DHAKA: France and Germany are the two top European football power house which impressed world football arena in the recent past. They have also glorious world cup tradition and history.

These two nations along with Italy, Spain and Netherlands are Europes Challenge to South American football dominance in world football. 

With Spain, Italy and England already back home they are among the major European challenge left to fight out. The tow now appear in the head to head contest in the quarter finals and one of them have to leave Brazil leaving the other to carry on the fight against the winner of Argentina and Belgium in the semifinal.

Germany has made it to the World Cup semifinals three straight times, and they are peaked among the top favorite to win the cup this time. To make that happen they have get over and across the French hurdles. 

Judging from the performance of the two teams in Brazil World Cup so far it may not be so easy. Since 1996, France has won four of their last six matches against Germany.

The German giant has looked less than impressive in their last three matches. France got off to a flying start in the World Cup, but they have also not looked great in the last couple of matches.

France and Germany however managed to dispatch the two challengers from Africa in their round-of-16 matches, with Germany beating Algeria 2-1 in extra time and France beating Nigeria 2-0.

Neither Germany nor France could play consistently well in four matches they played in Brazil world cup. France struggled in beating Nigeria in the round of 16, and Germany was distinctly lucky in their match against Algeria. 

The Germans have a good defense, but keeper Manuel Neuer had to bail out the defense on several occasions in the Algeria match by coming out of the box. Mats Hummels, who missed the Algeria match due to illness, should be available and will have to play well against the French attack.

Karim Benzema, who scored three goals so far, performed well below his best in the Nigeria match. Manager Didier Deschamps may learn from his mistake may in all possibility start Antoine Griezmann rather than Olivier Giroud up front. 

Germans have more mobility and dynamism than the French in the midfield. But they have better strength up front which may tease and torment German defence. Thomas Muller and company were thwarted, for the most part, in the Algeria match, and they will need more help from the midfield. They will get it in this match, and the defense will to play a much better match than their last one.

However, if the Germans play like they did in their last match, they will be in trouble. Germany is the favorite, but the French may be playing better and have more confidence. In a clash of two of Europe’s top soccer nations, the Germans have now more resolve to keep their string of World Cup semifinal appearances intact and will win.

France coach Didier Deschamps said, his players would not be "tourists" against Germany in its quarter-final against Germany. But he requested French fans to remain carefully optimistic despite of tempo generated from their positive showing so far in Brazil. 

France has risen majestically from the ashes of the chaotic 2010 campaign in South Africa when they had unceremonious exit from the group stage.

French boss said: "It doesn't serve any purpose to look any further ahead. The reality now is Germany. Everyone can dream, including me, but I'm a pragmatist and a realist, Match against Germany is the only thing that counts."

Deschamps, who succeeded fellow World Cup and Euro 2000 winner Laurent Blanc as national coach after Euro 2012, rejected the notion France was favorite against Germany, but at the same time made clear his team wasn’t going to Rio de Janeiro's Maracana "as tourists". Reflecting on France's progress through to the last eight after topping their first round group he stated: "We haven't made a mess of our World Cup”.

"I'm very proud and the players deserve it, it's a huge pleasure for me and my staff to be involved on a daily basis with them and to manage them, to be with them. He downplayed any lingering significance of the memorable 1982 World Cup semi-final between the two teams.

The duet of this two European strong football playing nation is expected to present a classic football contest. It is very difficult to predict an outcome. The team that appears with their A game on the day of contest shall prevail. Experts and analysts have picked Germany but it is not be wise to dismiss France just like that. We predict a neck to neck battle and a French win.

Engr Khondkar A Saleque Sufi is a NRB Energy Professional and free lance sports Writer, has over four decades of sport writing experience starting from his BUET days in 1970s . He lives in Australia and spends his leisure in writing on Energy & Sports in different International magazines and Journals.



BDST: 1117 HRS, JULY 3, 2014