World Cup "Observations" 13: Predictions for the balance of Group Matches (E, F, G, H)

As I'll be away from home Thursday and Friday, I've decided to launch my predictions for the balance of the Group Stage:


Current Group E Table

Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
France	2	2	0	0	8	2	+6	6
Ecuador	2	1	0	1	3	3	0	3
Switzerland	2	1	0	1	4	6	−2	3
Honduras	2	0	0	2	1	5	−4	0

• Switzerland to beat the heavy-tackling Honduras 2-1
• France to beat Ecuador, 2-1
• Thus this sets up a potential France v Nigeria match-up and Switzerland to play Argentina. The Switzerland v Ecuador match "was thus" critical.

Current Group F Table

Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Argentina	2	2	0	0	3	1	+2	6
Nigeria	2	1	1	0	1	0	+1	4
Iran	2	0	1	1	0	1	−1	1
Bosnia and Herzegovina	2	0	0	2	1	3	−2	0

• Argentina to beat Nigeria 1-0, someone apart from Messi to score (should be a closely fought contest).
• Iran to keep their compact defence, drawing to Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 (and scoring their first goal at this World Cup?)

Current Group G Table

Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Germany	2	1	1	0	6	2	+4	4
United States	2	1	1	0	4	3	+1	4
Ghana	2	0	1	1	3	4	−1	1
Portugal	2	0	1	1	2	6	−4	1

• Germany to win a closely fought contest, say 1-0
• Ghana to win by 1 goal, say 2-1
• On that basis, Ghana would go through on Goals Scored (5 vs 4). However, if Germany beat USA by 1 goal and the USA also score (eg. 3-2 or 2-1), USA would either win on Head-to-head or Goals Scored. 
• My scorelines above seem less likely, so I think, as a matter of probability, USA will be going through rather than Ghana, despite the Ghana win.

Current Group H Table

Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Belgium	2	2	0	0	3	1	+2	6
Algeria	2	1	0	1	5	4	+1	3
Russia	2	0	1	1	1	2	−1	1
South Korea	2	0	1	1	3	5	−2	1

• Algeria have shown they can hold their own against South Korea. But that was against South Korea, a team that had horrible defending. I think the Russians will have learnt from their lesson against South Korea, and given that the Belgians struggled to break them down, I think Algeria will have an equally difficult time. 
• Hence Russia to win by 1 goal, say 1-0.
• Belgium to give South Korea a small thrashing, say 2-0.