Last Updated on December 11, 2022 5:35 pm by Erwin Noguera
It’s time for the first semifinal of the World Cup in Qatar 2022 where Argentina and Croatia will play their way to the final in a high-level match.
Argentina arrives with the knife between its teeth after its victory against the Netherlands and they have the illusion of the title more latent than ever.
Croatia showed their best game against Brazil and killed one of the candidates. Now they want to go for another one.
When:
Tuesday, December 13 at 2:00 pm ET at the Lusail Iconic stadium
Moneyline odds:
Argentina -125
Croatia +423
Draw Offs:
+237
Where Can I Watch it?
Fox Sports, Telemundo, Peacock, and Sling
Why Bet on Argentina
Argentina arrives motivated. They are getting closer to their dream and that of Lionel Messi: to be world champions. As the matches have gone by, their level has increased and they have just defeated the Netherlands, on penalties, in what was a real battle.
There are things to highlight about this Argentina. On the one hand, the individual level of Messi. The PSG player is at a great level, as in his best years, and he is leading this team. In the quarterfinals, he put in a great assist for the first goal and scored the second.
Another of the high points is from Dibu Martínez. The goalkeeper has proven to be a security pledge in penalties and is a point in favor of the team, which knows that if they reach this stage they can count on him saving at least 1 shot.
What the South American team does have to learn is to close the games. Against Australia in the round of 16 it was difficult for them and they ended up suffering, even Dibu miraculously saved on the last play, and the Netherlands saw how they were tied on the last play. Knowing how to defend yourself is also important.
Marcos Acuña and Gonzalo Montiel are suspended for this match due to yellow cards. Acuña’s loss is sensitive since he is the starter. Nicolás Tagliafico will be his replacement.
Why Bet on Croatia
It is the World Cup of surprises and Croatia is one of them. Although they were a finalist in Russia 2018, they were not expected to reach these stages again and they are doing so, and now they are more motivated after eliminating Brazil, the betting favorite for the title.
At 37, Luka Modric continues at a high level and is the leader of this team. However, we cannot leave out two players who have been more than key in helping the Balkans reach the semifinals: Dominik Livakovic and Josko Gvardiol. The goalkeeper has been a figure in all the games and it is thanks to him that they have gotten to where they are and he hopes to continue helping his team. It is very likely that after this World Cup, the 27-year-old Dinamo Zagreb player will emigrate to a better team. A similar case is that of the 20-year-old defender, who is among the best players in the tournament and who is already in the orbit of Real Madrid.
The Balkans have been raising their level and against Brazil, they played their best match in Qatar 2022, so they hope to continue on that upward curve and repeat in the World Cup final.
To note, Croatia won the round of 16 (Denmark) and quarter-finals (Russia) of Russia 2018 from the penalty spot, just like this time. Then, in the semi-finals, they beat England in extra time.
Final Betting Analysis: Argentina vs. Croatia
The semifinals begin with a very good match between two very tactical teams, with similar styles and that have a clear leader who, despite their age, continues to show a high level. The game will be very even and we believe it will be a tie.
At MyBookie.ag we find that Argentina is the favorite of the match with a Moneyline of -125, while Croatia has +423 and the draw is at +237.
The last time they met was at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, in the second game of the group stage and Croatia won 3-0 with goals from Ante Rebic, Luka Modric, and Ivan Rakitic.
Go for a draw in the Moneyline. If you bet $100 on the draw at +237, you will gain $237 for a total payout of $337.
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