Croatia vs Brazil
9 December 2022
BCA Prediction: Brazil win
Brazil appears to be most people’s favorite to win the World Cup after a thrilling first-half performance in thrashing South Korea 4-1. The Samba boys have now won three of their four games in Qatar, with the loss to Cameroon coming from a heavily rotated team. In fact, that defeat was the only one in their previous 15 competitive games. Tite’s men are clearly in a good mood, and their confidence is well supported by a solid defensive unit that has only conceded 6 goals in the previous 15 games.
Runners-up in Russia 2018, Croatia fought hard in their own round of 16 match, going the distance against Japan before winning on penalties. It was far from a vintage performance from Zlatko Dadic’s men, who have now drawn three of their four World Cup games, with two of those draws ending in a goalless draw. The Croats have now avoided defeat in their last nine competitive games, proving that they are a difficult team to beat.
Croatia’s ageing stars have seen increased game time because they were unable to rest for the crucial final group game against Belgium, and they were then dragged into extra time by Japan. This could be a too-hard test as they face a Brazil team that is perhaps more defensively minded and pragmatic than in previous years. Croatia will defend and try to hit Brazil on the break, and it may take some time for Tite’s men to break through, but the quality of Neymar, Vinicius Jr, and Richarlison will eventually lead Brazil to victory.
Key Takeaways:
- Brazil has scored seven goals in four World Cup matches.
- Brazil has only allowed six goals in their last 15 competitive games.
- Croatia has drawn three of its four World Cup games.
Argentina vs Netherlands
9 December 2022
BCA Prediction: Netherlands win
This will be the sixth World Cup meeting between these two teams. It’s not looking good for Lionel Messi and co, given that the Netherlands have only lost one of those games. The Argentines, on the other hand, will be determined, having come back from a disastrous opening loss to Saudi Arabia with three consecutive victories over Mexico, Poland, and Australia. Those victories have not been convincing, with Argentina scraping past Australia in the last round thanks to Messi’s brilliance and a goalkeeping error.
The Netherlands have a better head-to-head record, but that will not be their only source of confidence heading into this game. They have played 11 games since Louis Van Gaal took over as manager for the third time, and they are unbeaten with eight victories. They are not only winning, but they are also scoring goals. They have scored eight goals in their four games in Qatar, and they have scored at least one goal in nine of their last 11 competitive games.
Argentina is in excellent form. The Saudi defeat is their only loss in the last 25 competitive games, and they have kept five clean sheets in their last eight competitive games. However, in their last nine World Cup eliminations, they have been defeated by European teams. We will side with the Dutch because of this, as well as their patchy performance in their last three victories. They advanced from their previous three World Cup quarter-final matches, including one under Van Gaal in 2014. They’ve also won eight of their last ten games and have Memphis Depay, who has scored 34 goals in his last 30 appearances for the Netherlands in all competitions.
Key Takeaways:
- The Netherlands are unbeaten in 19 games since Louis Van Gaal took over as manager.
- Memphis Depay has scored 34 goals in his last 30 appearances for the Netherlands.
- Argentina has lost to European opponents in eight of their last nine World Cup knockout games.
FIFA World Cup 2022
The FIFA World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world, and this will be the first time the event will be hosted by a Middle Eastern country. Qatar 2022 is set to have a massive geographical impact on the region for the first since the tournament’s inception in 1930.
The World Cup is a unique event in many aspects, bringing about various opportunities, especially for football enthusiasts, and with it comes many betting markets. The competition among the 32 qualified national teams will be very fierce; hence you need a guide and insight on which teams or players to stake on.
