Big Question: Who’s Going to win Group A?

Sorry guys, you’re making the same mistake as the many who predicted the results of the first round 4 years ago, and that is believing the statistics on Poland. Just like this year, in 2K2 they were favored to be the runners up in their group. What happened? It still hurts to remember… Not even the 6 mil the PZPN (Polish Football Federation) recently promised the team if they (ha) win the WC will be incentive enough to even get out of the group. Look to Costa Rica or Ecuador to finish second…i would bet on the former.

I´d guess so as well.

Seems the obvious outcome of this group, although I would not be too surprised if Poland finishes 1st and Germany 2nd.

1. Germany
2. Poland
3. Costa Rica
4. Ecuador

no doubt abt it;
1)GER
2)POL
3)ECU
4)CRC
after all the germans r the host & the 2nd favorites to win the world cup.

ya i hope its going to be true..

germany
poland
costa rica
ecuador

Costa Rica
Germany
Poland
Ecuador

Agreed

I will have to say on paper

1. Germany
2. Poland
3. Costa Rica
4. Ecuador

Germany will be strong and home advantage should count in their favour. And Arsenal’s Jens Lehnman is in fantastic form to keep the goals out.

Close, guys:

1. Germany
2. Ecuador
3. Poland
4. Costa Rica

1. Costa Rica
2. Germany
3. Ecuador
4. Poland

Boldly going where no football fan has ever gone before.

Costa Rica has an outside chance to qualify from this group. It’s a long shot but don’t forget what happened in 1990.

Also in 2002, they didn’t go to the second round only because Turkey had slightly better goal difference.

I want Ecuador to advance so we can have a look at women like the one in the post. What is it about Latin America that makes the women so smoooooooookin hot?

It’s pretty much it. Ecuador is only at the World Cup because of the altitude.

This is a very sensible group that will play out to expectations.

Costa Rica isn’t the best team in ConCaCaf, which isn’t exactly filled with good clubs.

Ecuador won’t like the German climate.

Poland will play it safe – meaning dull football.

The only problem for Germany will be looking over at Group B and getting a little distracted by anticipating a Germany v England match in the knock-out stages.

Germany – 1st
Poland – 2nd

i agree with adas on poland, there for i see this…

1)germany
2)costa rica
3)poland
4)ecuador

Germany
Poland
Costa Rica
Ecuador

beware of costa rica. they will play their asses off and surprise. pluse their faster than germany and poland.

im very confident in the costa rican team and i agree with lyle we will play our asses off and impress everyone eventhough i believe we wont be able to finish first… my prediction
1)germany
2)costa rica
3)poland
4)ecuador

1)ecuador
2)germany
3)costa rica
4)poland
I think…

1)POLAND
2)GERMANY
3)COSTA RICA
4)ECUADOR

Germany should win this group. The other teams are not bad but Germany will have a lot of advantages here.The second place would be between Poland and Costa Rica…

1.- Germany.
2.- Poland.
3.- Costa Rica.
4.- Ecuador.

1-Germany
2-Poland
3-Ecuador
4-Costa Rica

Ballack ”Germany”
Smolarek ”Poland”

I have to concur with WCB.

Germany 3 wins
Poland 1-1-1
Ecuador 1-1-1
Costa Rica 3 losses

How can Germany not win the group!

Poland is shaky, but are playing on the home continent.

Ecuador will put up a fierce fight.

Costa Rica: just glad to be there.

The Altitude is not a problem for anyone in South America. this is not the reason why Ecuador qualified. Bolivia’s La Paz stadium is at 3.500 mts high. Bogota’s Stadium is about 2.500 mts. high, but they don’t usually play there. Because they know that it is not really an advantage after all. Every team in South America knows how to play at high altitudes, and Ecuador manages to win because they have a very strong team. Germany, Poland and Costa Rica for sure know that. Ecuador will claim the first or second spot in this group.

have you guys forgotton that Costa rica beat Mexico twice a not too long ago, they are the only team to beat them in the azteca in history, not brazil or argentina has done it. Now they also beat the US the last time they met. AND the US Just BEAT poland!!!I know that mexico and the US are ranked 4th and 5th (a little high) but Costa rica can Hang with them..
COSTA RICA WILL ADVANCE…
GERMANY
COSTA RICA
POLAND
ECUADOR

Want to hear about a disturbing upset? The host nation won’t make it out of the first round!
That’s not what I truly believe, but I just had to say it… and I know it’s been said by someone somewhere sometime already, I’m just saying it again!

Germany is going to be first… that’s obvious. I always count on Poland and I think they will make it out, but I thought that 4 years ago too. And now they don’t have Dudek- that’s going to cost them.
Costa Rica is good but they don’t stand a chance against Germany and hopefully Poland. Ecuador is where the only problem is for Poland to come in second.

Like i said.. Costa Rica will take the second spot.. to those who talked about the latin Women..
Let me tell you somehting They are Hot.. specially the Costa Rican gorgeous girls.
if their football team don’t make it, then the women will win the World cup beuty paegent.
ha ha ha ha

Costa Rica is rated 26th over Poland and Ecuador and not too far away is Germany, so Can CR beat one, two or even the three teams??.. I strongly believe they could!! Oh and this guy Louie seems to know what he’s talking about when referring to the Costa Rican girls!!!

Ecuador will be the surprise of this world cup. Advancing through this group it’s just the first step. Do you remember Cameroon in 1990? Bulgaria in 1994? Croatia in 1998? Turkey and Korea in 2002? Well you will remember Ecuador in 2006.

My little Andee
well you have something right. I do know what I’m talking about because i’m almost married to one. Anyway Andee, I agree with your statement but you can’t go with the ratings, they are never right. I think poland and Costa Rica are about the same. It’s going to be a great match. I also think that Costa Rica will either loose really bad on the June 9th match or Tie with Germany. but not win. sorry Andee.

Group A Predictions by Dave Hamilton

Advancing: GERMANY and COSTA RICA

Should GERMANY take Costa Rica for granted in the World Cup opener, it could do more than take the air out of the hosts’ balloon and stir up the media. It could doom them to an embarrassing early exit. Chances are, however, the defending Cup runners-up will move on to the group of 16 with the Central Americans. Chelsea-bound Michael Ballack — the face of German soccer, especially now that coach Juergen Klinsmann has relegated notorious goalkeeper Oliver Kahn to reserve status behind Jens Lehmann — leads a talented midfield contingent that is growing with experience. Joining Ballack in a group that features both attacking and holding talent is one of my personal favorites, Bastian Schweinsteiger, who I earmarked for success years ago when it became apparent that Germany had to finally push youth through their pipeline. Sebastian Deisler and Torsten Frings complete a formidable diamond. Also available in the middle is old school, technically-sound Bernd Schneider. The back defenders could comprise any combination of a young, but improving, group that includes Philipp Lahm (22. coming off very-recent elbow surgery), Chelsea benchwarmer Robert Huth (21), Per Mertesacker (21, and a star in last summer’s Confederations Cup), Christopf Metzelder (25) and “old man” Arne Friedrich (27) on the right flank. “Klinsi” created yet another controversy when he omitted widely-heralded Kevin Kuranyi off the list. I saw a Kuranyi T-shirt selling at the Kaufhof two months or so ago…I guess they knew what they were doing by selling it early. In addition to the midfield threat, the primary strikers will be 2002 Cup star Miroslav Klose — also excellent in the air — and promising Lukas Podolski, who could use this event to blossom. Gerald Asamoah should also see appreciable time on the pitch, and veteran Oliver Neuville is still available. This German team should get plenty of chances to score in their group and may in fact be better than the 2002 side, but won’t go much further than the QFs at best .

COSTA RICA should be an interesting team to watch with their usual attacking style. Look for them to run a 4-4-2, with forward Paulo Wanchope spearheading thrusts and midfielder Carlos Hernandez behind and ready to blast. Head man Alexandre Guimares was pressed back into duty after some early struggling by the Ticos in qualifying and while he did get them back on track, star striker Winston Parks and several others were sacrificed during the restructuring. The result has been that Wanchope and Hernandez have had to handle the lion’s share of attacking and the results in a relatively weak group have been choppy. Even so, the Ticos are capable of dazzling brilliance on occasion, but must be on guard against counterattacks in a group that is more evenly matched than many pundits think. It will be mainly the task of fullbacks Gilberto Martinez, with over 50 international caps, and Leonardo Gonzalez to blunt penetrations, with MLS star holding central defender Douglas Sequeira organizing the middle. Keeper “Super” Jose Porras is quite experienced and capable, and could emerge as one of the success stories in this tournament. If Costa Rica can manage at least a draw against Germany, they should be in good shape to move up.

Overlooked ECUADOR has an outside chance of moving on, but doesn’t play very well away from home – and Europe, where other Ecuadorian squads have competed only three times is a long way from home. Coach Luis Suarez also did some surprise tinkering to his roster, but not as severe as his group counterparts. Practically all of the team’s scoring is provided by striker Augustin Delgado and midfielder Edison Mendez, not encouraging considering the defenses will be better than in the lead-up to Germany. Captain Ivan Hurtado, Ulises de la Cruz, and Giovanny Espinoza form a very physical and yet mobile wall in front of home-grown goalie Cristian Mora. Look for Luis Valencia to be the key holding defender when Mendez moves forward with possible support from winger Christian Lara. I’m thinking the South Americans’ toughness and defense will at least keep them out of the group cellar.

POLAND is favored to advance by many, but I am not one of their cheerleaders. Not to be outdone in the controversy department, coach Pawel Janas axed their leading goal scorer in qualies, Tomas Frankowski, in favor of untried Pawel Brozek in one of the more-boneheaded decisions prior to the Cup (see how many goals this team scores!). Perhaps Janas was not impressed that Frankowski “only” played Spanish second-division soccer, or perhaps the ingrate believed that there was enough scoring firepower evident in the qualifiers from elsewhere on the pitch. But in reality, only Frankowski’s wingmate Maciej Zurawski could be consistently depended on. The Polish defense looks plodding at times and relies on a series of interchangeable parts like Mariusz Lewandowski, Marcin Baszcynski, and Arek Radomski, but untested by world-class competition constitute a bad recipe for success. Another decision by Pawel to tap still-learning Artur Boruc as starting keeper doesn’t help. If Pawel has guessed wrong — and I suspect he has — the German Polizei won’t have to worry about the Polish hooligans and can concentrate on the English.

1.Germany-they had a terrible team 4 years ago too.
2.Poland-playing at home
3.Costa Rica-I hope they can advance to the 2nd round but i don’t believe that.
4.Ecuador-altitude

Louie sweetheart.. I was reading a comment “How will Iran beat the number 4 rated team in the world?” So you don’t trust ratings but you still use them as arguments? Anyway, I’m not saying that CR has the best team but they can and have beaten great teams before so, like you, I say that CR will advance.. (I know a CR girl and she’s great! have a great wedding)

Germany and Poland advance, other two teams suffer from blue soccer balls.

little confused andee.
You got me there. The only problem i see is that Poland Germany and Costa rica are really close in the ratings . You can’t make an argument by ratings when they are so close. Now, For the argument i made Iran and Mexico are really far apart. The ratings are wrong but at least it gives us some insight on the last 8 years. I stil think Germany and CR will advance. And i can say that Mexico will advance.
As for the girl that you know in CR. she might be great. But my girl is by far the greatest.

1) Poland
2) Costa Rica
3)*Germany
4) Ecuador

* If lucky, sucky squad …