Matchday 10 – Best Bets
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
World Cup: Matchday 10 Betting Preview
Saturday, June 23
Group G Table & Results
Belgium vs. Tunisia (FOX, 8:00 a.m. ET)
Belgium easily swept aside Panama in its first game, winning 3-0, but the victory was down to moments of of magic from Belgium’s star-studded team rather than thanks to a cohesive team performance.
Thibaut Courtois was barely tested in goal and again their match against Tunisia could be another case of Belgium going through the gears with their class telling in the end.
Tunisia eventually succumbed to a last minute goal by Harry Kane to lose 2-1 to England, but they conceded a hatful of chances in the first half and did not threaten the English goal apart from the penalty they scored.
This is going to be another game of attack vs defence. Tunisia are unambitious, and know that their best hope of qualifying comes from edging a draw here, beating Panama and hoping other results go their way.
Romelu Lukaku looks a good shout to add to his goals tally, but is predictably short to open the scoring at 5/2.
It is becoming a familiar prediction, but Belgium to win to nil at even money looks the best bet here.Prediction: Belgium 2-0 Tunisia
Top Bet: Belgium to win to nil at 1/1
Group F Table & Results
South Korea vs. Mexico (FOX, 11:00 a.m. ET)
Mexico were fantastic in their opening match against Germany, playing a wonderfully fearless style and constantly opening up the four-time world champions in a deserved 1-0 win.
The fixture list plays out perfectly for Juan Carlos Osorio’s men with the group’s whipping boys, South Korea, next up.
South Korea only lost 1-0 to Sweden thanks to a second half penalty, but they were second best throughout and failed to muster a single shot on target. The defence, which had been leaky in Asian qualifying, held up better than expected, but they will face a more varied attack in Mexico here.
Mexico have won five of their last eight matches with each of these wins being to nil, and it would not be a surprise to see another such scoreline. Despite their attacking talent, finishing remains a problem and they rarely thrash teams.
Anything but a win here would all but end South Korea’s chances of qualification. Mexico should have too much for Shin Tae-yong’s Taeguk Warriors.
Prediction: South Korea 0-1 Mexico
Top Bet: Mexico to win to nil at 7/5
Germany vs. Sweden (FOX, 2:00 p.m. ET)
One of the most fascinating and crucial games of the second round sees holders Germany facing a battle to stay in the competition as they face Sweden, who opened their World Cup by beating South Korea.
While Mexico’s win over Germany was unexpected given Germany’s record in World Cup groups, it did follow a pattern for the reigning champions with 10 of their last 12 World Cup or European Championship matches now featuring fewer than three goals. The 7-1 against Brazil still skews perceptions of Joachim Löw’s men. They were not brilliant in the last World Cup, and their flaws were out on display against Mexico.
Germany held a crisis meeting after that defeat. Former stars have been slamming them in the press, with Löw favourite Mesut Özil coming in for particularly stinging criticism. The Germans, usually so calm and confident, are rattled.
And the fixtures have played out badly for them. A match against South Korea after an opening day defeat would have been the perfect opportunity to get into their stride, but organised Sweden are very awkward opponents. They ran France close in the group before dumping Italy out in the play-off.
It sounds incredible, but Germany’s World Cup dreams could be hanging by a thread at full-time.
Prediction: Germany 1-1 Sweden
Top Bet: Draw at 17/5
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