When two-time World Cup winners Uruguay takes on three-time champions Germany at Port Elizabeth on July 10 in the third-place game, you can bet both teams are going to be disappointed whatever the outcome. Uruguay and Germany were hoping to be playing on Sunday not Saturday to add to their World Cup trophy cabinets. However, after both squads lost by one goal in the semi finals and the best finish they can hope for in South Africa is third.

Typically, third place games can be quite hard for players, managers, and fans to get up for and some players honestly don’t want to play in them. Many teams have an all-or-nothing attitude when it comes to the World Cup and it’ll be interesting to see if Uruguay and Germany play their regular starters or give some other players a chance of getting some experience.

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However, once the whistle blows and the kickoff takes place, the anguish of losing the semi final is usually replaced by professionalism as the players focus on the task in front of them. For Germany’s striker Miroslav Klose, the game offers him another opportunity, and perhaps his last one, to equal Ronaldo’s all-time World Cup scoring record of 15 goals. Klose goes into the game with 14 after scoring four in this year’s tournament.

But word out of the German camp is that Klose may have to miss the game due to a back injury and midfielders Sami Khedira and Mesut Oezil are said to be suffering from minor injuries. Midfielder Thomas Mueller, who is tied with Klose for the team lead with four goals, will be eligible to play after sitting out the team’s 1-0 semi final loss to Spain due to suspension.

Another player who’ll be taking the game seriously if he’s healthy enough to play is Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan, who leads his team with four goals. Forlan stated he’s looking forward to the match and finishing the tournament on a positive note. The team should also be boosted in the attack with the return of Luis Suarez who missed the 3-2 semi final loss to Holland due to a red card he received against Ghana in the quarterfinals. Defender Jorge Fucile is also back after being suspended for the last game and defender Diego Lugano should be fit enough to play.

Germany vs Uruguay Odds and Predictions

The two teams have met eight times in the past with Germany winning six of them and drawing the other two. They’ve outscored the South Americans 23 to five in those games. Ladbrokes has the Germans listed as solid favourites with odds of them winning set at 18/25. A win for Uruguay is posted at 41/10 and the odds of a draw after 90 minutes are 53/20.

If the players have their heart in it, Germany has the talent to stay undefeated against Uruguay even though the Uruguayans may be hungrier in this contest. It all really comes down to the mental state of the Germans. But the Uruguayans have shown they’re not to be taken lightly as they always seem to be hanging around at the 90 minute mark. If Suarez and Forlan are back together and Klose can play, we might see a few fireworks here with the Germans coming out on top 3-2.

BetUS pays decent -135 (1.74, 14/19) for a German win here.

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We have tried to find some interesting special bets where the odds will give you a decent amount back when you win! As always we are listing the best bookmakers where they have a great odds selection, fair odds, easy payments and good limits.

Uruguay to score first goal – 3.50 (+250, 5/2) at Sportsbook.com. With an in-form Forlan and a dangerous attack they might try and go snatch the first goal here, very decent odds.

Uruguay to score at least one goal in the match – 1.83 (5/6) at Ladbrokes (non-US)

Draw in halftime and Holland to win after 90 minutes – 4.25 at Expekt (non-US)

Holland to score in both halves – 3.00 at Bodog

Holland to win by 2-1 – 8.50 (+750, 15/2) at Sportsbook.

Total over 2 goals – -135 (1.74) at BetUS

Dirk Kuyt to score the first goal – 8.00 (7/1, +700) at Bodog

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If you think Uruguay can qualify for the final, Sportsbook.com will give you 3.50 (+250, 5/2) for this bet.

Holland has definitely hit the ground running after disposing of Brazil 2-1 in the quarterfinals and going five for five so far in the World Cup. That momentum will come in handy when the Dutch take on Uruguay at Cape Town on July 6 in the event’s first semi final match. Uruguay, who beat Ghana 4-2 on penalties in a dramatic and controversial game, seem to have fate on their side so far in the tournament, but have also played well enough to deservedly reach the last four.

Holland should have Robin van Persie back in the lineup after he injured his elbow against Brazil and defender Joris Mathijsen is also fit after missing the quarterfinal due to a knee injury. Defender Gregory van der Wiel and midfielder Nigel de Jong will miss the game though due to yellow cards.

Dutch manager Bert van Marwijk has warned his players not to be overconfident after beating Brazil as that game is now in the past. He added that Uruguay is a very strong team and that’s why they have made it as far as the semi finals. He said he has a lot of faith in his squad, but they need to focus on the next game only, not what they have achieved so far.

Uruguay will be without striker Luis Suarez as he is suspended due to the red card he received against Ghana for handling the ball on the goal line. Jorge Fucile will also miss the match due to a suspension for yellow cards. The absence of Suarez, who has three goals in the tournament, will definitely hurt the Uruguayans even though fellow striker Diego Forlan is also red hot with three goals.

To make matters worse, midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro is out for the rest of the World Cup due to a broken bone in his foot from the game against Ghana. Captain Diego Lugano has ligament problems in his right knee and could be back in time as should defender Diego Godin, who missed the quarterfinal.

Arjen Robben was effective against Brazil as he frustrated them time and time again, while the team’s leading scorer, Wesley Sneijder, with four goals, continued his excellent play at both ends of the pitch. Uruguay has been getting solid efforts from all of its players, but one can’t help notice they’ve also had some good luck on their side so far, especially by winning two games by penalty shootouts.

Uruguay vs Netherlands Odds and Predictions

This is a tight and evenly matched game, but Uruguay will sorely miss Suarez and that means everything’s going to fall squarely on the shoulders of Forlan. If Holland can keep Forlan off the score sheet Uruguay is going to have to get goals from somewhere else and that might be hard to do. Even if Forlan can beat the tight marking and bang one home, the Dutch should do enough to reach their third World Cup final by coming out on top 2-1. This pays 9 times the money at Bodog (US Friendly)

Holland and Uruguay have met just twice before with each team winning a game and scoring two goals. Bet365 has Holland listed as solid favourites to win with the odds being listed at 13/20. A win for Uruguay is posted at 21/4 and the odds of a draw after 90 minutes are 5/2.

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It just wasn’t Brazil’s afternoon, because after their high flying start they sank into a depression and found it very difficult to find any sort of rhythm. And fortunately for the Dutch, it was Stenklenberg’s day as he was forced into making some classy saves in order to keep Holland’s hopes alive. All in all it was an exciting matchup, granted it wasn’t as epic of a showdown as their last meeting in France in 1998, it was a thriller nonetheless.

The Dutch move on to face surprising winners Uruguay who, against the odds beat Ghana in PKs.

This is a guest post written by Kyle Wanchalk, expert World Cup writer at SportsUntapped.com.

I am going to attempt to give some predictions for the quarter final matches along with some World Cup betting for those of you looking to place a wager on the games.

Netherlands vs. Brazil Prediction

Both of these teams have been performing very well so it’s really hard to say who is going to advance to the semi final of these two teams. Brazil are obviously favorites as they always are in the World Cup bet the last couple of years they haven’t managed to reach the final.

I would say that this is going to be a really tight game which will end up a 0-0 or 1-1 draw at full time.

Best Bet: Under 2.5 goals scored at the odds of -150 (1.67, 2/3) at BetUS.

Uruguay vs. Ghana Prediction

I have been very impressed with Ghana this World Cup and they have become one of my personal favorites. Even though I am hoping for Ghana to come through with another miracle win here I have to go with Uruguay when it’s my money on the line.

I have a feeling Uruguay are going to be the team that send Ghana packing from this years World Cup after a 2-0 win at regular time.

Best Bet: Uruguay to win the match during regular time. You get even money on this bet at BetUS.

Argentina vs. Germany Prediction

Both teams have been impressive this year (with the exception of Germany’s game against Serbia). Diego Maradona seems to have created a team them that can really be considered a top challenger for the World Cup title and while Germany were great in their win against England we don’t think it will be enough to beat Argentina here.

Best Bet: Argentina to go through to the finals at the odds of -165 (1.61, 3/5) at BetUS.

Paraguay vs. Spain Prediction

To be honest there isn’t too much to say about this game. The way these two teams have been performing I can’t see Spain losing this game to a team like Paraguay. Don’t get me wrong, Paraguay have been great but I think they are happy with reaching the quarter finals and that’s as far as they will get.

Best Bet: Spain to win at regular time at the odds of -200 (1.50, 1/2) at Betus.

Ghana will attempt to become the first African nation to reach the semi final stage in a World Cup and Uruguay will be trying to reach it for the first time since 1970 in their quarterfinal matchup at Johannesburg on July 2.

Ghana ended the group stage in second place in Group G with four points and then beat the USA 2-1 in extra time while Uruguay topped Group A with seven points and then took care of South Korea 2-1.

On the missing player front, Ghana hopes to have midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng back in the lineup after he opened the scoring against the USA in their playoff match. He left that game due to a right leg injury and then missed training the next day. Defender Isaac Vorsah rejoined the squad after being sidelined for a week due to a right leg injury and fellow defenders Samuel Inkoom and John Mensah are also fit after suffering minor injuries. Striker Asamoah Gyan injured his ankle in training on Monday, but should be ready to play.

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However, both defender Jonathan Mensah and midfielder Andre Ayew will miss the game due to suspensions from yellow cards. Sully Muntari will likely start in place of Ayew. Ghana will be relying on Gyan, who has three of the team’s four goals, to remain hot as well as goalkeeper Richard Kingson, who has been superb between the posts so far. If Gyan isn’t fit, Ghana’s chances will be badly reduced.

Defender Mauricio Victorino may have to start for Uruguay in place of Diego Godin if Godin hasn’t recovered from his thigh injury in time. Godin was injured in the match against South Korea and missed training on Monday. Striker Diego Forlan injured a toe in the same match and is expected to play.

Forlan and Luis Suarez has arguably been the best striking tandem in the tournament so far with five goals between them. Suarez leads the way with three. If these two can keep hitting the net and goalkeeper Fernando Muslera continues his fine play, Uruguay will be tough to beat as they’ve only let in one goal in their four games.

Ghana v Uruguay Odds and Predictions

It’ll be interesting to see how Uruguay handles the pure physical strength of the Africans and if they can contain them. Uruguay sat back against South Korea after taking the lead and paid for it as the Koreans evened the score before Uruguay went back to the attack. If they learned a lesson in that game it should help them out here if they get a lead. But Ghana will basically be the ‘home’ team with a whole continent behind them and that should motivate them enough to seize the moment and take a 2-1 win, propelling them into the semi finals.

The teams have never played each other in the past, but Expekt.com has two-time World Cup champions Uruguay listed as favourites to win the game with the odds listed at 23/20. A victory for Ghana is posted at 11/4 and the odds of a draw after 90 minutes are 21/10.

US players find the best odds at BetUS where a win for Ghana pays +285 (3.85)

Uruguay and South Korea will kick off the knockout stage of the 2010 World Cup at Port Elizabeth Stadium in Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth on June 26. Uruguay topped Group A with a draw against France (0-0) then wins over host nation South Africa (3-0) and Mexico (1-0). South Korea finished second in Group B after beating Greece (2-0), losing to Argentina (4-1) and drawing with Nigeria (2-2).

South Korea seemed to peak in their first game, the 2-0 win over Greece and then slowly slid backwards while Uruguay looked to play better and with more confidence with each game. However, the past is the past and all of the talk from the managers and players means nothing now as everything is settled on the pitch.

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Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan are a formidable striking partnership and have caused problems for defenders in all three of their games. However, what may be the most impressive statistic for Uruguay is that they haven’t let a goal in the competition yet. Goaltender Fernando Muslera of Italian club Lazio has stopped everything that’s come his way so far and the back for are playing solid and getting help from the rest of the team when needed.

Defenders Diego Lugano, Deigo Godin, and Maxi Pereira have all played well and when combined with the offence provided by Forlan and Suarez, it looks like Uruguay may be too polished for their Asian opponents, especially considering the Koreans let in six goals in three games, four of them coming against Argentina in their 4-1 loss though. But let’s not forget the Koreans also proved they could find the back of the net on a regular basis as they also scored five times. The Koreans have been led by defender Lee Jung Soo with two goals and midfielder Park Ji Sung has been impressive as well with one.

It would be fair to say South Korea’s strong point has been their scoring, while the weak spot has been their defending. But South Korea possesses plenty of speed and are in tip top shape and this could cause a bit of a problem for the South American side, who generally prefer a slightly slower-paced game.

The Koreans prefer to force the action while Uruguay seems to take a wait-and-see approach. If South Korea can utilize their speed and fitness and keep the pressure on Uruguay without giving them time to settle on the ball, they have a good chance wining this game. Uruguay may be too dependent on Forlan and Suarez and if they are marked well or have an off game, the team could be in trouble.

Odds and Predictions

Look for South Korea to grab the opportunity when it presents itself and work their way to a 2-1 win in this game. However, it might take them extra time to do it.

The two teams have met five times with Uruguay winning four of them and drawing the other.

The odds favour Uruguay in this one as BetUS has the odds of them winning at 9/10. South Korea is listed at 15/4 to win, with the odds of a draw after 90 minutes being 11/5.

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Mexico and Uruguay are sitting pretty at the top of Group A and both teams could go through with a draw when they meet at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg on June 22. However, look for them to go for a win as neither would like to face the top team in Group B in the next round, which in all likelihood will be Argentina. The winner of Group A will face the runner up in Group B, which will be Nigeria, Greece, or South Korea.

Mexico and Uruguay have four points each after their first two games, but Uruguay sits in first place due to a better goal difference, which is plus 3, while Mexico is plus 2. If the game does end in a draw, it will guarantee Uruguay top spot, so there’s definitely more incentive for the Mexicans to attack.

Uruguay has beaten South Africa 3-0 and drawn 0-0 with France in their opening match. Striker Diego Forlan has been leading the attack with two goals so far and if they make it to the next round it will be the first time they’ve done so since 1990. Forlan said he’s happy that he’s been scoring, but the team comes first and the most important thing is to win games instead of personal achievements. He feels the team is playing well and I very solid at the moment. While Uruguay has been impressive offensively, they’ve also been doing a good job in their own end of the pitch and haven’t let a goal in yet.

Mexico drew hosts South Africa 1-1 in the World Cup opener and then beat France 2-0 in their next match. They can win the group with a win over Uruguay and are entering the game full of confidence. The players have performed admirably and manager Javier Aguirre has also been doing a good job, especially with his substitutions. Two of them, Javier Hernandez, and Cuauhtemoc Blanco, scored goals against France.

The 22-year-old Hernandez, who recently signed with Manchester United, has played well as a substitute in both games and is pushing hard for a starting job. However, Aguirre, prefers to use him as a sub while starting veteran forward Guillermo Franco as Franco usually comes back to help out the midfielders. Franco said that Aguirre appreciates it when he helps Gerardo Torrado and Rafael Marquez recover the ball in the middle of the park and doesn’t mind the defensive side of the job.

However, Aguirre may not have a choice when it comes to starting Hernandez as forward Carlos Vela may miss the game due to a leg injury that he suffered during the first half against France. He also has forward Giovani dos Santos in the lineup and he’s looked dangerous in both games. Look for right back Paul Aguilar to replace Efrain Juarez though as Juarez is suspended for a game after receiving two yellow cards.

If Mexico advances, it will be the fifth straight time they have done so. Also, Blanco and Marquez can equal the Mexican record by playing in their 11th World Cup games if they play against Uruguay.

The two teams have met 17 times with Mexico winning seven, losing three and drawing seven. Uruguay is ranked 16th in the world by FIFA while Mexico are ranked one spot behind them.

Betting Odds and Predictions

Look for Mexico to go for the win and get it 2-1. Bet this odds for 12 times the money at Sportsbook.com

Expekt has the odds of a Mexican win listed at 57/20, while Uruguay to win is listed at 7/2 and a draw comes in with odds of 3/4.

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With both teams coming off of draws in their opening Group A games, hosts South Africa and Uruguay will be looking to post a win this time out when they meet at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on June 16.

South Africa, who are ranked 83rd in the World by FIFA, didn’t play anything like their lowly ranking would suggest in an entertaining 1-1 draw with Mexico in the tournament opener. Uruguay, who are ranked 16th, didn’t look too impressive in their first match as they played to a goalless draw with France, even though they were down to 10 men. Points are essential here as this is one of the toughest and most even groups in the competition.

It’s the Youth Day holiday in the country on the 16th, and nothing would be better for the South African fans than a win to top off the celebrations. They’re perfectly capable of doing it too. The match against Mexico should have been a huge confidence booster for the Africans, while Uruguay doesn’t really have anything to build on from their first performance.

South African manager Carlos Alberto Parreira of Brazil said he believes the squad has gotten through the worst of it when it comes to nerves and feels they will be able to settle down now and play even better football. However, there’s still a lot of pressure on the team as they’re trying to make sure they don’t become the first home nation to get put out in the first round of a World Cup.

The Youth Day holiday commemorates the 1976 uprising in Soweto in which students protested against the Apartheid regime in the country and it could be a good motivator for the South Africans. Midfielder Steven Pienaar said it would be a double celebration for the country if three points were earned and the team would be a huge step closer to making the second round.

Pienaar, who plays for Everton in the English Premier League, is a key player for the Africans, but was disappointed in his performance against Mexico as he wasn’t in top form and was replaced during the second half. He said his legs are becoming tired after a grueling season in Britain.

Uruguay hasn’t advanced past the first round since 1990 and needs to show some more aggression in its attacking game after getting only three shots on net against France. They also need to finish the game with all 11 players on the field.

Manager Oscar Tabarez could start the game with three forwards to get something going. Look for Diego Forlan and Edinson Cavani to be joined up front by Luis Saurez. Cavani is thought to have a bright future, but the team is depending on Forlan and Suarez to produce now. Forlan has hit the back of the net 56 times for his Spanish club team Atletico Madrid during the past two seasons and Suarez led the Dutch Eredivisie in scoring by netting 35 goals for his club Ajax last season.

Odds and Predictions

Forlan is expected to play just behind Cavani and Suarez. The last time the two teams met, it ended in a 0-0 draw back in 2007 in South Africa. However, look for some goals in this game, in a 2-2 draw. This gives you 15 times the money with Bodog.

Expekt.com lists the odds at 2/1 for a South African win, while a draw is listed at 9/4 and a win by Uruguay is 29/20.

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Venue: Tshwane/Pretoria, South Africa

The second set of group stage matches kicks off as the first did, with the hosts South Africa back in action. This time they take on Uruguay, in a match that will be held in Pretoria at 20:30 local time.

Despite South Africa having the home advantage, they are the outsiders in the group and so the odds favour a win for Uruguay here. The best odds on a Uruguay win are 6/4 from Victor Chandler, whereas for a South Africa win you can get 9/4 from Betfred

The draw is offered at 2/1 by Bodog among others.

In the correct scoreline market you can see a slight conflict here, with the shortest odds being for a 1-1 draw. This is offered at 11/2 with Coral. The bookies also seem to like the look of a 1-0 win to either team – for Uruguay to win with this result you can get 6/1 with Victor Chandler, whereas for South Africa the best price is 7/1 at Paddy Power and Sportsbook (US Friendly).

For less conservative bets you can get as much as 80/1 for Uruguay to win 4-0 if you go to bwin or Sporting Bet, and even just 2-0 would get you 10/1 at bet365. If you fancy a high scoreline, and think this will be a competitive sort of a game, Uruguay winning 3-2 will get you 60/1.

In the first goal scorer market, you can get odds from Victor Chandler or William Hill already, with Victor Chandler offering the best prices in most cases for this game. If you choose either Cavani or McCarthy to score first you get 11/2 from Victor Chandler.

Prediction

Uruguay will be looking to win this, with South Africa being the (on paper at least), easiest opponents in the group. South Africa have shown in their friendlies that they are capable of scoring goals, but against this sort of opposition they are going to struggle. For this reason, the prediction is 2-0 to Uruguay, which has best odds of 10/1 at bet365.

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