USA vs. Germany: Odds, Prediction for 2015 World Cup Semifinal Match

It may not be a championship final in official terms, but Tuesday's semifinal clash at the 2015 World Cup between the United States and Germany has every feel of a match that will decide the world champion.

Tuesday night will peg the best two teams in the world, as No. 1 Germany and No. 2 USA top the FIFA women's rankings. Although it hasn't always been pretty with Germany's penalty-shootout win over France and America's goal-scoring issues, both national teams are just two wins away from their third World Cup titles.

Only hours remain before kickoff, so take a look below at everything to know about.

USA vs. Germany: 2015 World Cup Semifinal

Date: Tuesday, June 30

Start Time (ET): 7 p.m.

TV: Fox

Odds (via OddsChecker.com): Germany 8-5, USA 21-10, Draw 9-4

Preview and Prediction

Anne M. Peterson/Associated Press

To call the transition for the U.S. from Friday's match with China to Tuesday's semifinal with Germany a step up in competition would be one of the understatements of the century.

In the process, the Americans have moved on from a Chinese squad that they have historically dominated, to the top-ranked team in the land. Although their step forward in competition might be night and day, they've done well in similar situations in the past as ESPN's Paul Carr noted:

Of course, keeping Tuesday's match to a similarly low score line will require the Americans to execute on their half of a battle of contrasting styles.

The Germans come in high flying on offense, despite being taken to penalty kicks in the quarterfinal, having outscored their opponents 20-3 in the tournament. Their offense is running rampant, attacking at every angle.

In contrast, the Americans have just seven goals in their tournament. But their attention to the defensive side has reaped benefits, as the U.S. have been impossible to score against in their last four-plus matches, as told by ESPN Stats & Info:

Germany's ability to put pressure on that U.S. defense initially took a serious shot when it got publicized that German midfielder Dzsenifer Marozsan—arguably the world's best player—had her status put in doubt with an ankle injury against France. Playing without their center-field captain and goal-scoring leader could be crushing.

Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

However, Jeff Carlisle of ESPN noted how certain local German press was of her availability for the crucial match:

While Marozsan will be front and center to the U.S.' defensive plans, they have their own lineup issues to work out. The yellow-card suspensions of Megan Rapinoe and Lauren Holiday—two of the biggest contributors—seemed to open up the American attack against China, and now head coach Jill Ellis has a lineup conundrum with Rapinoe and Holiday returning to availability.

The versatility that was produced when speedsters like Amy Rodriguez got minutes and Carli Lloyd could take a more offensive role is the same sort of play that France used to frustrate Germany in their quarterfinal. 

Ellis and the American staff are spoiled with their lineup options, but it's much more conceivable that they'll go with the dependable names—such as Rapinoe, Wambach and Holiday—back in the lineup. Their experience will be what gets them the nod, but their lack in versatility and dynamic play will be what causes them to struggle against the Germans.

Between two of the most evenly matched teams in the world, chances will be at a premium and fortunate bounces will produce the only goals of the game. But without enough of an attacking identity, the Americans won't see that goal coming their way.

Prediction: Germany 1, USA 0