Russia 2018: Match of the day – Germany vs Mexico preview

Team: Germany vs Mexico
Time: 4:00 pm
Venue: Luzhniki Stadium

This match pitches World Cup defending champions, Germany, against possibly the strongest opponent in Group F, Mexico.

Mexico is the first CONCACAF side to qualify for the World Cup, topping their fifth round group table.

Germany will be hoping for a repeat of 2014 when they comfortably beat highly-rated Portugal 4 – 0 in their first game in Brazil.

Although Germany has a lot of changes in their team and to talk of one, Mario Gotze did not make the final 23 for Russia.

This is the first match in Group F and will see the two sides meet for the twelfth time.

Mexico will look to avenge the 4 – 1 defeat in their last encounter against Die Mannschaft when they were knocked out of the Confederation Cup last year June.

In all, Germany boast of six wins. Mexico sole victory was back in 1985 – against West Germany.

Possible Lineups
Germany: Neuer; Kimmich, Boateng, Hummels, Hector; Khedira, Kroos; Goretzka; Muller; Draxler; Werner

Mexico:  Ochoa; Salcedo, Ayala, Moreno, Layun; Reyes; Herrera, Guardado, Lozano; Vela; Hernandez

Did you know?
Germany has average 3.5goals per match in their opening games of the world cup since they last lost an opener thirty-six years ago against Algeria.

It took Mexico 56 years to win a World cup opener, their victory coming at the ninth attempt on home soil at Mexico 1986.

Prediction
Germany to win, 3 – 1