WORLD CUP: GERMANY V SWEDEN BETTING ODDS PREVIEW

The first game in stage two of the World Cup takes place on Saturday when the hosts Germany do battle with Sweden with a place in the World Cup quarter-finals at stake. The two nations have traded punches on twelve occasions, and Germany hold sway having won seven of the dozen matches in question, four ending all square, and just one going to the Scandinavians.

The second round clash between Germany and Sweden is set to pit Arsenal stars Freddie Ljungberg against Jens Lehmann for the first time. The two players were key factors in the North London club's progress to the final of the Champions League last season.

But the Swede will be desperate to get one over on the German as his team look to beat the World Cup hosts for the first time since 1978. Ladbrokes make Ljungberg 12/1 to score the game's first goal, 7/2 to notch at any time, 10/1 to score a penalty and 25/1 to miss one.

Lehmann, who saved a spot-kick from Juan Riquleme in the semi finals of the Champions League, is 20/1 to repeat that feat. He is 12/1 to concede a penalty and even money to keep a clean sheet, as the country's line up for the first time since the semi-final of Euro 1992.

The game finished 3-2 to Germany that day and a repeat scoreline is priced at 25/1.

Given the style of both sides, one suspects that this game will be high octane, end to end stuff and, one also suspects - and hopes - there will be goals to boot! Indeed, while there will obviously be a degree of caution involved in the approach of both given the magnitude of the game, it's hard to envisage this game failing to produce net-ruffling activity.