Group D – Serbia Analysis

Although considered an underdog in Group D, Serbia has a strong World Cup record and a solid team that could very well result in an upset or two. Their June 13th match up against Ghana will thoroughly test their ability to compete this year and perhaps advance beyond the group round. Few projections place Serbia as a victor over their European partner Germany but a victory over Australia should be expected. If Serbia can then defeat either Ghana or Germany, they will have a strong chance of advancement.

Bet365.com has World Cup odds posted for a Serbian victory over Ghana at 2.30. On the other hand, a Ghana victory over Serbia is listed with 3.20 odds. The odds listed by Bet365 for a tie between Ghana and Serbia are the same as a Serbian win – 3.20.

Bodog Sportsbook is accepting bets on Serbia against Ghana with 2.40 odds. A Serbian loss is also listed on Bodog with 2.85 odds. A tie between Serbia and Ghana has 3.20 odds on Bodog. For the entire tournament, Ladbrokes is giving Serbia odds of 67.00. BetUs rounds out the betting options on Serbia with a win listed as 2.35, loss at 2.90 and tie at 3.20.

Serbia – Beyond Group D

Serbia is up against a troubling statistic. No European team has ever won the World Cup when the tournament was held outside of Europe. If Serbia can overcome some poor odds and walk away the tournament champion, they will not only win the trophy but set a record. Few analysts are ranking Serbia as a serious contender for the championship but a pair of wins (one expected and one upset) could allow them to advance to the second round.

Results of Serbia’s Qualifying Stages:

09/06/08 – Serbia – 2:0 – Faroe Islands
09/10/08 – France – 2:1 – Serbia
10/11/08 – Serbia – 3:0 – Lithuania
10/15/08 – Austria – 1:3 – Serbia
03/28/09 – Romania – 2:3 – Serbia
06/06/09 – Serbia – 1:0 – Austria
06/10/09 – Faroe Islands – 0:2 – Serbia
09/09/09 – Serbia – 1:1 – France
10/10/09 – Serbia – 5:0 – Romania
10/14/09 – Lithuania – 2:1 – Serbia

The Serbian Team

While there are many players to watch on the Serbian team, the two players that are projected to do very well during the World Cup are Milan Jovanovic and Marko Pantelic. Coached by Radomir Antic, Serbia has experience and balance on their side with a strong midfield and forward crew and ten World Cup entries before 2010.

Serbia World Cup History

Serbia’s most recent World Cup appearance ended in disaster with a 0-0-3 record during the first round, eliminating them from the tournament. Their first World Cup tournament appearance was in 1930 when they finished in fourth place with a 2-0-1 record. Their next fourth place showing would occur in 1962 with a 3-0-3 record.