Group E: Our Infallible Prediction
Forget Group C’s Argentina, Holland and Serbia, the real Group of Death is Group E. That is what a lot of people in the United States are saying after watching their team drawn with Italy, Czech Republic and Ghana. From the US perspective this group is death. From my perspective this is the group of overrated teams.
We’ll start with the Yanks whose cries of lack of respect fall largely on deaf ears around the world. Sure the US has made the last five World Cups. Sure the US had a nice run in 2002, making the quarterfinals and losing a game to Germany that could have gone either way. Sure the US is ranked in the top ten in FIFA’s rankings. Sure the US has some nice players and a coach who should be considered one of the best in the business. All that taken into consideration, the US will not advance from this group for the very simple reason that the tournament is being played in Europe and the US never beats European teams on European soil. That won’t change this time around.
Ghana makes its first World Cup appearance with some saying it is the team to watch from Africa. Nonsense. If Africa has such a thing as an overrated team it is Ghana. The country has performed well internationally at the youth level and at the Olympics, but that doesn’t mean it has a team that is going to make noise in Germany. Ghana benefited from being in a weak qualifying group and demonstrated in the recent African Cup of Nations that it is merely average. Some might be fooled into thinking the team is good because it has familiar players such as Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari, but as a team it is one that lacks the discipline and overall talent to escape this group.
The Czech Republic is ranked second in the world by FIFA. It is a nice team but in no way, shape or form the second best team in the world. Maybe not even a top ten team. The Czechs didn’t even top their qualifying group, finishing behind Holland. The team can score goals with elite players like Pavel Nedved, Jan Koller, Milan Baros, and Tomas Rosicky. Petr Cech is one of the world’s best keepers. Yet, the Czechs lack consistency. One game they look great and the next the look average. They have the talent to advance from this group, but I see them finishing second in the group and losing easily to Brazil in the next round.
That leaves us with Italy winning the group. The Italians are a solid group with a defense that will always keep them in games. Italy also doesn’t lack for offensive firepower and in fact finding the right combination of players up front might be coach Marcello Lippi’s greatest challenge. I like the make up of the Azzurri this year and wouldn’t be surprised if they go far in the tournament. They will have a ton of pressure to win this group since the runner up likely gets Brazil. I think Italy will handle the pressure just fine and win a group that is full of pretenders and not contenders.
Group winner: Italy
Group runner-up: Czech Republic
The rest of our infallible forecasts:
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Comments
By Starry Wisdom | February 13th, 2006 at 9:59 am 
Ah, my friend. I see that the Grandmaster’s feints have confounded even one of the game’s most hirsute analysts. Don’t be too surprised if little overrated Ghana becomes the little engine that could and overperforms your dire worryings.
Posted from 
United States
By Massimo | March 22nd, 2006 at 11:29 pm So we have two teams in this group that are better than Italy. Hahahahahhaah I really hate that Coca Cola ranking.
Italy will most likely win this group. As an Italian I actually hope we come second and meet Brazil straight away. Then we will know who will the world cup at the begining of the tournament. I believe in another 1982.
Posted from United States
By Luis Paulo | March 27th, 2006 at 8:41 am There is one thing to consider about Italy. They never qualified as first. They always choose the hard way, qualify at the last game with 4 points and only because they score 1 more goal then the third team.
Either way, Brazil will be facing a good team at the round of 16.
By Robino | March 28th, 2006 at 7:58 pm Czech Rep. did well in Euro 2004 and I think we can expect another good performance from them. I think that the Italians are a bit overrated, and they lost to South Korea in 2002. They’ll only just come second, but have to face Brazil.
Posted from 
Canada
By Pedro P | March 28th, 2006 at 9:46 pm For me, the czechs were the best team at EC04. The ideal final would have been POR vs Czech. And OUR (POR) victory would have been the perfcet revenge from EC96… 
By Bidemi | March 30th, 2006 at 5:48 am Any team would be foolish to think they’d have a walk in the park playing Ghana. Ghana is going to turn this group topsy-turvy, making it possible for the USA to qualify. They’ll pull out an unexpected win to make this possible.
Winner: Italy
Runner up: USA
Posted from 
United Kingdom
By Yaya | April 4th, 2006 at 12:51 pm italy will win the group, look for Toni to have an incredible World Cup, meanwhile the Czech Republic will be second and mark my words THEY WILL ELIMINATE BRAZIL IN THE NEXT ROUND.
Posted from 
Venezuela
By kapcro | April 4th, 2006 at 8:42 pm The United States besting the Italians and the Czechs? Just don’t see it. Respect comes with wins, that’s what the U.S. needs. Ghana a new soccer powerhouse is also unlikely. Got to go Italy and the Czech Republic. Beating Brazil in the next round will definitely get you alot of respect.
Posted from United States
By Cajun Nick | May 8th, 2006 at 9:13 am The bottom-line is: We can expect a GREAT match on June 22 - Czech Republic v Italy. With both teams already having been assured passage to the Round of 16, they will be fighting to win the Group in order to escape Brazil.
I think that 4 pts will be enough for the second-place team to get through. I think that the Azzurri will pip the Czechs for Group winner because of great defense and strikers who take the best advantage of every situation.
It is great fun handicapping the other Groups. However, I don’t relish having to make picks in this Group. Everytime I look at it, I see my beloved US sitting at 3rd (and sometimes even 4th).
Posted from United States
By Matt | May 13th, 2006 at 1:48 am I think Ghana has the talent, but I agree that they aren’t going to live up to that talent. Their team has been a mess preparing. That said, they could steal a point or three.
It’s a big test for the US. History is not on their side as far as playing in Europe, but if anything, the US has been changing history over the past decade. I see them earning at least one draw vs. Italy or the Czech Rep. and possibly sneaking in by winning vs. Ghana, if Ghana steals a point from the Czechs.
Maybe look something like this:
US 1 CR 1
Italy 2 Ghana 0
US 1 Italy 2
CR 2 Ghana 2
Italy 0 CR 0
US 2 Ghana 0
Italy 2 1 0 7 points
US 1 1 1 4 points
CR 0 3 0 3 points
Ghana 0 1 2 1 point
However, it will most likely be Italy and the Czechs.
Posted from United States
By HurrikaneDIABLO | May 17th, 2006 at 6:02 pm HAHAHA! Something you may not know about Americans is that they thrive as the underdogs, which in this case, they are underneath the underdogs. Their resiliency is legendary, but can it help them past the powerhouses? Each team they face will test them greatly.
I also believe that however good the Czech team is, they are overrated, they are inconsistent and even struggled qualifying in their own group altogether. If I don’t have Holland making it past Argentina and Serbia & Montenegro in their respective group, I dont believe the Czech team will make it past this group.
Italy is a great team and, without a doubt, underrated. Italy will win with this group, that is if they don’t underestimate the American team. As well as not having to face a Czech team that is truly bringing it. Either way, though, Italy will secure one of the two spots to advance.
The other spot is up for grabs in my opinion, but seeing as how I am an American, I have to show some loyalty: the U.S. will advance too.
Posted from United States
By John Smith | June 1st, 2006 at 3:23 pm BIG POO
By JW Burgers | June 4th, 2006 at 1:03 am I don’t understand all the negativity about the Czech Republic. They played some spectacular football in the euro 2004. Although I think their form has somewhat faltered over the last year, I think they will come out strongly just like at euro 2004. Italy is the other obvious candidate for progressing to the next stage.
Although I think America has made improvements, I don’t think it compares in quality to teams like the czech republic and italy. There is no way it should be ranked fifth in the world. Italy below the u.s.? Give me a break. They are getting better, and if they had been in an easier group, they could have advanced. Maybe next time.
The czechs will end first, the italians second. The italians will progress even further, the czechs will not win from brazil.
Posted from 
China
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