast counter attacks, and with Spain’s naturally tendency to flood forward too, this could be one very open game, especially out wide. If there is more to come from Spain, then now will be the time to deliver.

Germany

Coach Joachim Loew has built his team from the ground up. He was not happy about the way they lost to Spain in the final of Euro 2008, and so shook up his entire squad. He welcomed into the fold some of their successful Under 21 side, products of a huge investment a decade earlier by the German football federation to promote and nurture the talents of their youngsters. He has done that with great aplomb, and he kept faith with his tactics and players even when things were not looking right through international friendly matches. He has persisted with tweaking the formation, and the best thing about Germany, is that they have the players to do the roles and the jobs that are asked of them, without any question. While there is a back bone of experience in the team, like Miroslav Klose, Bastian Schweinsteiger and captain Philip Lahm, Germany are the youngest side at South Africa 2010 and their youthful exuberance is paying dividends. They are a huge success story and one to be admired, and hopefully Fabio Capello and the English FA will take notice of the fact that youth can work. If they are good enough, then they should play, even if it is at the expense of more established heads. This is the balance that Loew has gotten right with his side. He has his formation, and into that go the players than can do the job. If you don’t fit as a piece of the puzzle, then you are likely not getting in.

Germany have destroyed Australia, England and most recently Argentina on their way to the semi finals. They play an up tempo game which any top side in the English Premier League would be admirable of, and perhaps the most notable thing about them, is that they are not afraid to throw numbers forward when they can. Speed. Ambition. Discipline. These the three key words which Joachim Loew demands of his team, and everything has been done while flying under the radar. They were well back as an outsider at the start of the tournament in World Cup betting odds, and not many fancied their chances because of their inexperience. They went undefeated through their European qualification group, and while it was not the toughest of opposition which they faced, one stand out result for them, and which said a great deal about the place they were at, was a victory in Russia which clinched top spot in the group for them. Germany are the success story of the World Cup, and they looked to have gotten better and better. There were questions over them, after they lost to Serbia in a group match after Klose was dismissed, and then were given a very tough time by Ghana. The Germans pulled through that one by a single goal, but there looked to be vulnerabilities which good teams would exploit. It was a completely different Germany which showed up against England, beating their old rivals 3-1, and then an even better Germany which showed up and crushed Argentina 4-0. Tactically, that was probably the most impressive performance by any team in the tournament so far. They completely negated the main threats from the South Americans, while not taking anything away from their own game.

Germany have hit thirteen goals in comparison to Spain’s six. Why they are so potent, is largely down to how brave they are in getting numbers forward. Creative midfielder and inspiration, Mesut Oezil sits in behind lone striker Miroslav Klose, pulling the strings of attack. With two wider players in Lucas Podolski and Tomas Mueller they are able to get plenty of men forward into the attack, and they are backed up by midfield general and star, Bastian Schweinsteiger. Schweinsteiger used to be an attacking winger and that is why his movement and passing is so very impressive. He really drives the team forward, even though has huge responsibility with Sami Khedira in patrolling in front of the defence. This system works because Germany have a lot of speed, and they have the young legs to get up the field and cover back in the blink o f an eye. There would be weaknesses if they did not play at the speed with which they have. That is not to say that Germany are not in any way infallible, for they have been exposed, and when you have a passing team in front of them as good as Spain are, there are holes which can picked out. That was the general consensus of what would happen against Argentina, but Schweinsteiger and Khedira did such an incredible job of shutting down Messi, that the supply line to the forwards was pretty much cut off. Because there are the two defensive midfielders operating, it forces teams wide and takes pressure of the centre halves. It also allows Germany to press forward themselves, and if they are able to get their own full backs forward, it will negate a big threat from Spain. Germany are riding high and full of confidence. Can they take another step forward in the advocacy of youth?

Betting Tip – To Win – Germany 19/10 at William Hill

Match verdict. This should be an open match, with neither team willing to set out too defensively, as that will take from their strengths. Who would win in such an open match? You would tip Spain, simply because of the experience and ability which they have. But they are not looking the most confident of teams, and if German captain and right back Philip Lahm can keep David Villa quiet, Spain could be a bit subdued. They have been kept quiet by opponents in this World Cup already, looking a little bit short of their dynamic best. Germany have shown that they can take on the best and beat them, so why not do it again? They will be full of confidence that they can outscore Spain if it is an open game, but they are missing four goal hero Tomas Mueller through suspension. That is a huge blow for them and Piotr Trochowski may just fill in as a straight swap. Still, backing Germany is well worth a punt with an Asian Handicap. They have the firepower.
Germany 0 Asian Handicap – Evens at Paddy Power

Top Spain v Germany Betting Odds

Correct score
Spain 2-1: 9/10 at Bet365
Germany 1-0: 15/2 at SkyBet

To Qualify
Spain: 18/19 at Bwin
Germany: Evens at Totesport

Anytime Goalscorer
David Villa: 13/10 at Bwin
Fernando Torres: 2/1 at Blue Square
Miroslav Klose: 21/10 at Bet365
Andres Iniesta: 5/1 at Bet365
Mesut Oezil: 11/2 SportingBet

Online Bookmaker Bet365 is still offering a cash back offer on your selection for the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The tournament may be down to the last four teams standing, and if the team you back as an outright winner (and this can be a single win or an each-way bet) gets eliminated from the tournament on penalties, then your stake on that losing bet will be refunded. We have seen thrilling penalty shoot out action already, with Uruguay edging out Ghana and Paraguay beating Japan. We are down to the best four in the World at the moment, and the games should be tight and run with a great chance of going all the way down to a penalty shoot out. There is little to chose between Spain (15/8), Germany (2/1), Uruguay (10/1) and Holland (21/10). There is nothing more thrilling than a shoot out, unless you are Asamoah Gyan, and to back up this service, Bet365 are making the market available through their In-Play service, throughout the remainder of the tournament. If your team crashes out on penalties, then you will at least be spared some heartache of your own. If you want to back any of the team, then the time to do so is now. The offer expires on Sunday, July 11th when the World Cup Final kicks off.

More coverage for your World Cup betting, is Bet365’s Bore Draw Money Back promotion. This is something which runs throughout domestic leagues, and it is being covered for the World Cup too. So, if you get your bets on pre-match (meaning that it won’t count for In-Play bets made), then you will get refunded lost stakes on First, Last and Anytime Goalscorer markets, along with Correct Score, Half-Time/Full-Time and all Scorecast Markets. Boring 0-0 draws have never been so interesting. The Bore Draw offer from Bet365 also runs on any other football match in their sports book, and covers the Correct Score, Half-Time/Full-Time and Scorecasts markets. So, while the 2010 FIFA World Cup from South Africa enters its final stages, there is still time to take advantage of these great offers, from one of the most highly recommended online bookmakers out there. To put the cherry on the World Cup Betting cake, new account holders can take advantage of up to £200 worth of free bets. This is done as a 100% matched bonus on your first deposit. That is a lot of free World Cup bets to enjoy for opening a new account with Bet365.

Uruguay v Holland Betting Odds

Uruguay to win: 6/1 at Bwin
Draw: 5/2 at Bet365
Holland to win: 4/6 at SkyBet

Holland

Uruguay v Holland is the first of the 2010 FIFA World Cup semi finals, and a match which sees the Netherlands take on the mantle as outright favourites. This is simply a matter of weighing up the odds and stats, and it is easy to see why the Dutch are tipped to take the match over the South Americans. But there is a lot more to this match than meets the eye, as the Dutch go into this encounter on somewhat shaky ground. Holland won their group as expected, strolling to top spot ahead of Japan, Denmark and Cameroon, winning all three matches. That sounds mightily convincing, and the case for the Netherlands to reach the final is all the more compelling when you look and see that they beat Slovakia and then the mighty Brazil in the knockout stages. No-one really gave Holland much of a chance against Brazil, but it was they who ran out 2-1 winners over one of the tournament favourites, thanks to a brace from Wesley Sneijder, and some luck. Holland have simply not been convincing at all through their 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign, and the old whispers of them not being mentally composed enough to win football’s greatest prize are starting to get louder. The Dutch are generally a self destructive bunch when it comes to tournament football, usually cracking at the seams when the pressure starts mounting. What the Dutch do have in spades, is great technical ability, and they are set up to play a very attractive style of football, which does not always possess all of the qualities needed to win tournaments. Like mental fortitude.

The flaws with Holland, and they have been visible in this tournament, is the lack of desire to really dig deep and battle, and lack of creativity and invention. Some will argue that they showed great resilience in beating Brazil after going behind, but it was more of a case of Brazil beating themselves than anything the Dutch did in terms of football. Holland did a great deal of unsportsmanlike playing up to the referee, falling to the floor and making it seem as if Brazil were wearing sharp edged ice skates instead of football boots when any South American went near them. While it worked in getting Felipe Melo riled enough to get himself stupidly sent off, it was not a pretty picture which the Dutch painted, and it gave a great example of just why they always seem to remain on the fringe of great success. They are their own worst enemy usually, with arrogance and over confidence generally at the root of their downfall, and when you have you best players like Robin Van Persie publicly bemoaning his coaches decision to substitute him, all cannot be well. Instead of getting on with trying to play football, Holland degenerated their match against Brazil into a less than admirable spectacle of football quality. It was their way to regain control, after Brazil in the first half, had exposed many weaknesses in the Dutch formation, cutting through them with ease.

The Netherlands however, will have a tougher time of things when they face Uruguay in their semi final, because Uruguay are a lot more of a no-nonsense team than Brazil. Uruguay will really get stuck into the midfield of the Netherlands, and will physically drain the confidence out of the Dutch. Holland did not have the technically ability to beat Brazil in a toe to toe contest, and while they will be believing that they certainly have that advantage over Uruguay, underestimation of these South Americans would be perilous. The 2010 FIFA World Cup has not seen the best of Holland and there is a train of thought which leans towards the reasoning that coach Bert van Marwijk is hampered by his players. Tactically, Holland are very sound, letting Arjen Robben and Dirk Kuyt patrol out wide, supporting lone striker Van Persie, while helping out in midfield. This allows Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder to roam freely as the link up man between midfield and attack, which is why he is so dangerous. He is that a-typical South American floating number 10. The Dutch attack allows for a lot of movement and creativity, but behind that, they have problems with quality personnel. The distribution to the attack is not a quick, nor as sharp as it should be. Holland could learn some good lessons from Germany about quick transition play. Why is this important in World Cup betting? Because semi final opponents Uruguay have a much stronger midfield than Holland, in terms of work ethic. Snuffing out the supply line to the forwards, by pressing the Dutch defence when they are on the ball, is a sure fire way to frustrate Holland, and that will create chances for Uruguay. In technical ability, Holland win hands down. They have not been playing well and have been riding their luck, and that is why they are very vulnerable, especially with the added weight of breaking the mental barrier of actually winning the World Cup. Uruguay may not have to beat them, for they may do it to themselves again. They will already be without Nigel de Jong and Gregory Van Der Weil after picking up their second yellow cards against Brazil. They are lucky to have Mark Van Bommel too, who was lucky to escape a red card. Holland, beating themselves.

Uruguay

The South Americans are the surprise package of the tournament, and they are very proud of themselves for getting to the semi final. As a nation they have won the World Cup twice before, but that was a long time ago back in 1950 and since then, they have not been able to compete strongly. They are the last South American team left in the tournament along with three European nations. This in itself is as big of a surprise as seeing Uruguay in the semi’s, as Brazil and Argentina were supposed to be in the mix at this stage. South American teams are generally ones that have a great balance between attack and defence, and if they are lacking the out and out technical brilliance of say Brazil, they make up for it with a physical presence. Chile were a perfect example of this, as they and Uruguay are probably the two hardest working teams attending the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Uruguay like to defend from the front, and that is why they put out a three man attack, so that the middle of the park can be kept tight and narrow in defence, and the extra attack can drop back and help out in midfield. This is something which is expected of South American teams, even though the top players don’t always put in that top effort in defence. This sole reason was the downfall of Argentina, whose forwards were not dedicated enough in making sure their midfield was reinforced when they did not have the ball. That same concern is not there for Uruguay, although they will be missing their star striker, a team that the Dutch will know fairly well.

Ajax’s Luis Suarez was at the centre of the much publicised debate over whether his punching of the ball on the goal line in the dying seconds of their quarter final match, was deliberate cheating or not. Suarez stopped a sure fire goal with his hands, received a red card, and opponents Ghana missed the last gasp penalty, sending the match to a penalty shoot out, which the Africans lost. Suarez had pulled off the biggest save of the tournament, to which he is now citing that he has the “real” hand of God. Uruguay will miss the striker, but they have Diego Forlan, who has been one of the outstanding players of the tournament. Both he and Suarez are on three goals, one of the few teams in the tournament who have more than one player up front to rely upon for goals. Holland’s Robin Van Persie has just one to his name, in contrast. The way Uruguay will set up, will probably leave space down the flanks for Arjen Robben and Dirk Kuyt to receive plenty of the ball. That is how Uruguay like it. It is unlikely that they will let Holland go through the middle of them, and that means the Dutch will have to work a lot harder down the flanks. Uruguay will be happy with that, as their mean defence will be confident of handling a lone striker in Van Persie.

While Holland have received good news about a scan on Robin Van Persie’s elbow which showed no problems, Uruguay have been hit with bad news about creative playmaker midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro who will definitely miss the showdown after picking up a knee injury against Ghana. Uruguay are also anxiously waiting news about captain Diego Lugano, who is a serious injury doubt after having to come off against Ghana as well. The South Americans will also be without Suarez and defender Jorge Fucile who is also suspended. These are the small things which can accumulate into a big problem. It is a shame that Uruguay may not be able to field their strongest side at such an important juncture in their World Cup history. They are the underodgs for the match and the rank outsiders of the four teams left in the tournament. Their teamwork has gotten them this far, and now it looks as if it is being sadly broken apart through injury and suspsension. While Paraguay rang a lot of changes to their starting eleven against Spain and still put up an admirable fight, Uruguay will be hoping that the incoming players will give the benefit of fresh legs, which they will need after playing extra time in the semi finals. Uruguay will run and chase and pressure Holland all day long, and they will probably sit back and look to launch counter attacks, and look to make the most of their chances from dead ball situations. Forlan is the key man, along with Diego Perez in the centre of midfield, who will be putting in the heavy tackles. A great, disciplined team, Uruguay are on the brink of repeating successes of their peers, but they face their toughest challenge yet in one of Europe’s top sides. The margin between them will be small, and it may just take another flash of genuis from Forlan to sneak it.

Betting Tip – To Win – Uruguay 6/1 at Bwin

Match Verdict: Uruguay are the ideal team to be the thorn in the side of another Holland World Cup dream. They are so disruptive in midfield, and so tight at the back, that they can cope with slicker passing and faster paced teams. They do not flex their attacking muscles as much as one would hope, but they have a system which works for them, and its gotten them this far. This is a quality passing and moving attacking team versus a disciplined defence one. Uruguay though have goals in them, and can step up into the role of an attacking side, whereas Holland probably can’t switch to a defensive one so well. Uruguay can very well sneak this by a goal, or even take it all the way to penalties. They probably won’t get overwhelmed or overrun, not unless the Dutch come out and play by at least a couple of levels better than they have done during the tournament so far.
Uruguay +0.75 Asian Handicap 41/40 at Bet365

Top Uruguay v Holland Bets

Correct Score
Uruguay to win 1-0: 12/1 at Paddy Power
Holland to win 1-0: 5/1 at Boylesports

To Qualify
Uruguay – 13/5 at SportingBet
Holland to win: 1/3 at Totesport

Anytime Goalscorer
Robin Van Persie – 5/1 at Coral
Wesley Sneijder – 7/1 at Bet365
Diego Forland – 3/1 at ExtraBet

Greenpoint Stadium in Cape Town plays host to the first semi-final of the 2010 World Cup and it might be a lot closer than people are predicting. Indeed, everyone seems to be raving about the Dutch since they beat Brazil in Port Elizabeth, although let’s not forget that Bert van Marwijk’s team didn’t look like scoring until Felipe Melo and Julio Cesar got themselves into a right tangle which led to the Netherlands grabbing an equaliser in the quarter final match.

Therefore, while Coral’s stand-out 4/6 is likely to be popular about Holland winning in normal time and booking their place in a World Cup final for the first time since 1978, there will also be people on betfair laying the Oranje at odds of around 1.66. Yes, they have won all five of their games in South Africa, although the team have only shown glimpses of attacking play and they are sure to continue with the slow tempo start which has served them well up to now.

Uruguay are also unbeaten in this World Cup, something which enabled them to win Group A and enter what many have described as an easier half of the draw. La Celeste then squeezed past South Korea in the last sixteen before the luckiest of victories against Ghana in the quarter final, something which saw Asamoah Gyan miss an extra-time penalty and then Oscar Tabarez’s team eventually triumphing on spot kicks. Perhaps the south Americans will now believe it’s their fate to win the World Cup for a third occasions and you can get 11/2 (bet365) that they land a ninety minute win.

Indeed, while the Black Stars were flying the flag for Africa on Friday, Uruguay are doing the same for their continent after the demise of Argentina and Brazil. Unfortunately, they will be missing the excellent Luis Suarez, whose ‘hand of God’ was spotted by the referee and led to a red card. It means that Diego Forlan (17/2 bet365) will weigh heavy with the burden of trying to score for his team, although the remarkably confident Sebastian Abreu (14/1 bet365) might get his first start of the 2010 World Cup.

As for the Dutch, they will be missing Gregory van der Wiel and Nigel de Jong from the team due to suspension but it won’t stop van Marwijk playing two holding midfielders in front of the defence and hoping that Wesley Sneijder (7/1 Paddy Power) and Arjen Robben (6/1 Ladbrokes) can conjure some magic in the middle of the park. Robin Van Persie is the 4/1 favourite (Paddy Power) to break the deadlock and the Arsenal forward might be up against a weakened defence due to injury concerns over Diego Godin and Diego Lugano.

Even so, the Uruguayans will stick manfully to the task of trying to prevent their opponents from scoring and Boylesports offer 5/2 that the match is a draw and goes to extra-time. If you fancy Tabarez’s team to go through on spot kicks once again, Sporting Bet offer 11/1.

Uruguay vs Ghana Odds – World Cup Quarter Finals – 2nd July

Uruguay – odds: 11/10 at Bet365
Draw – odds: 9/4 at SkyBet
Ghana – odds: 16/5 at Ladbrokes

Uruguay

Uruguay were the first of the four South American teams in the Quarter Finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. A 2-1 win over South Korea got them there, in a match where they always just had the edge. Now the incredibly organised and efficient Uruguayans will take on the lively Ghanaians with a place in the World Cup semi final at stake. Uruguay again conceded a lot of possession against South Korea, but they were solid enough in their defence, as they have been throughout the tournament to let it be enough. This is one very hard working Uruguayan team, who are happy to let other teams have possession and frustrate them into making mistakes. Uruguay have plenty of striking power up front, but they do not go all out in utilising it. They break forward when they can and what really works for Uruguay, is their incredibly tough midfield, with Diego Perez breaking up countless plays. The sheer disruptive nature of the South American’s midfield is what has been causing teams problems, as it is hard to establish any kind of rhythm against them. Then when you do start pushing forward, trying to find an inch of space to work with, before you know it, Uruguay are down the other end with Diego Forlan or Luis Suarez firing in to the net. Uruguay are taking on a different approach to the game compared with the other semi finalists, but they are making their way and importantly making progress by playing to their strengths.

It is a little unclear as to whether we have really seen the best out of Uruguay yet, as they have not particularly come out of their shell at all as an attacking force. They have the talent to be a more attacking side, but it doesn’t appear to be their main priority. They seem to know their boundaries and stick well within them. But then they have not been short of goals at all, and after South Korea had equalised against them, you did see a small change in mentality, a shift up in a gear until they had gotten their noses in front again. Uruguay are courageous kind of team, in that they are understated in their work and their solidarity in protecting and working for each other. It is some surprise that they are in Quarter Finals, as they were the last team to qualify for South Africa 2010, and they have not drawn much attention to themselves at all. Looking at the glamorous list of combatants in the last eight, such as Brazil, Germany and Holland, then they will continue to get overlooked. You can see the team spirit in the Uruguayan players and they are powerful enough to frustrate even the best teams in the tournament, and they will need to be at their hard working best to shut down the threat from the Ghana midfield. Ghana may well have the edge over the South Americans in terms of tempo of game, but as Uruguay have shown, particularly against Mexico and South Korea, they are comfortable against faster teams, as they simply sit back and give themselves time by pushing opposition to the outside. Perez is the epitome of the unsung hero of the team, and he will be a key figure in stopping Ghana. The chances are, you are not going to see a different approach from Uruguay, and why fix something if it’s not broken? They can score when they need to, and put up defensive walls which teams are having a very hard time in breaking down. A counter attacking style against Ghana will be perfect, and with Uruguay so good at it, they have every chance of edging this one.

Ghana

Africa’s last hope. They were the only nation from the continent to get themselves out of the group stages, as the reality about the quality levels of African football have been really shown up. Ghana are one of the youngest teams in attendance at South Africa 2010, but they are producing so much young talent, they should be a force to be reckoned with on the world stage for some time to come. You can see some of the inexperience in their play, perhaps pushing forward with a little too much haste, but on the whole, Ghana have struck the ball around confidently and have not been afraid to take on teams. The Ghanaians themselves look very relaxed and comfortable, and that again is something which comes from the benefit of youth. They could make history by becoming the first African nation to reach the semi finals of the World Cup, after being only the third team from the continent to make it to the Quarter Finals. One of the strengths Ghana have, is that Serbian Coach Milovan Rajevac is known for being a strict disciplinarian. While the players themselves look relaxed, the celebrations behind the scenes have apparently been kept to a minimum, with players being demanded to stay focus instead of getting inflated egos about their achievements so far.

Star striker Asamoah Gyan picked up a knock on his ankle during training, but reports from the camp of the Black Stars is that he will be fit and ready to go for Uruguay. There is more of a worry over Kevin Prince Boateng though, as his hamstring problem may well keep him out of the clash, and defenders Samuel Inkoom and John Mensah are both dealing with injuries of their own. Coach Milovan Rajevac has problems already in filling in the missing pieces due to suspension, as Rajevac cannot call upon Jonathan Mensah or Andrew Ayew who are both suspended. Rajevac will be seriously hoping that the injury worries clear up over the next couple of days, as Ghana tries to get ready. There is hope that defender Isaac Vorsah will be fit again after only taking part in Ghana’s opening match. The Africans will need all of their craft and ability to take on the Uruguayans, as Ghana will be expected to control the tempo of the match, and have a lot of possession. The South Americans will literally invite the Africans to come and attack, and then look to hit them on the break. Ghana will be fully aware of this, and while they have not looked overly potent in front of goal, Ghana have taken their chances well when they have come along. They have a quality in midfield in passing around small triangles quickly, and then getting down the flanks in behind defences. Gyan patrols up front most of the time on his own, and gets through an incredible amount of work, relying on his lighting pace to get him into goal scoring positions. With the inexperience around him, one of the most important players could be 29 year old midfielder Stephen Appiah to show a calm, wise head. With Michael Essien missing, Appiah knows the importance of his role. Ghana will pull the strings and the one thing they will have to display, is patience. Will their young heads have that? They will face their most defensive opposition so far, and it will be interesting to see how well they cope.

Uruguay vs Ghana Prediction / Betting Tips

Prediction (who will win) – Uruguay win – Odds: 11/10 at Bet365

Uruguay have proven to be a tough cookie to crack, and they should have the confidence in their own abilities to stop Ghana. They will stick to their game plan in being relatively defensive, and that plays to their own strengths of playing quickly on the counter attack. Ghana will need their full complement of defenders, which is a bit up in the air at the moment with injuries. Ghana can look an exciting side, but there is more of an element of control and quality about the South Americans. Uruguay’s tough tackling midfield and tight defensive lines, should suffocate Ghana’s approach to the game, and Uruguay look a very calm and composed team which do not panic. They generally play below their top gear, and step up only when needed. Uruguay set up in a basic 4-3-3 which keeps things narrow, forcing opposition to go wide.

Uruguay vs Ghana Prediction – Betting Tip – Diego Forlan Anytime Scorer – Odds: 6/4 at Bet365

Spain are like a beautiful butterfly to watch. So graceful, so elegant and yet so fragile and vulnerable to predators. While they beat Portugal on Tuesday night, there was a real heart-in-mouth moment where the ball bounced off Carlos Puyol’s thigh and looped over the head of Iker Casillas’ head only to fall on the right side of the post as far as the Spanish were concerned.

Therefore, for all their possession play and lovely movement, there’s always the possibility of the team conceding a goal and Paraguay will be aware of that when the teams line up on Saturday evening. This is exactly the sort of team that can frustrate the European champions and William Hill offer 7/1 that Gerardo Martino’s side win in ninety minutes.

The fact that they have only won one of their four World Cup matches to date suggests that a better bet might be Paraguay +1 at odds of 17/20 with Ladbrokes. After all, it might take some time for Spain to break down their stubborn opponents, who have only conceded one goal in the entire tournament and that was against Italy in the first game. They will be boosted by the return of Victor Caceres from suspension, who will try to break up the neat inter-passing which is the hallmark of the Spanish game.

Nevertheless, Vicente Del Bosque lauded his team’s performance as they eventually found a breakthrough against Portugal and then spent the rest of the match keeping the ball and effectively laughing in the faces of their Iberian opponents. Confidence is coming back after that stuttering start to the 2010 World Cup campaign against the Swiss and bet365 offer 1/2 that they win their fourth game on the bounce in ninety minutes.

There’s one player that everyone’s been talking about after Tuesday night and we don’t mean Cristiano Ronaldo. There’s a reason why Barcelona have shelled out a stack of cash to sign David Villa over the summer and the striker has been amazing for his team. Indeed, there’s an argument that the players would be back in Madrid and Catalunya if it wasn’t for their number seven and he’s available at 7/2 (Paddy Power) to break the deadlock for the fourth game running.

It’s clear that Del Bosque will want to keep Villa on the left-hand side where he is clearly most dangerous. However, there is a dilemma whether to persist with Fernando Torres (4/1 Ladbrokes) or go with Fernando Llorente (6/1 Sky Bet), a player that looked a lot sharper when replacing the former against the Portuguese.

Unlike the other semi-finals, it’s fairly easy to predict how the game will pan out at Ellis Park on Saturday night. Expect to see Spain have a lot of possession and Paraguay to put many men behind the ball. Under 2.5 Goals (4/7 Boylesports) looks likely as there will be only one team trying to score. No Goalscorer could be a bet worth covering at 8/1 (bet365), along with the Spanish to win by 1-0 (5/1 Bet Fred) and 2-0 (11/2 betfair) scorelines.

Exactly four months ago, these teams played a friendly match at the Allianz Arena which suggested that Germany might struggle at the 2010 World Cup. Although Joachim Loew’s team had beaten Russia home and away to qualify for South Africa, they produced an underwhelming performance against La Albiceleste which was one of the reasons why Die Mannschaft were priced at 16/1 on the outright market before the tournament began.

They have since been cut by the bookmakers and are now no bigger than 7/1 (Paddy Power) to win their first World Cup as a unified nation (although it would be their fourth victory overall). The 4-1 triumph over England saw an attacking performance full of quick passing and sharp shooting, with the Three Lions having no answer to the midfield mastering of Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Germany are a best priced 13/10 (bet365) to qualify from this tie, just as they did at the same stage of the competition in 2006. The quarter final match in Berlin was very exciting, with Argentina taking the lead before the hosts pegged them back and eventually won on penalties. It’s hard to dispute the German record when it comes to spot kicks and they are 9/1 (Sporting Bet) to go through to the semi-finals by this method.

It would be a fantastic achievement against a team that won that friendly in Munich four months ago and have looked pretty unstoppable so far at this World Cup. Argentina took their time to qualify for the finals in South Africa, although they breezed through Group B and the 13/10 (Boylesports) about them obliging with a victory in Cape Town might prove to be a popular wager. After all, they have won four games on the spin and proved too hot for Mexico to handle on Sunday, even if it did take an offside Carlos Tevez effort to break the deadlock.

The Manchester City forward is 13/2 (bet365) to score the first goal of the game on Saturday afternoon and one cannot fail to be impressed by his amazing work ethic which involves him snapping at the opposition defenders’ ankles like a terrier. However, it’s Gonzalo Higuain who leads the scoring charts with four goals in three games and the Real Madrid forward is 11/2 (bet365) to draw first blood for Argentina.

There will be many punters who have lost faith in Lionel Messi after the Barcelona star has failed to score in all four of his country’s matches so far. However, the German defence was not exactly watertight against England and the time could be ripe for the world’s best player to demonstrate his credentials on a world stage. Boylesports make him 11/8 to score at any stage of the game, with Sky Bet offering 33/1 that he proves to be a hat-trick hero.

As for the Germans, they have illustrated that they are also full of goals in this tournament. Miroslav Klose (8/1 Ladbrokes) will lead the line, although Lukas Podolski (10/1 Ladbrokes), Mesut Ozil (16/1 Paddy Power) and Thomas Muller (14/1 Ladbrokes) have all been among the goals in South Africa.

Although Milovan Rajevac and Oscar Tabarez won’t want this marvellous World Cup adventure to stop, neither could surely have imagined that their respective teams would have such a glittering opportunity to reach the semi-final. The draw has played its part by putting Germany and Argentina in one quarter, with Holland and Brazil featuring in another, with the winner of this tie likely to meet the Selecao in Cape Town next Tuesday.

It’s Uruguay who are strong favourites, just as they were when beating South Korea last Saturday although anyone who watched that game would struggle to argue that La Celeste where wholly convincing. While Diego Godin having to retire at half-time upset the balance in defence a little, there was definitely an element of the south Americans trying to hang on to their slender advantage which allowed the Koreans back into the game. Even so, it won’t stop Tabarez’s team being popular at odds of 11/10 (Paddy Power), especially as they will be included in several doubles with Brazil (who play earlier that day).

However, Ghana will feel as though their destiny is written in the stars after a dramatic (and slightly undeserved) win over the USA on Saturday night. The Black Stars have now etched their names in African football folklore, joining Senegal and Cameroon as the only teams from the Dark Continent to have reached the quarter finals of a World Cup. Not that they will be resting on their laurels at Soccer City and patting themselves on the back. Ladbrokes offer 10/3 that they are victorious in normal time.

The big problem for Rajevac is that two of his best attacking players are going to miss this match. Andre Ayew is suspended and Kevin Prince-Boateng will surely not recover from the injury incurred against America in the previous game. Isaac Vorsah could also be missing from central defence and that could see nineteen-year-old Jonathan Mensah slot in at central defence, although the Ghanaians will still have the fabulous Asamoah Gyan leading the line.

The Rennes striker is carrying the hopes of Africa on his shoulders and Paddy Power offers 15/2 that he scores either first or last during normal time. It was a blistering strike that helped his team reach the quarter final, although it was noticeable how Ghana started to fade in the second half of the match in Rustenburg. Therefore, perhaps the Uruguayans will keep things tight in the first period of the game and look to turn the screw after the break. Paddy Power offer 4/1 that the game is level at half-time but it’s the south Americans that are through by the final whistle.

One advantage that Uruguay have is their twin strikeforce, or perhaps we are being unfair to Edison Cavani (10/1 Victor Chandler), who was scoring regularly for Palermo last season. Even so, it’s Diego Forlan (5/1 William Hill) and Luis Suarez (11/2 Blue Square) that have been grabbing the headlines and they could just help the Uruguayans have the edge.

Brazil vs Holland Odds – World Cup Quarter Finals – 2nd July

Brazil – odds: Evens at SkyBet
Draw – odds: 12/5 at BetFred
Holland – odds: 7/2 Bet365

Holland

Two of the most fluent passing teams go head to head in the quarter finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and it promises to be one of the best matches so far. Holland take on Brazil in the first of the Quarter Finals, and it is a match which is being waited for with much anticipation. Holland, with four straight wins in the World Cup, have the unenviable task of taking on a Brazil side which have not broken a sweat yet. Holland themselves though have sailed through their matches, and have not been troubled at all. Holland came into the tournament as one of the strongest European candidates, and while they have seen most of Europe’s elite fall, the Oranje have carried on regardless. They are great exponents of playing the beautiful game, and reinforces just how far attacking football can get you, a lesson which a lot of Europe could learn. The Dutch have quality players in every position but they will go into the match as underdogs to the South Americans. Maybe this will suit Holland perfectly, as they are famous in World Cup history for not being able to break through mental barriers to win the World Cup, with over confidence often being cited as their biggest downfall. The Dutch do have an air of arrogance about them, but this time around it does not appear to be a the same level as it has been at in the past. They are a fully confident team and rightly so. There has not even been any reports of infighting and disarray in the camp, which is something else which usually plagues the Netherlands at tournaments. They are calm, composed and ready to take on the world’s best.

Holland have not been pushed at all in any of their matches so far. They have had the upper hand in all of them, even if they have not ran up large score lines. The simple fact of the matter is that they have maintained possession and movement very well, and with the return of Arjen Robben, they have been made even stronger. Robben returned to the starting line up against Slovakia in their last sixteen match up, and found the back of the net. Holland ran out 2-1 winners after conceding a penalty at the very death of the game, but they never looked in any danger of losing the match. The same can be said of their group games against Denmark, Japan and Cameroon. They were probably pushed the hardest by the industrious Japan, but still, there is an edge of confidence and quality about Holland. There always is, as their passing game is a joy to watch. Do they have what it takes to go all of the way and win the World Cup for the first time in their history? A knockout match in the World Cup against Brazil at any stage is like a World Cup final in itself. There is perhaps more of a maturity about Holland this time around, and they are on a long successful run of being undefeated, and so far, their run has not been threatened. While they have had a lot of success, they haven’t really been tested against the top teams, and it doesn’t get better than Brazil. The key players like Robin Van Persie and Wesley Sneijder need to be on top of their games, and Holland will need their mobility and width to get the best out of attacking Brazil, which they will find with Dirk Kuyt and Robben.

Brazil

Brazil will set the Netherlands new challenges in their quarter final match. The Dutch defence will come under a lot more pressure than they have done in any of their recent matches, with a need to maintain a lot more concentration. Brazil have looked completely unfazed during their run to the World Cup 2010 Quarter Finals, and they have arguably been tested harder than Holland have. Brazil came through a group against Portugal and the Ivory Coast, and then had a tricky last sixteen match against Chile. They did not blink an eyelid in dispatching the Ivory Coast and Chile very comfortably, scoring three goals against each, but they did fail to break down Portugal in a dour match. We were expecting a much more defensively sound Brazil at this World Cup, as coach Dunga shook up the Brazilian style to inject his own stamp on the team. Even with a solid back line now, backed up by the best goalkeeper in the world, Julio Cesar, they have not lost that typical Brazilian attacking flair. Far from it. If anything it has been enhanced by the solid foundation behind it, and one of the unsung heroes which makes it happen, is ex Arsenal star Gilberto Silva who holds the midfield together. Brazils movement in going forward is still something to be admired by all teams in the world, and they still make everything look so effortless and easy. Passing the ball is done almost on automatic pilot, and with Robinho and Kaka roaming around behind Luis Fabiano, they are so hard to pick up and stop.

Kaka drops off behind both of Robinho and Fabiano, and pulls a lot of the strings as expected. He had a slow start to the tournament, coming back from injury, and he received a petty red card in Brazil’s match against the Ivory Coast. While Dunga wasn’t happy about that, he saw Kaka pick up another yellow card, and he is now treading a thin line. To see Kaka miss the semi final or the Final itself by picking up another booking would be a huge shame for the tournament. Brazil are looking in ominous form, and the strongest force at South Africa 2010. With all of the expectation surrounding Brazil as they go in search of their sixth title, the fact that Argentina and Spain are in the running as betting favourites, may have taken some of the pressure off them, as punters look elsewhere. But Brazil look incredibly confident, and one thing which stands out about them, is that they are enjoying their football as a group. They look relaxed and full of smiles, and with some of the most technically gifted players in the tournament, there’s no reason not to be. But Brazil will face their most technical challenge so far of the World Cup, facing one of the teams that are equally comfortable in possession. Holland do not have as much of a clinical finish about them as Brazil do, neither do they have the quality on their bench that Brazil do. The South Americans face challenges will calm heads and they play to the strengths of their experience, as they are one of the oldest sides in the tournament. They do not look it though, as they move the football so quickly, and one of the stars of the tournament so far, Robinho, injects so much pace and creativity to complement the sturdiness of the defensive corps behind him, Brazil are perfectly balanced and perfectly primed.

Brazil vs Holland Prediction / Betting Tips

Prediction (who will win) – Brazil to win – odds: Evens at SkyBet

Brazil have outstanding class, and while they can be matched in style by Holland, the Europeans will have a hard time standing up in a toe to toe match against the South Americans. Hopefully the Netherlands will do their best to stick to their own strengths and not simply try to fill in the midfield to stifle Brazil, because this has the promise of a wide open master class in passing football. Still, Brazil have looked the more dangerous through the tournament, and have the potential to outscore Holland no matter how many the Dutch may put on the board. That is the class of Brazil, the ability to go one better all of the time.

Brazil vs Holland Prediction – Betting Tip – Robinho Anytime Scorer – odds: 2/1 at Ladbrokes

While France, Italy and England have not lived up to their billing and are already out of the tournament, two of the biggest names in world football are safely through to the quarter finals of the World Cup and the match at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium threatens to be a classic.

Holland v Brazil conjures many exciting memories, such as their last eight clash in Dallas back in 1994 when the Dutch produced a stirring comeback from 2-0 down to draw level at 2-2. Unfortunately they couldn’t complete the turnaround and lost 3-2, although they fared a little better in 1998 when the teams met in the semi-finals. Patrick Kluivert’s late equaliser took the game to extra-time, although the Selecao were once again victorious, this time on penalties.

Can the current Netherlands gain vengeance for these defeats of the last millennium? There’s two schools of thought on the matter. The first states that Holland have been disappointing in all four of their matches despite winning them all and might be easily beaten in Port Elizabeth. The other suggests that the Dutch have been conserving energy and will now move through the gears when it really matters. If the latter occurs, then the 100/30 (Ladbrokes) that they win this match will seem like a big price.

You can also back Bert van Marwijk’s team at 7/4 (bet365) to go through to the semi-finals where they would have a winnable match against either Uruguay or Ghana. Indeed, such an easy route through to the final suggests there will be extra pressure on this match and Under 2.5 Goals at 8/11 (Stan James) seems like a very fair price considering that Holland will surely look to keep things tight in the opening stages.

Indeed, it’s possible the Dutch are trying to use the same tactics employed by Jose Mourinho’s Inter during last season’s successful Champions League campaign and Brazil are sure to be wary about falling prey to the counter-attack trap. That said, the south Americans played some excellent football when beating Chile and demonstrated that they also can be a threat on the break, not to mention from set piece situations.

It’s possible that people will consider the two matches that took place last Monday and arrive at the conclusion that Brazil are a better team and should almost certainly win the game in normal time. If you are one of these people, it might be worth considering a bet at even money (bet365) on the Samba Kings, especially as manager Dunga is demanding a big improvement from his team!

Robinho is looking a million times better than his Manchester City playing days last season and could rate as a decent bet at 6/1 (bet365), while Luis Fabiano now has three goals and the Sevilla striker can be backed at odds of 9/2 (Victor Chandler). For the Dutch, there’s no escaping the fact that Arjen Robben is the player likeliest to score and he’s on offer at 10/1 (bet365).