Salvador (Brazil), June 16: Three-time champions Germany will take on an energetic Portugal in the opening match of Group G of the 2014 Fifa World Cup on Monday. Ghana and the USA are the two other teams of the group.

[Read: Germany aim to reach WC final, says coach Joachim Low]

FIFA RANKINGS: GERMANY 2, PORTUGAL 4

The Germans have a record of beginning their World Cup campaigns on a winning note since 1990 and will look to maintain that record against the Portuguese. Joachim Low's men will rely heavily on the Arsenal trio of Lukas Podolski, Per Mertesacker and Mesut Özil.

Schedule; News; Photos; Points Table

Monday's match will be Germany's 100th in the World Cup finals while German striker Miroslav Klose is just one goal away from equalling Brazil's Ronaldo in terms of tournament record of 15 goals.
German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been declared fit for the Portugal game. He suffered a shoulder injury and missed the team's final two warm-up matches against Cameroon and Armenia but returned to practice last Wednesday.

Germany have beaten Portugal in all the previous three big matches

The Germans will, however, miss the service of Marco Reus, the Borussia Dortmund midfielder who has been ruled out of the entire competition because of an ankle injury. Arsenal's attacking midfielder Mesut Ozil has been declared fit.

Portugal, on the other hand, had a worry over the fitness of its star player Christiano Ronaldo who sufferd a knee injury but will include him.

Germany have won all the last three matches against Portugal (two at Euro and one in the World Cup). The score in the 2006 World Cup match between the two sides went 3-1 in favour of the Germans.
Portugal have beaten Germany only once so far and it was in the Euro 2000.

The Germany-Portugal match of the 2014 World Cup will start at 9.30 pm IST.

Teams:

Germany (Possible, 4-2-3-1): Neuer; Boateng, Hummels, Mertesacker, Hoewedes; Khedira, Lahm; Kroos, Özil, Podolski; MÜller.

Coach: Joachim Low

Portugal (Possible, 4-3-3): Patricio; Pereira, Pepe, Alves, Coentrao; Veloso, Moutinho, Meireles; Ronaldo, Almeida, Varela.

Coach: Paulo Bento

Referee: Milorad Mazic (Serbia).

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