2010 FIFA World Cup: Group D Preview

No Ballack? No Essien? No Guarantee for any team to breeze through the group.

That is exactly right. Group D has gotten more interesting in the weeks leading up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup with not one but two Chelsea midfielders going down. Germany's captain Michael Ballack and Ghana's Michael Essien will not be on the pitch in South Africa.

Serbia and Australia are the other two teams in Group D and both have a very realistic chance of advancing to the knockout round.

Team Previews:

Germany

Joachim Low's squad will not only miss Ballack but national team regulars Rene Adler, Heiko Westermann and Simon Rolfes are all out with injuries as well.

But life on the German squad goes on with veterans like Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose, Per Mertesacker and newly named captain Philipp Lahm. There is also a good core of youth mixed in the squad with Thomas Muller being the most notable young player on the team.

Players To Watch:

Manuel Neuer: In a tough year for German goaltending with the death of Robert Enke and injury to Adler. The Schalke keeper Neuer will have to step up and make the big saves at crucial times and will have to do that more than once in a wide open group.

Bastian Schweinsteiger: When you watch a Germany match, this man is usually everywhere on the pitch and it is that work ethic and determination that helped Schweinsteiger lead Bayern to the Champions League final.  It will help propel his national team to the knockout round.

Lukas Podolski: Podolski has dropped off the radar of top-class football since his stellar 2006 World Cup performance at home. Podolski is now with Cologne in the Bundesliga and will be looking to show the teams in Group D that he is the Podolski of 2006.

Schedule: June 13 vs. Australia, June 18 vs. Serbia, June 23 vs. Ghana

Ghana

The Black Stars are coming in to the World Cup with some optimism that they can make it out of the group without Essien.

One thing that is very promising to Ghanian fans is that some of the U-20 World Cup Championship team is on the roster mixed in with the established stars of the squad.

Look out for the game against Germany, there are rumors that tempers may be high because Kevin-Prince Boateng is the player that took out Ballack in the FA Cup Final.

Players to Watch:

Kevin-Prince Boateng: Playing for the first time as a Ghanian international after gaining the switch from Germany. Boateng is under some controversy because of what happened with Ballack but more interesting is how Boateng will fit into Milovan Rajevic's squad.

Asamoah Gyan: The Rennes forward scored 13 goals in Ligue 1 this season and will the key goal scorer for the Black Stars.

Sulley Muntari: Muntari did not feature as much as he would have hoped to in Jose Mourinho's Inter squad. That should not happen for Ghana and Muntari needs to be a solid midfield presence in place of Essien to help Ghana advance.

Schedule: June 13 vs. Serbia, June 19 vs. Australia, June 23 vs. Germany

Australia

The Socceroos almost took out defending champions Italy in 2006 but were subject to some questionable refereeing. This is the first World Cup the Socceroos have made through the Asian zone after moving from Oceania, where they qualified from in 2006.

In 2010, the experience is flowing from the Aussies' veins and coach Pim Verbeek would love go out as national team coach with a good showing in South Africa. Experienced players like Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell, Mark Schwarzer and Lucas Neill will need to lead their team in order to advance to the knockout stage.

Players To Watch:

Mark Schwarzer: One of the many Fulham players coming into the World Cup on good form, the Aussies' top keeper needs to carry the momentum from his strong performance for his club into one for the country.

Nikita Rukavytsa: The FC Twente youngster could prove key to the team's success up front if Harry Kewell is not fully recovered from his groin injury.

Tim Cahill: Cahill is Mr. Reliable for the Socceroos and should be nothing but that in South Africa. Cahill is one of the top leaders in the entire tournament and scores the big goal when called upon.

Schedule: June 13 vs. Germany, June 19 vs. Ghana, June 23 vs. Serbia

Serbia

If you want a team to pick as most underrated, Serbia could be your best choice. With loads of experience throughout the team, Radomir Antic's squad should contend in the true Group of Death.

Premier League regulars Nemanja Vidic and Branislav Ivanovic anchor the defense, Inter's Dejan Stankovic will run the midfield with help on the wings from Milos Krasic and Milan Jovanovic. Up front, there are some questions on how Nikola Zigic will perform.

Players To Watch:

Nikola Zigic: One of the few players to sign with a new club before the World Cup, the 6'8" Birmingham forward will be a crucial part of the Serbian offensive against some stingy defenses.

Nemanja Vidic: Vidic is one of the best center halves in the Premier League and being partnered with an experience player like Ivanovic should keep opposing offenses from scoring.

Milos Krasic: After a good season in the Champions League with CSKA Moscow, Krasic is rested and ready to go (the Russian League has about the same schedule calendar as MLS) and will be one of the few rested players in South Africa.

Schedule: June 13 vs. Ghana, June 18 vs. Germany, June 23 vs. Australia

Group Prediction:

This is the true Group of Death and all four of these teams are capable of finishing first or second in the group. Experience is shown throughout the group and the depth of the squads with injuries is key.

In the end, Germany has too much pride to not advance out of the group and the Serbs are out to prove that they belong on the world football stage.

Prediction: Germany (1st), Serbia (2nd)