Advertorial: Trading Talk – South Africa 2010 Group B preview

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The first decision when looking at Group B for many spread punters to make is how Argentina are going to fare under former captain Diego Maradona. During his playing days, El Diego was a peerless national hero and an international icon. Having won a total of 91 caps, he scored 34 goals and also led his country to glory at Mexico 1986 – the World Cup that witnessed his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal against the late Sir Bobby Robson’s England.

Spread bettors looking to buy the South American side’s Group B index at 19.5 with Sporting Index (winner: 25pts; runner-up: 10pts; third: 5pts; fourth: 0pts) will hope that he can prove just as inspirational in the dugout as he was on the pitch. He bids to become only the third man after Brazil’s Mario Zagallo and Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer to win the tournament as a player and a manager.

Sellers of Argentina’s Group B spread index will know that they have, though, only been pool leaders at two of five tournaments since lifting the last of their two trophies nearly a quarter of a century ago.

In addition to victories in 1978 and 1986, Argentina can boast a further pair of showpiece appearances. While defeats in 1930 and 1990 meant that they finished as runners-up on both occasions, if they can make another visit to the final in South Africa, then any spread bettor who buys their outright index (winner: 100pts; runner-up: 75pts; lose semi-final: 50pts, lose quarter-final: 25pts; last 16: 10pts; others: 0pts) at 33 will be handsomely rewarded.

Alternatively, those choosing to sell at a price of 30 will be kissing their coupons if Argentina do not make it through the group, as they failed to in Korea/Japan 2002. An elimination at the round of 16, seen at USA 1994, would also prove profitable for any sellers of their spread, as would quarter-final defeat, witnessed at France 1998 and Germany 2006.

None of the other group teams are strongly fancied by bookmakers to make a lasting impression at the tournament. Nigeria are second-favourites for the group, behind Argentina, and spread bettors who think the Super Eagles will still be in the shake-up come the second fortnight will avoid selling their index at 8.5.

Of the three World Cups they have been to, they have twice topped their group – at 1994 and 1998 – and a replication would see a nice reward for spread buyers of their Group B index at 10. However, sellers of the West African nation’s spreads will know that they finished bottom of a group also involving Argentina in 2002.

Greece and South Korea complete the pool contestants, with layers anticipating a battle for the wooden spoon between the duo, even though canny spread buyers from some of the recent major international tournaments will point-out both are capable of upsets.

Greece sent tremors through planet football when lifting the 2004 European Championships, while South Korea finished fourth on home soil at the World Cup eight years, causing Italy and Spain to crash out along the way.

Those spread punters selling Greece’s indices at 7 for both Group B and the competition itself, as well as spreads in their individual games, will know that they have failed to make the last three tournaments and required a play-off victory over Ukraine to reach South Africa after finishing below Switzerland in the qualifiers.

They also lost all three games in their only previous World Cup appearance in USA 1994.

Buying South Korea’s Group B index at 5.5 will appeal to spread bettors who feel that they are able to repeat the memorable run from 2002, having made it to their seventh successive finals unbeaten. By contrast, sellers of their spreads will point to a failure to advance beyond the group stages at any other previous World Cup.