Basketball:Sweden vs Germany -by maradona1
Sixteen teams were deployed in four groups. After three rounds played in the first stage of the competition, many things have become clearer in terms of quality of individual teams. The first three teams from groups A and B formed a new group E, while the top three teams from groups C and D formed a new group F. The four best teams from the new groups will participate in the quarter finals.
As for the last placed teams from the first group phase, (Bulgaria, Romania, Germany and Sweden) they will play mutual matches for placement of 13th to 16th place.
So that Germany and Sweden are two of the four weakest teams in this championship. But these games will be also very important considering that two weakest teams will leave division A and they will play next time in division B of the European U20 Championship.
In my opinion Germany will not be one of those two teams because it seems to me that this team is still better than others in this “play-out” group.
It is interesting that Sweden is the only team that finished as the last placed in the group and that had one win. But for those their victory, the only thing I can say is that it was in extremely suspicious game. It was win against Russia 71-61.
But look at this :
Group B,first round:
Sweden lost to Latvia 46 points difference (41-87).
Group B,second round:
Sweden lost to Ukraine 31 points difference (58-89).
Russia in two first rounds of Group B beat both,Ukraine and Latvia. And then in third round, in the game that decides nothing and in which the handicap on Sweden was over 30, “expected” result, Sweden wins 71-61.
On the other hand Germany had all three losses, but in my opinion in a very strong group,with Spain which is the biggest favorite in the championship and with excellent team of Serbia.The third oponent was Italy.
So I think that this is a wrong rating from Bwin, I think the Germany is far better oponent in this match.
8/10 on Germany -1.5 at 1.85 with Bwin (Asian Handicap)