TODAY’S GAMES
GROUP D: GERMANY VS. SERBIA
Where: Pretoria. Time: 4:30 a.m. PDT.
TV: ESPN, ESPN Deportes, Univision. Radio: Sirius/XM, KLYY-FM 97.5, KDLD-FM/KDLE-FM 103.1.
The buzz: Germany’s 4-0 domination of Australia stamped it as the tournament’s best team in the early going, but the relaxed Germans could have more than just the Serbians to contend with Friday. Heavy rains damaged the pitch in Port Elizabeth, preventing either team from practicing at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, and the footing could still be treacherous at game time. Forward Lukas Podolski, the best young player in the last World Cup, had a big game against Australia. Serbia’s loss to Ghana after a controversial penalty call leaves the Serbs facing a must-win situation Friday just to have a chance to advance out of group play.
-- Kevin Baxter
GROUP C: U.S. VS. SLOVENIA
Where: Ellis Park, Johannesburg. Time: 7 a.m. PDT.
TV: ESPN, ESPN Deportes, Univision. Radio: Sirius/XM, KLYY-FM 97.5 and KDLD-FM 103.1.
The buzz: Both countries are coming into Friday afternoon’s game in a confident mood. The U.S. tied England, 1-1, in its opener and Slovenia defeated Algeria, 1-0. Slovenia leads Group C with three points, followed by the U.S. and England, each with one. Algeria, which plays England on Friday night in Cape Town, trails with no points. U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard has largely recovered from the rib injury suffered against England. He will start.
-- Grahame L. Jones
GROUP C: ENGLAND VS. ALGERIA
Where: Cape Town. Time: 11:30 a.m. PDT.
TV: ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, Univision. Radio: Sirius/XM, KLYY-FM 97.5, KDLD-FM/KDLE-FM 103.1, KSPN-AM 710
-- Kevin Baxter