BLOG: Brazil, Germany favored to move on after quarterfinals
CHICAGO -- Wednesday is a day of rest for the eight 2014 FIFA World Cup teams left in the world's greatest sporting tournament.
On Friday, the first two quarterfinal matches take place when traditional rivals France and Germany duel at the Estadio do Maracana in Rio de Janeiro. These two nations have met on the pitch 25 times. France has won 11 matches, Germany has won eight, and six draws. There have been 83 goals scored between these two with Germany holding a 1-goal edge. These two sides are evenly matched so it's going to be a close one. I picked Germany to win the whole thing and I'm not changing locomotives this far into the journey. Nestor Pitana of Argentina will be the referee so no controversy there.
Game two on Friday features the host nation Brazil, taking on that surprising team from Colombia. Kickoff is just after 3 p.m. Chicago time from Estadio Castelao in the Brazilian city of Fortaleza. In the team's history, Brazil has won 15 matches, Colombia just two with eight draws. The Brazilians also have an overwhelming edge in goals scored with 55 while Colombia has put the ball in the Brazilian goal just 11 times. I think history will continue on this same path. I have Brazil advancing to the semi-finals to face Germany. The referee for this match is Spain's Carlos Velasco Carballo.
On Thursday, I will take a look at the other quarterfinal matches with predictions for both of those games. So far, after 56 matches, my prediction record is 36 & 20.
Hope you are all having fun watching the World Cup on ABC and ESPN, it has been GREAT coverage.
