Welcome to the second part of our two-part preview of the opening phase of the 
2018 World Cup Finals, which get underway on Thursday June 14 in Moscow, Russia. A little over a month of top quality international soccer action will pit 32 teams against each other in an initial group phase, and then the 16 top teams will qualify for the knockout phase, with each eliminated until just one remains, the 2018 World Cup Winners.
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In this second article, we look at the second four groups in the opening stages, groups E, F, G and H which just so happen to include both of the two big World Cup favourites, Germany and Brazil, plus Gareth Southgate’s England who will begin their campaign on Monday June 18 against Tunisia in Group G.
Like in our first article, we’ll preview the four groups and give you our take on each of the teams in it and we will also tip one of the four teams to win the group, which one we feel will qualify in second spot and who will end up eliminated following the opening stage.
Having finished with Group D in the last article, let’s now continue the preview by taking a closer look at what looks like being an intriguing Group E.
Group E
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Brazil
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Switzerland
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Costa Rica
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Serbia
Group E Winners Odds – Brazil 2/7, Switzerland 6/1, Costa Rica 18/1, Serbia 7/1
- Our Tips to Qualify from Group E
Brazil
Tite’s squad is packed with talent and also with a rested Neymar, after their talismanic striker recovered from injury to participate in Brazil’s warm up games with Croatia and Austria. Add to that the qualities of players like Willian, Coutinho, Gabriel Jesus, Neymar and a solid back pair of Thiago Silva and Miranda, club mates at Paris St Germain, and you have every reason to see why this Brazil team stands perhaps a better chance than they did on home soil in 2014 to win the World Cup – Key Man – Neymar (Paris St Germain)
Serbia
Mladen Kristajic’s team have several very talented players and many are experienced at the top levels of European football, such as record-cap holder Branislav Ivanovic, Aleksandr Kolarov and midfielder Nemanja Matic. Lazio midfielder Sergei Milinkovic-Savic is tipped to become one of the stars of the tournament if he can show his best form and if he can, then this Serbia team should do enough to get through the Group Stage, although it will likely be a mightily close call with Switzerland, perhaps decided on goal difference in the end. Key Man – Branislav Ivanovic (Zenit St Petersburg)
- Our Tips to be Eliminated from Group E
Switzerland
Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic won’t be too grateful at drawing Brazil in their group and then having to face them in their opener, but it will be their second game against Serbia which will likely determine their fate. I think anything less than a win here could be fatal to their qualifying hopes and I think Serbia may just edge a draw or even a win here. The Swiss are solid, if unspectacular and have good form coming into the game, but I just don’t see the goals needed to progress from the group from their squad. Key Man – Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City)
Costa Rica
Costa Rica reached the quarter finals in 2014, finishing top of a group containing Brazil, Uruguay and England and they were one of the surprise success stories of that tournament. However four years on, many of that squad still remain, but they are now four years older and it is fair to say that I feel this is one World Cup too far for many of their players. The squad does have plenty of experience, but I feel they’ll struggle to score goals against three of the better defences in Russia this summer and that will be their undoing. Key Man – Christian Bolanos (Saprissa)
Group F
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Germany
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Mexico
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Sweden
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South Korea
Group F Winners Odds – Germany 1/3, Mexico 5/1, Sweden 6/1, South Korea 14/1
- Our Tips to Qualify from Group F
Germany
There’s really no argument against Germany winning Group F. Joachim Low’s team have not had the best of build ups by their own lofty standards, with defeats to Brazil and Austria meaning they have won just one of their last four games. But Germany do this, they look poor in the build-up to a tournament and then find their feet and their form at it. Mexico will be a tough opener and Sweden won’t be pushovers, but I think they’ll take six points from those games meaning the South Korea game, the easiest of the three, will allow Low to rest players and still take the win for maximum points. Key Man – Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)
Mexico
This is a tough group for Mexico, but the central American team have qualified for the last 16 of every World Cup Finals since 1994 and I fancy them to do likewise here, although it will be a close run thing between them and Sweden for that spot. Their squad is very experienced, they have a 39 year old Rafael Marquez still at centre back, plus 3-year old Jesus de Jesus Corona as their number 1 and none of their midfielders are aged below 28 but they have the talent to get the results they need to pip the Swedes to second spot in the group. Key Man – Andres Guardado (Real Betis)
- Our Tips to be Eliminated from Group F
Sweden
For me, the key game in this group will be Sweden’s game with Mexico on the final day of fixtures and the winner there will progress and looking at both squads, while Sweden are well organised and decent defensively and in midfield, I just don’t see enough goals in the squad to see them through here. Janne Andersson’s decision not to recall Zlatan Ibrahimovic may backfire as the Swedes have scored just one goal in their last four games and drew their last two warm up fixtures 0-0 against Denmark and Peru, both at home. Key Man – Emil Forsberg (Red Bull Leipzig)
South Korea
This could be a struggle for South Korea. They have won just one of their last five friendlies, losing to Poland, Northern Ireland and Bosnia Herzegovina in recent times and while they have talented attackers, particularly Tottenham’s Son Hyeong-min, defensively they look weak. There’s no doubt they will give 100% effort in every game and they won’t make it easy for any team but in terms of talent, I think Korea will struggle to get a single point in Russia. Key Man – Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur)
Group G
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Belgium
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England
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Tunisia
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Panama
Group G Winners Odds – Belgium 5/6, England 6/5, Tunisia 18/1, Panama 40/1
- Our Tips to Qualify from Group G
Belgium
After leaving several top stars at home, including Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan, the pressure is on Roberto Martinez to deliver a strong performance from Belgium’s ‘golden generation’ of players. They have a relatively easy start against Panama and then they will face Tunisia, who will be a trickier prospect. The squad has a nice balance of younger and older players and features some outstanding talent in De Bruyne and Hazard in particular. The game with England will likely decide the group, though if both sides have 6 points, they may well rest players for this game making the outcome a little less predictable. Key Man – Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
England
My one real concern for England is their opening game with Tunisia. Bookies seem to have assumed England will win easily, but Tunisia are ranked just one place lower than England in the rankings and have a fine record against some top European teams of late. Spain only just beat them in their final warm up fixture, but if England can get the win here, then Gareth Southgate’s men should qualify after two games, leaving their final game with Belgium an opportunity to rest stars and give other squad players a run out. Key Man – Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
- Our Tips to be Eliminated from Group G
Tunisia
Make no mistake, this Tunisia team is far stronger than pundits and bookmakers are suggesting. They have lost just one of their last ten games (a late 1-0 defeat to Spain) and they have held Portugal and Turkey to draws in warm up games. They may not have any super-talented players, but this is a talented squad that is very solid defensively and who will certainly have more than enough to give England and Belgium a few problems. Key Man – Wahbi Khazri (Rennes)
Panama
For me, Panama are the weakest team in the group and arguably in the tournament as a whole. Their warm up games have not gone well with three defeats, including a 6-0 thumping in Switzerland not helping matters. Their squad is dotted around leagues around the world and generally play at a lower level than most of their peers in this group. They’ll be well organised and difficult to break down but I think once you score against them, they could easily fold. Key Man – Armando Cooper (Uni de Chile)
Group H
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Poland
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Senegal
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Colombia
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Japan
Group H Winners Odds – Colombia 5/4, Poland 9/5, Senegal 9/2, Japan 7/1
- Our Tips to Qualify from Group H
Poland
The Poles topped heir group impressively on the back of some superb home form to qualify for Russia 2018 and as a neighbouring country, they should be able to draw on decent support throughout the finals too. This is an experienced squad that have done well at Euro 2016 to reach the quarterfinals and who have some very talented attacking players. This is a very even group though but I think the Poles will be better suited to the conditions than their opponents and this may just give them the edge, along with their star striker Lewandowski. Key Man – Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Colombia
Colombia reached the quarterfinals in Brazil 2014, but their record in World Cup tournaments out of South America isn’t that great. This squad has a nice blend of yourh and more experienced players and has a couple of real talents in midfielder James Rodriguez and striker Radamel Falcao. If they play to their best, then they can win this group, but they do tend to struggle in Europe and I think their clash with Senegal will be crucial in deciding which of those teams make it through and I’m backing Colombia, just, to get the job done. Key Man – James Rodriguez (Bayern Munich)
- Our Tips to be Eliminated from Group H
Senegal
For my money, Senegal are one of the most talented of all African countries in terms of players and skill, but they don’t seem to be able to put it together into a team unit. Their last win was back in November 2017 and they have drawn three games, losing one in their World Cup warm ups, including a 0-0 draw with Luxembourg. That’s a very poor showing from a squad packed with talent. I’d expect them to up their game for the World Cup, but I think they’ll fall just short in trying to qualify from the group. Key Man – Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
Japan
Japan’s warm up for the finals has gone poorly so far with three losses in a row ahead of their final warm up game on June 12th against Paraguay. In truth, I think this is arguably the weakest Japanese team in many years and although this looks a well-matched group, I think they are the poorest of the four teams in this group by a considerable margin. They may snatch a point in one game somewhere along the line but I think in the main they’ll be propping up the rest after their third game. Key Man – Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund)
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