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The second round of fixtures of the 2018 FIFA World Cup group stage are already underway and we have some interesting clashes lined up for today. One of them is Germany’s Group F match against Sweden to be played at Fisht Olympic stadium in Sochi.
Who would have thought the defending champions, with the kind of firepower they have in their squad, would be staring at an early exit from the World Cup coming into just their second match of the tournament!
Die Mannschaft endured a shock 1-0 defeat against Mexico in their opening match. They can’t afford a slip-up against the Scandinavians if they are to progress into the next round and remain World Cup contenders.
Sweden, on the other hand, after an unconvincing yet deserved 1-0 victory over South Korea, would go into this match brimming with confidence.
Out of the four times these two have met at World Cups, Germany have won three with Sweden coming out on top just once.
So, Who will have the last laugh this time around? Well, if there's one thing we've learnt from the previous fixtures, it's to not predict a winner.
You have to wait for the final whistle to find the answer and while you do that, just take a look at three key battles within the war which could be decisive in terms of the final result:
#3 Timo Werner vs Andreas Granqvist
While much has been made of Germany’s defensive failings against Mexico, their attack wasn’t too promising either. The Die Mannschaft hit-man, Timo Werner failed to impress in a lone striker role, perhaps because he received minimal service from behind.
Nevertheless, the RB Leipzig man who scored 20 goals in all competitions last season, remains Germany’s most potent attacking weapon up front.
The 22-year-old is still sharpening his tools at the international level and can be dangerous with his pace and deadly shooting ability. However, he will have to overcome a compact Swedish back-line led by their talismanic captain Andreas Granqvist.
Apart from his goal against South Korea, the centre-back was inspiring with his defensive display as he had a team-best of 88 touches and three clearances, helping Sweden to their fifth clean sheet in six matches.
At 6’3’’, Granqvist is a colossus and can be physically intimidating at times.
Werner needs to be a little more involved in the play and link up with the likes of Julian Draxler and Thomas Muller more if he is to get the better of the Swedish defence.
#2 Toni Kross vs Sebastian Larsson
Midfield is the most important area in a football game. Whoever wins the midfield battle is most likely to win the match. Take for instance Germany’s game against Mexico.
The Germans were pretty mediocre in central midfield. Toni Kroos, in particular, was uncharacteristically sluggish and often lost the ball as the Mexicans took to high pressing which resulted in a series of attacks. This in a way unsettled Joachim Low’s formation and Mexico found a way to score.
The Real Madrid star, notwithstanding his poor outing in the last game, remains Low’s go-to man and he will have a skilled Sebastian Larsson to challenge him this time.
Larsson, a Premier League veteran, was superb against South Koreans in terms of controlling the midfield and as a result, the Koreans couldn't dictate play which meant they had no shots on target by the final whistle.
However, if Kroos finds his game on Saturday, Larsson will have a difficult time dealing with him.
#1 Marcus Berg vs Manuel Neuer
Germany had 67% possession against Mexico and they are expected to have a lot of the ball this time around as well.
But in order to carry out possession football effectively, they need to play a high defensive line which means there will be a lot of space behind to exploit.
Therein lies Sweden's opportunity to hurt the Germans with quick counters and striker Marcus Berg is a potent weapon in this regard.
The Al Win striker is strong in the air and hence; will be their target man with long balls. He had three shots against the South Koreans with one on target and would like to come good against the Bayern Munich talisman, Manuel Neuer, on Saturday.
The likes of Matt Hummels and Jerome Boateng were wayward in their first game but will be cautious in their approach this time around. So, chances will be few and far between, and a lot will depend on how Berg manages his one-on-one situations with Neuer.
