By Sportswriter Lin Deren
RIO DE JANEIRO
Nick Chubb Jersey , June 8 (Xinhua) -- While few doubt Germany and Portugal, second and fourth respectively in the FIFA World Rankings, would eventually make it through from Group G to the knock-out stage, Ghana and the United States are hoping to produce some upsets.
All the four teams advanced to the last 16 in the World Cup four years ago, so none would be satisfied with an early exit.
Germany is considered as the most consistent national team in the past decade
Nathan Shepherd Jersey , making into the final four in all of the previous three World Cups. Their squad is filled with youth power and energy, averaging 24.8 years old. The veterans, such as Miroslav Klose (36), Roman Weidenfeller (33) and Philipp Lahm (30) will also bring their experience.
While Germany looks safe for a last of 16 berth, Portugal may not have a plain sailing. The Portuguese qualified for this year's World Cup via a play-off after coming second in their group behind Russia.
Their superstar Cristiano Ronaldo
Minkah Fitzpatrick Jersey , who scored four goals in Portugal's 4-3 win over Sweden in the playoffs, needs to prove himself on the World Cup Stage. The La Liga top scorer netted only twice in his 11 World Cup matches, including one penalty.
As a top team in the world, Portugal is far more than Ronaldo's one-man team. Both Bruno Alves and Pepe are world-class defenders, and Rafa Silva
Mike McGlinchey Jersey , Raul Meireles, Miguel Veloso and Raul Meireles will form a strong midfield to support Ronaldo.
Jurgen Klinsmann faces extra pressure in Brazil as he dropped US all-time leading scorer Landon Donovan out of America's 23-man squad for the World Cup, a decision that has been widely questioned.
The US team, ranked 14th in the world, will rely on a strong midfield with Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones while Jozy Altidore and captain Clint Dempsey must score goals if the US want to advance.
Ghana failed to become the first African team to make the World Cup semis in 2010
Mike Hughes Jersey , but their victory over the United States in the knockout round will boost their confidence in Brazil.
Sulley Muntari, Kwadwo Asamoah, Michael Essien and Kevin-Prince Boateng will keep the Ghana midfield among the best in the 32 teams.
Secretary for Transport Justine Greening will confirm plans for the UK鈥檚 first high speed rail link, HS2, today.
The new train line will travel across the middle of England
Mike Gesicki Jersey , linking London and Birmingham and reducing travel times by an hour.
The link, which will reportedly cost 拢32 billion, has been met with controversy and widely criticised due to the cost of the build, the effect that the line will have on the countryside and fears over rail safety.
Protestors have been campaigning against the plans for the railway since they were first announced, particularly in the Tory stronghold of Middle England which the line will travel through.
Protestors that live in or near the affected areas are convinced that the new link will destroy the local environment
Maurice Hurst Jersey , cutting through green belt land, affecting the local wildlife population and causing noise pollution.
Other protestors, including the chair of the Taxpayers Alliance, are up in arms about how much the scheme will cost the British tax payer.
According to some figures building the railway will cost each British family around 拢1000, but most of the people who are paying this will not be able to use the line because tickets for the train will be too costly for the average person to afford.
However
Mason Rudolph Jersey , 100 of the top business people in the UK have spoken out in support of the HS2, claiming that it is essential if the British economy is to move forward and rival other leading economies across the globe.
In addition, Network Rail recently released a report which stated that transport links between Birmingham and London were already being pushed to the limits in terms of passenger occupation and that without the current rail network would not be able to accommodate the growing demand for transport to the capital within the next few years.
Although it is believed the scheme will be given the go ahead plans will not be finalised until 2014 when building will begin. The line will then take a further eight years to complete with two years set aside for testing, meaning that the line will not be ready to use by the general public until at least 2024.
There is a second phase of the scheme planned which will link London with the North, making journey times to the capital much shorter
Marcus Davenport Jersey , but these plans have not yet been given the all clear. The second phase of the scheme will reduce journey times between London and the North by up to an hour and will reportedly cost several million pounds to complete.
The UK are following in the footsteps of countries like Japan who have installed high speed rail links. However, Japan鈥檚 link made headlines last year when a high speed train was struck by lightning. 39 people were killed in the accident and several were injured, causing the safety of high speed rail links to be called into question.
Although members of parliament have committed to the first phase of the scheme, as yet no ministers have committed to the second phase amid fears that the link between London and the north will be too expensive to build.
For more information about rail safety visit www.arbilrail.co
By the time you finish this article, a thousand copies of the Book of Mormons have been handed out by missionaries across the globe. This is regarded as a sacred text by the members and is similar to that of the Holy Bible. This is a compilation of the writing of the prophets who lived on the continent of America. Having a First Edition Book of Mormon is a very rare honor for their members.
In March 1830
M.J. Stewart Jersey , Joseph Smith first published it in Utah. He stated that it was in the beginning written in characters similar to cuneiform, which he described as reform.
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Konu Seçenekleri
