There have been a few games during this tournament that looked like they would produce fireworks but have disappointed yet it looks certain that this will be a classic. Neither side has a particularly good defence and both teams are set up to play good attacking football. Argentina have looked marvellous in patches, scoring four against South Korea and three against Mexico. Lionel Messi looks in supreme form and Gonzalo Higuain just loves to plunder goals. Yet their defence looks a shambles any time real pressure is put on them and Martin Demichelis is a serious weak link as is Jonas Gutierrez. Mexico dominated the last half hour of their match and more composure in the final third would have seen the Argentines in real trouble.
A cutting edge is precisely what Germany have as they have hit four on two occasions during this tournament. A spectacular opening match victory was followed by a workmanlike performance against Ghana when Serbia had defeated their ten men. In an attacking sense, they were quite magnificent as they filleted the English defence in the second round. Yet Frank Lampard’s ‘goal that never was’ would have tied the match at 2-2 and at that point the German defence looked all at sea. As good as Mesut Ozil and Bastian Schweinsteiger have been, Per Mertesacker looks like a liability in the heart of defence.
Such defensive fragility coupled with attacking prowess is what makes this such an intriguing match. Literally anything could happen in this game barring a no score draw with Germany $3.40 to win in normal time and Argentina $2.37. With a goalfest a real probability, it is hard to predict what will occur though extra time is entirely possible. Germany winning after 120 minutes looks like a good bet at $12 as their young guns eventually run the legs off the Argentine defence.
Verdict: Germany to win in extra time in epic tussle