We take a look at four FIFA World Cup group stage fixtures taking place on Monday the 15th and Tuesday the 16th of June from a betting perspective below. Spain begin their campaign against Cape Verde while Belgium meet with Egypt. Saudi Arabia take on Uruguay before Iran and New Zealand go head-to-head.
MONDAY
Spain vs Cape Verde
Spain enter the tournament in solid form and remain one of the strongest sides in Group H. They defeated Peru 3-1 in their most recent fixture after being held to a 1-1 draw by Iraq and a goalless draw against Egypt.
Cape Verde arrive with confidence after winning their last three matches on the trot despite losing three before that. They beat Bermuda 3-0 after an impressive 3-0 victory over Serbia and a 2-1 success against Finland with their only recent flaw coming in a 4-2 defeat away to Chile.
Head-to-Head
There have been no previous meetings between Spain and Cape Verde.
Betting – Click here to bet
Spain 1.10
Draw 11.00
Cape Verde 26.00
Verdict
Spain should enjoy long spells of control and have enough quality to create chances throughout the game. Cape Verde have shown good recent performances, but this is a huge jump in opposition and their defensive record against stronger sides is a concern. I expect Spain to win but with Cape Verde arriving in scoring form the goals market looks appealing.
BET: Spain to Win and Over 3.5 Goals at 2.00
Belgium vs Egypt
Belgium head into their opener in excellent attacking form and on a lengthy unbeaten run having thrashed Tunisia 5-0 in their last fixture after beating Croatia 2-0 and drawing 1-1 with Mexico. Before that they also produced a 5-2 victory away over USA.
Egypt come into the match after a narrow 2-1 defeat to Brazil but had previously beaten Russia 1-0 and held Spain to a goalless stalemate. They also recorded a convincing 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in March, but this followed an inconsistent patch of results.
Head-to-Head
Egypt have won three of the four previous meetings between the nations, while Belgium have claimed one victory. Their most recent encounter came in 2022 when Egypt secured a 2-1 friendly win.
Betting – Click here to bet
Belgium 1.69
Draw 3.85
Egypt 5.50
Verdict
Belgium have been scoring freely and look to be carrying strong momentum into their first game of the tournament. Egypt are capable of making this competitive and have already held Spain as well as pushed Brazil close. I believe this will be a close fixture in which both sides battle to break each other down until settling for a draw.
BET: Draw at 3.85
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TUESDAY
Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay
Saudi Arabia recently settled for a goalless draw against Senegal and picked up a 3-0 victory over Puerto Rico. Their form before that was less convincing having lost four games back-to-back against the likes of Ecuador, Serbia, Egypt and Jordan.
Uruguay arrive looking to get into the winning column after two draws against Algeria and England, respectively. They were beaten heavily by USA late last year with the scoreline reflecting 5-1 but had previously drawn with Mexico and defeated Uzbekistan.
Head-to-Head
The previous three meetings between the sides have been evenly split, with one win each and one draw. Uruguay won the most recent clash 1-0 at the 2018 World Cup.
Betting – Click here to bet
Saudi Arabia 7.75
Draw 4.50
Uruguay 1.47
Verdict
Saudi Arabia have improved slightly in their last two matches, but Uruguay still hold the stronger overall squad and greater tournament pedigree. The South Americans have not been especially efficient upfront, but they have enough flair to control large moments and edge this opener, making them my pick.
BET: Uruguay and no at 2.20
Iran vs New Zealand
Iran arrive in strong form after winning their last three matches. They defeated Mali 2-0 the last time they played which followed a 3-1 triumph over Gambia as well as an impressive 5-0 victory away to Costa Rica. Their attack has looked sharp having conceded just once across that run.
New Zealand have had a difficult build-up after facing six defeats in their last eight outings. They lost 1-0 to England in their most recent encounter after suffering a heavy 4-0 defeat against Haiti. Although they did beat Chile 4-1 earlier this year with the betting odds stacked against them, they have struggled for consistency overall.
Head-to-Head
There have been no previous meetings between Iran and New Zealand.
Betting – Click here to bet
Iran 1.87
Draw 3.50
New Zealand 4.50
Verdict
Iran look the more settled side, and their recent performances suggest they are arriving with motivation. New Zealand have shown they can threaten in certain matches but their last few scorelines have indicated issues throughout their squad. Based on Iran’s current momentum and stronger defensive form, I believe they are well placed to open with a victory.
BET: Iran to Win at 1.87
Note: All prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.
