The Story Of Brazil 2014 So Far (Part 2)

Part 2 of our look at the state of play in the World Cup focuses on Group E to H

Group E

France	8	2	6
Ecuador	3	3	3
Switzerland	4	6	3
Honduras	1	5	0

Wednesday,

Ecuador V France (Rio Di Janerio, 17:00 – 21:00 BST)

Honduras V Switzerland (Manaus, 16:00 – 21:00 BST)

France can afford to draw their first ever World Cup meeting with Ecuador to win Group E and avoid a last 16 clash with Argentina, it’s likely that their goal difference will be enough to see them through.  Ecuador need to win to see them through to the Second Round for the second time.  Switzerland also need to win and to have a better result than Ecuador to qualify for the knock out stages, while an unlikely Honduras win coupled with an Ecuador defeat could see them qualify – if there’s a four goal swing.

Group F

Argentina	3	1	6
Nigeria	1	0	4
Iran	0	1	1
Bosnia Herzigovina	1	3	0

Wednesday, 13:00 (17:00 BST)

Nigeria V Argentina (Porto Alegre)

Iran V Bosnia (Salvador)

Argentina need a draw from their fourth World Cup meeting with Nigeria to win Group F and avoid a possible quarter final with Germany for the third tournament in a row.  Argentina have won all their meetings (2-1 in Foxborough 20 years ago, 1-0 in Ibaraki in 2002 and 1-0 in Johannesburg 4 years ago).  Iran have an outside chance of qualifying ahead of Nigeria, a win coupled with defeat for Nigeria  depending on a 2 goal swing could put Iran into the knock out stages for the first time.

Group G

Germany	6	2	4
USA	4	3	4
Ghana	3	4	1
Portugal	2	6	1

Thursday, 13:00 (17:00 BST)

Germany V USA (Recife)

Portugal V Ghana (Brasilia)

Germany & USA only need a draw in their third World Cup meeting to qualify for the last 16, with Germany winning the group on goal difference.  Germany have won the two previous meetings (2-0 in Paris in 1998 and 1-0 in Ulsan in the Quarter Finals in 2002).  Of course the fact that the German manager Joachim Low was Jurgen Klinsmann’s assistant when Germany hosted the World Cup in 2006 won’t have a bearing whatsoever at all.  No suree…  If there is a winner, Ghana would be best placed to capitalise with a win over Portugal – they would need a two goal swing to overtake USA but a five goal swing to overtake Germany.  Portugal would need to win and hope to overtake the USA with a 5 goal swing.

Group H

Belgium	3	1	6
Algeria	5	4	3
Russia	1	2	1
South Korea	3	5	1

Thursday, 17:00 (21:00 BST)

South Korea V Belgium (Sao Paolo)

Algeria V Russia (Curtiba)

Belgium can afford to draw & still win this group, the first time they will have topped a group since 1982, South Korea can still qualify if they beat Belgium and overturn a three goal advantage.  Not something South Korea have ever managed, Belgium beat them 2-0 in Verona in 1990 but drew 1-1 in Paris in 1998.  Algeria are best placed to take the runners up spot, they need to beat Russia to make sure of second place.  A Russia win coupled with defeat for Algeria would see them through to the last 16 for the first time as Russia.