World Cup Group Stage Predictions
By Zach Malamud
Group A
Country |
W |
D |
L |
Pts |
Uruguay |
3 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
Russia |
2 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
Egypt |
1 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
Saudi Arabia |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
The host of the 2018 World Cup, Russia is not the biggest name in group A. Uruguay with world-class strikers Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez should come out on top pretty easily. Russia will put up a good fight winning against Egypt and Saudi Arabia but will lose to Uruguay to finish with six points. Egypt may be without Mohamed Salah for one or two games but if it ends up being two games he will miss both important games against Uruguay and Russia. Salah will most likely be there for the third and final game which will give Egypt their only win in the group against Saudi Arabia. Surprisingly, there will be no draws in the group as no teams are really even.
Group B
Country |
W |
D |
L |
Pts |
Spain |
3 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
Portugal |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
Morocco |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
Iran |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
With the Iberian rivals squaring off on the second day, this is a very exciting group with world class players on both sides. Ronaldo’s men are coming off a Euro final win against France two summers ago but have dropped some key names from that squad including Nani, Eder, Renato Sanches, Eliseu and Andre Gomes. On the other hand, Spain will take first in group B and go far into the World Cup winning all three group stage games. The sleeper in the group is Morocco in their fifth World Cup appearance. Captain Medhi Benatia who is the starting center back on Italian giants Juventus, along with highly-rated Real Madrid prospect Achraf Hakimi are looking to get passed the group stage for the second time. Morocco will draw against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal but will fall short on goal-difference. Iran just has no chance in this group and they will lose all three games.
Group C
Country |
W |
D |
L |
Pts |
France |
2 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
Denmark |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
Peru |
0 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
Australia |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Next up is group C with title contenders France who have added some of the best youngsters in the world including Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Thomas Lemar. But, this fight for second is going to be really close so France can’t go easy one bit. They will take first but they’ll draw against Peru who are without captain Paolo Guerrero. Peru though drew against Argentina twice and beat Uruguay and Croatia, so a draw against France will be good for the Peruvians. Denmark will come in second for the fourth time ever with stars Christian Eriksen and Andreas Christensen leading the way. Last is Australia who don’t have as much quality as the others in their group.
Group D
Country |
W |
D |
L |
Pts |
Argentina |
2 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
Croatia |
2 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
Iceland |
1 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
Nigeria |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
It was such a tough game to lose for Argentina at the World Cup final in Rio, but Messi’s men have added a world-class talent in Paulo Dybala to make sure they are on the winning side this time. The attacking force of Argentina is unbelievable with star players including Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Angel Di Maria and Sergio Aguero. They will have tough competition though in the group stage with the sleepers of the tournament, Croatia, coming to spoil some dreams. Croatia led by Luka Modrić , Ivan Rakitić and Mario Mandžukić, can shock the world when they draw Argentina and go into the round of 16 as a two seed because of goal differential. A World Cup debut for Iceland won’t be the best, but they’ll get their first win against Victor Moses’ Nigeria who will lose all three games they play and go home with nothing.
Group E
Country |
W |
D |
L |
Pts |
Brazil |
3 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
Serbia |
2 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
Costa Rica |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Switzerland |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
In group E, Brazil is without a doubt the standout team led by Neymar and world-class talent around different leagues. They will prove they are the best by winning all three group stage games by a large margin. Next, Serbia will show off their strong team in their 12th ever world cup appearance. They are led by Nemanja Matić and youngster Sergej Milinković-Savić. They will lose to Brazil but beat Costa Rica and Switzerland to get to the round of 16 for the first time since their country was officially named Serbia. Costa RIca led by Bryan Ruiz and Keylor Navas will put up a good fight but will have to go home early with just a draw in the books for their team. Switzerland and Xherdan Shaqiri will do the same as Costa Rica with losses to Brazil and Serbia, while getting the draw vs Costa Rica in an exciting matchup on the final day of the group stages.
Group F
Country |
W |
D |
L |
Pts |
Germany |
2 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
Mexico |
1 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
Sweden |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
Korea Republic |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
The World Cup Champions are back again for another fight to become the third team ever to win back to back World Cups and the first since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. We will see if the dropping of Manchester City star winger Leroy Sane will hurt Germany after manager Joachim Low picked Bayer Leverkusen winger Julian Brandt instead. A game changer in Sane and a player in Brandt that as Joachim Low said,”…can play multiple positions…”. We will see who was the right choice. In second, Mexico will get a huge win against Korea Republic while drawing against leaders Germany and third place Sweden. In third, Sweden, led by Victor Lindelöf will get two huge results one being a draw against Mexico on the last group stage matchday. But, it won’t be enough to move on with Mexico ending one point ahead of them. Korea Republic led by Heung Min Son will go out in last losing all three group stage games. They won’t stand a chance in this group since they are really a one man team.
Group G
Country |
W |
D |
L |
Pts |
Belgium |
3 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
England |
2 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
Tunisia |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Panama |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Arguably the toughest group of the World Cup, Group G should see the Belgians looking to move on in first place. They will do that while winning all three group stage games. Right behind them in second is England with all of their premier league stars including Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Raheem Sterling. They will lose to Belgium after they beat Panama and Tunisia in the group. Third place will be Tunisia with two losses
to Belgium and England and a draw against Panama on the final day of the group stage. They’ll come in third ahead of Panama on goal differential. In last is Panama in their World Cup debut led by Luis Tejada. They like Tunisia will lose to both Belgium and England but draw against Tunisia on the final day. Sadly, they will come in last based on goal differential however, they will feel happy to be at their first World Cup.
Group H
Country |
W |
D |
L |
Pts |
Poland |
2 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
Colombia |
2 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
Senegal |
1 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
Japan |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
The final group will be the shocker of the group stages with Poland taking first over Colombia. Poland is led by world class striker Robert Lewandowski and AS Monaco star center back Kamil Glik. They will beat both Senegal and Japan while drawing against Colombia in the second matches of the group stage which will allow them to come in first on goal differential. Colombia and James Rodriguez will have to deal with second place based on the draw against Poland. This might be disappointing for them as they may have to go up against Belgium in the round of 16. In third, Senegal led by Liverpool star Sadio Mané will lose to both Poland and Colombia but, they will get a win against Japan in their second match. Finally, in last is Japan who will lose all three games and go home really early.
So here are the predictions for the round of 16. Check back at the end of the group stages to see the predictions for the knockout stages in the 2018 FIFA World Cup!!
Zach Malamud is a contributing writer for Dabuzzza. He is a radio host of The Plainview Blitz on WPOB 88.5 FM. He loves soccer and basketball and finds himself watching Manchester City on a regular basis. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Kevin De Bruyne. You can follow him on twitter at @Zachmalnyy
January Transfer Targets: Manchester City
By Zach Malamud
Now 15 points ahead of 2nd place Manchester United, the citizens are rolling through the premier league season dropping points just once in a draw at home against Everton on August 21. But, there is still room for improvement with another half of the season to play. Here are some transfer targets that the citizens can pounce on in the January window to help them secure their 3rd premier league title in the last six years:
#1. Milan Skriniar- Inter
At the age of 22, Skriniar can be a long-term help for Pep Guardiola’s side. City are in need of a center back considering the consistent injury problems of their captain Vincent Kompany. The Slovakian defender just joined Inter in the past summer window which can be a problem for City who might have to spend more than they wanted to.
#2. Iñigo Martínez- Real Sociedad
Martinez is one of Pep’s top targets and at the age of 26, he can also be a help to the in-need defense at Manchester City. The Spanish defender started his career playing for U19 Sociedad before moving to the A team and now could end up being a bargain for City who are valuing him at 7.5 million dollars.
#3. Jonny Evans- West Brom
Evans, who is 29 now is another center back option for Pep’s side to look at. The former Manchester United defender has a lot of experience in the premier league can help city in developing some of their younger center backs including John Stones and Tosin Adarabioyo. He won 3 league titles at Manchester United and can help win one for the blue side of Manchester.
#4. Wilfried Zaha- Crystal Palace
Zaha is 25 and is in the best form of his life, but he might get limited playtime in a filled attack at City. Also, Crystal Palace are close to relegation and might not want to sell their top goal scorer with still another half of the season to go. Therefore, it is unlikely for him to move in this January window but it is a possibility for a move to City, Arsenal, Spurs or Chelsea over the summer.

Will Alexis Sanchez finally make his move to Manchester City? (via TalkSport)
#5. Alexis Sanchez- Arsenal
Last summer, a move to the Etihad fell through as Arsenal couldn’t find a replacement like Thomas Lemar to go to the Emirates. An angry Alexis who was coached by Pep at Barcelona, wanted a move and didn’t get it. City and PSG are the two clubs interested in him. If PSG move for Alexis in January it will leave Pep no other choice to start agreeing to a pre contract as City’s attack is full.
Zach Malamud is a contributing writer for Dabuzzza. He is a radio host of The Plainview Blitz on WPOB 88.5 FM. He loves soccer and basketball and finds himself watching Manchester City on a regular basis. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Kevin De Bruyne. You can follow him on twitter at @Zachmalnyy
World Cup Predictions
By Vishnu Nagaraj
For Group A Preview, click here.
For Group B Preview, click here.
For Group C Preview, click here.
For Group D Preview, click here.
For Group E Preview, click here.
For Group F Preview, click here.
For Group G Preview, click here.
For Group H Preview, click here.
Match 1:
Group A Winner: Brazil
Group B Runner-up: Netherlands
Winner: Brazil
Match 2:
Group C Winner: Ivory Coast
Group D Runner-up: England
Winner: England
Match 3:
Group E Winner: France
vs.
Group F Runner-up: Nigeria
Winner: Nigeria
Match 4:
Group G Winner: Germany
vs.
Group H Runner-up: South Korea
Winner: Germany
Match 5:
Group A Runner-up: Croatia
Group B Winner: Spain
Winner: Spain
Match 6:
Group C Runner-up: Greece
Group D Winner: Italy
Winner: Italy
Match 7:
Group E Runner-up: Switzerland
Group F Winner: Argentina
Winner: Argentina
Match 8:
Group G Runner-up: Portugal
Group H Winner: Belgium
Winner: Belgium
Match 9:
Match 1 Winner: Brazil
vs.
Match 2 Winner: England
Winner: Brazil
Match 10:
Match 3 Winner: Nigeria
Match 4 Winner: Germany
Winner: Germany
Match 11:
Match 5 Winner: Spain
Match 6 Winner: Italy
Winner: Spain
Match 12:
Match 7 Winner: Argentina
Match 8 Winner: Belgium
Winner: Argentina
Match 13 (Semi-Final 1):
Match 9 Winner: Brazil
Match 10 Winner: Germany
Winner: Germany
Match 14 (Semi-Final 2):
Match 11 Winner: Spain
Match 12 Winner: Argentina
Winner : Spain
Match 15 (Final):
Match 13 Winner: Germany
vs.
Match 14 Winner: Spain
Winner: Germany
Match 16 (3rd Place Game):
Match 13 Loser: Brazil
Match 14 Loser: Argentina
Winner: Brazil
In this World Cup I am predicting Germany to win. They are arguably the most complete team in the world and they have perfect chemistry and balance. Spain will finish second as their lack of height and strength will harm them in the end. I expect Brazil to finish a disappointing third and Argentina to finish fourth. I am predicting Germany forward Thomas Muller to be named the MVP of the tournament however, I am predicting that Argentina forward Lionel Messi to be the leading goalscorer in the tournament.
Vishnu Nagaraj is a finance major at Binghamton University. He is a self-taught DJ and sports fanatic. His favorite teams are the Yankees, Brooklyn Nets, San Diego Chargers, and FC Barcelona. You can follow him on twitter at @DJVishMusic.
World Cup Preview: Group H
By Vishnu Nagaraj
Group H consists of Belgium, Algeria, Russia, and Korea Republic. This is another group that promises to be very entertaining. With the young stars of Belgium to the veterans of Russia, one can expect plenty of great games from this group. Belgium could potentially be the biggest sleepers in the World Cup. They have the talent to go all the way but can the youngsters handle the pressure of playing on such a big stage. Eden Hazard and Vincent Kompany are the two big stars for Belgium and they will be expected to carry the load for the team. Algeria and Korea Republic will be looking to pull an upset and knock off the two European powers in an attempt to advance to the knockout rounds. Russia will expect to advance from this group but they cannot get complacent. They are a team that has been known to disappoint and they cannot let that happen to them this time around. Midfield star Alan Dzagoev and veteran Alexander Kerzhakov will be asked to lead the Russians in the tournament.

Chelsea Midfielder Eden Hazard will try to take Belgium far into the World Cup this year (Via Getty)
Vishnu Nagaraj is a finance major at Binghamton University. He is a self-taught DJ and sports fanatic. His favorite teams are the Yankees, Brooklyn Nets, San Diego Chargers, and FC Barcelona. You can follow him on twitter at @DJVishMusic.
World Cup Preview: Group G
By Vishnu Nagaraj
This is the group that I and most of the country will have their eyes on. The United States, Germany, Portugal, and Ghana make up this group. One of the favorites to win the entire thing, Germany will most certainly bring their A-game to this year’s World Cup. With a stunning midfield comprised of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mesut Ozil, Mario Gotze, and Marco Reus, Germany will be one of the best teams to watch. German players have an incredible work-ethic and they very rarely make careless mistakes which is what makes them so hard to defeat. In order for Germany to win this group, they will have to stop the world’s most physically dominant player, Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portugal squad. Ronaldo’s incredible combination of speed and power make him the most entertaining player in the world. He has a strong supporting cast and he will look to them to play at the same level that he plays at. Portugal are a very strong side that will be sure to challenge Germany at the top of this group. Next we have Ghana. They are side filled with passion and intense pride. They never give up and are always running and hoping to create chances. Ghana will be led by flamboyant midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng. They will look to him to run the game from the midfield. Lastly, we have the United States of America. I would have given the USA a much better chance of causing some damage in the group but with the omission of their all-time leading goal-scorer Landon Donovan, I believe that advancing to the knockout round from this group will be extremely difficult. The USA will look to Clint Dempsey to be the talisman for them and inspire them. Someone to look out for is young winger Julian Green. Not too many people know about him but he has the potential to be a special player for the Americans. This is group that promises to create fireworks and there could be a surprise or two.

It should be a little strange seeing Landon Donovan sitting in an ESPN studio rather than playing on the field. (Via AP)
Vishnu Nagaraj is a finance major at Binghamton University. He is a self-taught DJ and sports fanatic. His favorite teams are the Yankees, Brooklyn Nets, San Diego Chargers, and FC Barcelona. You can follow him on twitter at @DJVishMusic.
World Cup Preview: Group F
By Vishnu Nagaraj
Group F consists of Argentina, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Iran, and Nigeria. This has the potential to be a very interesting group as Argentina could fail to live up to expectations. They have the best attacking arsenal in the world with the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Angel Di Maria among others. Even with the shocking omission of striker Carlos Tevez, Argentina definitely has the skill to win the whole thing but they will most certainly be tested. Bosnia & Herzegovina were an under-the-radar team to qualify for the World Cup, they have a core of Edin Dzeko, Miralem Pjanic, and Asmir Begovic, who all can change a game instantly. Next, is Nigeria. The reigning African champions have a very physical side who can present problems to anybody they face. This is where I believe they can challenge for a place in the knockout by using their sheer physical power to bully their opponents. Look for the weakest side in this group, Iran, to leave to everything on the pitch and make the other teams earn a win. They have nothing to lose and I am sure that they will give it their all. This is a group that could surprise most of us due to unpredictability and inconsistency. Watch for this to be one of the most watched groups especially with the presence of the world’s best player, Lionel Messi.
Vishnu Nagaraj is a finance major at Binghamton University. He is a self-taught DJ and sports fanatic. His favorite teams are the Yankees, Brooklyn Nets, San Diego Chargers, and FC Barcelona. You can follow him on twitter at @DJVishMusic.
World Cup Preview: Group E
By Vishnu Nagaraj
Group E:
Group E consists of France, Switzerland, Ecuador, and Honduras. In my opinion this is the weakest among all of the groups. The clear-cut favorite to win this group is France. They possess a complete team that can give many of the other favorites a run for their money. France is led by Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema. These two along with a physically powerful midfield and defense have the opportunity to help France go far in this tournament. One of the most notible omissions from any of the world cup squads was French midfielder Samir Nasri. A regular starter and a key figure in his club team Manchester City’s run to the Premier League title. Nasri and French manager Didier Deschamps do not see eye to eye and this had to be the reason for Nasri’s omission. Ecuador and Switzerland will be battling to advance from this group to the knockout rounds. I believe that both teams are fairly equal on a talent perspective and this could provide for an interesting encounter when these two sides meet. Lastly, we have Honduras who are one of the weaker teams in the tournament. Lack of quality when it comes to scoring goals and preventing the opposition from scoring will lead to the Honduran downfall which could see them fail to win a single game.
Vishnu Nagaraj is a finance major at Binghamton University. He is a self-taught DJ and sports fanatic. His favorite teams are the Yankees, Brooklyn Nets, San Diego Chargers, and FC Barcelona. You can follow him on twitter at @DJVishMusic.
World Cup Preview: Group B
By Vishnu Nagaraj
Group B: Group B consists of Spain, The Netherlands, Chile, and Australia. If you remember, Spain and Netherlands were the two finalists in the 2010 World Cup with Spain emerging as the winner. Spain will be heavily favored to win it all once again and truly cement themselves as one of, if not the greatest national team of all time. They have an ace up their sleeves this year with Brazilian-born striker Diego Costa who was recently nationalized and is now eligible to play for the Spanish team. He brings an element of physicality and power that Spain did not have at the last World Cup. Their incredible arsenal of midfielders cannot be forgotten as the likes of Andres Iniesta, David Silva, Cesc Fabregas, and Juan Mata will be sure the run the game like they so often do. Their number one rival in this group is the very team that they defeated in the 2010 final. The Netherlands, led by outgoing manager Louis Van Gaal, are determined to avenge the emotional defeat in 2010. They are led by the explosive attacking trio of Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, and Robin Van Persie. Look for the Netherlands attack to make up for their inexperience on the defensive end. Chile are also a force to be reckoned with in this group as they possess a complete squad with the ability to score plenty of goals and concede very few. They will look to Juventus’ midfield star Arturo Vidal to run the game from midfield and provide assists to their number one goal scorer Alexis Sanchez. This is a team that could pull off a surprise if they play at their peak level. Lastly, we have Australia. The Aussies aren’t known to be the strongest team in the world but they have enough quality to give the bigger teams headaches on the pitch.
______________________________________________________________
Vishnu Nagaraj is a finance major at Binghamton University. He is a self-taught DJ and sports fanatic. His favorite teams are the Yankees, Brooklyn Nets, San Diego Chargers, and FC Barcelona. You can follow him on twitter at @DJVishMusic.