Argentina look to build, Boateng brothers meet again

MATCHDAY PREVIEW – With Spain now out, Brazil's two main rivals for glory will both be keen to build further momentum. Germany look to be in especially fine fettle after sweeping aside Portugal 4-0 for their seventh consecutive victory in qualifying for or at the FIFA World Cup™, while Argentina got started with a 2-1 defeat of Bosnia and Herzegovina that owed much to a superb Lionel Messi strike.

Germany will begin as favourites against a Ghana side beaten 2-1 by USA last time out, not least since they have won their two previous meetings, 1-0 and 6-1. As for Argentina, they will be confident of their chances against Iran, who have lost three and drawn two of their last five World Cup matches, having not posted a victory since seeing off the Americans 2-1 in 1998.

Elsewhere, Bosnia and Herzegovina need to rediscover the attacking verve that made them such prolific opponents during European qualifying. Nigeria will be the team hoping to keep them quiet, though they are pursuing a first World Cup success in ten outings, their previous nine producing six losses and three defeats – the second-longest drought for an African side behind Tunisia's run of 11 winless encounters.

The matches
Argentina-Iran (Group F), Estadio Mineirao, Belo Horizonte, 13.00 (local time)
Germany- Ghana (Group G), Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza, 16.00 (local time)
Nigeria-Bosnia and Herzegovina (Group F), Arena Pantanal, Cuiaba, 18.00 (local time)