Germany and Ivory Coast will face off this Saturday.
Both teams are coming off impressive wins in their tournament openers.
Germany is opening as moderate betting favorites here.
Fresh off impressive victories in their tournament openers, Germany and Ivory Coast will look to sustain their momentum as they clash this Saturday at Toronto Stadium, with both sides eager to put themselves a step closer to the knockout stages.
The Elephants enter this matchup following nip-and-tuck victory 1-0 victory over Ecuador, while the Germans beat Curacao 7-1 thanks to a brace from Kai Havertz and goals from Felix Nmecha, Nico Schlotterbeck, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown, and Deniz Undav. With Germany and Ivory Coast level on points, expect both nations to push the tempo in what could be another goalfest.
Wagering Needed (WR): 1x Deposit. T&Cs and 21+ apply
Top World Cup betting sites have Germany as the overwhelming favorites here and rightly so. Although Ivory Coast managed to eke out a win versus Ecuador in the opener, they were far from dominant and looked vulnerable at times, especially when dealing with Ecuador’s pressure. Germany, meanwhile, looked lethal in most areas of the pitch, particularly in the final third where their fluid attacking movement and ability to exploit spaces between defensive lines created constant problems for their opponents.
However, that doesn’t mean that the Elephants should be completely written off in this matchup. While they struggled to maintain consistent attacking pressure against Ecuador, one thing we’ve noticed is that they remain a dangerous side in transition. Ivory Coast’s pace on the break and willingness to attack open spaces could give Germany some problems, especially if the latter commit too many players forward. We like to think that the key for Ivory Coast here is to stay disciplined defensively because Germany’s biggest threat comes from their ability to quickly punish any gaps left behind. If the Elephants can limit the space between the lines and force Germany into low-percentage chances, they could keep themselves in the game and create opportunities on the counter.
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If you haven’t done so, then take this as a sign to bet on Germany right now at FanDuel because the -182 price tag is going to get tighter as we head into matchday. Quite frankly, we are surprised that you can still get Germany at these odds with how they dismantled Curacao. While Ivory Coast deserve credit and have some solid players in their roster in the name of Franck Kessie and former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe, we believe the gap in quality across the pitch is simply too significant to ignore. Germany’s attacking depth and movement in the final third should create plenty of issues for an Ivory Coast defense that was far from convincing against Ecuador.
The over 3.5 goals at +156 is another solid play you can back in the Germany-Ivory Coast matchup. Honestly, we believe that this match will be another wide-open contest where Germany’s tempo and forward pressure set the tone from the outset. Of course, Ivory Coast may have some moments in transition, although we like to think this will be one of those games where Germany will dominate possession and consistently pin their opponents deep in their own half.
Given Germany’s offensive firepower, there are really plenty of players to pick here, although we are sticking with Arsenal forward Kai Havertz at +110. The 27-year old Havertz into a central role for the Germans, where his movement between the lines and timing inside the box make him a constant threat when his side are camped in the final third. In a matchup where Germany is expected to control much of the possession, Havertz should have a lot of opportunities to get himself on the board again.
Wagering Needed (WR): 1x Deposit. T&Cs and 21+ apply
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