The 2006 World Cup final draws are in and the reactions from team coaches and others are as well.

Group A includes Germany, Costa Rica, Poland, Ecuador.  Group B includes England, Paraguay, Trinidad & Tobago and Sweden.  Group C is composed of Argentina, Ivory Coast, Serbia & Montenegro and Holland.  Those teams that are part of Group D include Mexico, Iran, Angola and Portugal.  Group E is made up of Italy, Ghana, USA and Czech Republic.  Within Group F we have Brazil as the favorite to win the 2006 World Cup, Croatia, Australia and Japan.  Group G includes the likes of France, Switzerland, South Korea and Togo.  And finally, Group H is made up of Spain, Ukraine, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. 

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson expressed his relief after the 2006 World Cup final draws had his team going up against Sweden, Paraguay and Trinidad & Tobago in World Cup Group B.

"I think that it is not an easy group but it could have been worse," said Eriksson. "They are difficult games of course but I am happy.

"I said before the draw that if we could avoid Australia and Holland then we would be happy.

"On paper we are favourites to win the group but you never know."

Those in Group F tried to be optimistic, but that can't be easy going up against the likes of Brazil.

Coach Zico of the Japan team commented: "It is better to face Brazil in the group than the final."

Zico, who himself is a native of Brazil, put a positive spin on having to play World Cup holders Brazil in their final match of the group stage.

"I'm not really surprised we have to play Brazil," shrugged Zico. "This sort of thing happens."

Croatia coach Zlatko Kranjcar also offered some signs of optimism but not in regard to the prospect of playing Brazil: "I believe we're better than Australia and Japan is also beatable. I'm satisfied."

Meanwhile, the US got no favors in the final World Cup draw. 

After swimming briefly with soccer's big fishes four years ago, when it reached the World Cup quarterfinals, the United States was tossed back into the bait tank Friday.

At 2006 World Cup final draws in Leipzig, Germany, Team USA was put in a formidable group with three-time world champion Italy, the Czech Republic, which is ranked second in the world behind Brazil, and African power Ghana.

As an indication of the immense task facing Coach Bruce Arena's squad, the United States has never beaten any of its three first-round opponents.

The Americans are 0-3-2 against Italy, 0-1 against the Czechs when they were still part of Czechoslovakia, and have never played Ghana.

Costa Rica, which has the third largest Gambling911.com readership base after the United States and Canada, will have a tough task ahead of them going up against Germany.  Germany's odds to win the 2006 World Cup have been set at 8.00, only slightly behind England at 7.50. 

Costa Rica coach Alexandre Guimaraez said Saturday: "We represent four million Costa Ricans and hope to do as well as possible."

2006 World Cup Betting Odds can be found here and are constantly changing so we suggest punters (sports bettors) get their bets in as early as possible. 

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Jorge Maradona, www.gambling911.com

Originally published December 10, 2005 3:17 pm EST