We take a look at four FIFA World Cup group stage fixtures taking place on Wednesday the 17th and Thursday the 18th of June from a betting perspective below. Austria face Jordan in Group J while Portugal begin their campaign against D.R. Congo. England meet Croatia in Group L in one of the standout matches of the round before Ghana take on Panama.
Austria vs Jordan
Austria head into the World Cup in excellent form having won four of their last five matches. They edged Tunisia 1-0 in their most recent outing after recording another 1-0 success over South Korea and a dominant 5-1 victory against Ghana. Prior to that they picked up a 2-0 win away to Cyprus, with their only blemish in recent months being a 1-1 draw against Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Jordan arrive after suffering back-to-back defeats against strong opposition. They were beaten 2-0 by Colombia in their latest fixture after conceding four goals in a 4-1 loss to Switzerland. Before that they drew with both Nigeria and Costa Rica, although earlier results included impressive victories over Egypt, Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Head-to-Head
There have been no previous meetings between Austria and Jordan.
Betting – Click here to bet
Austria 1.36
Draw 5.50
Jordan 9.00
Verdict
Austria have been extremely difficult to break down recently and have kept clean sheets in three of their recent trips to the pitch. Jordan possess attacking quality but have struggled when stepping up against higher ranked opposition and could find chances limited here. I believe Austria should have enough control throughout the match to secure a comfortable opening win although I do see Jordan finding the back of the net.
BET: Result and Both Teams to Score – Austria and Yes at 3.25
Portugal vs D.R. Congo
Portugal come into the tournament carrying strong momentum after winning four of their last five matches. They defeated Nigeria 2-1 most recently after another 2-1 success over Chile and an impressive 2-0 away victory against USA. Their attack has remained productive while they have lost only one of their last eight fixtures against Ireland in the World Cup Qualifiers late last year.
D.R. Congo have also produced respectable results over the past year and hold a side that is difficult to penetrate. They drew 0-0 with Denmark before narrowly losing 2-1 to Chile the last time they played. Earlier performances included 1-0 and 2-0 triumphs over Jamaica and Bermuda although they had suffered a 1-0 loss to Algeria prior.
Head-to-Head
There have been no previous meetings between Portugal and D.R. Congo.
Betting – Click here to bet
Portugal 1.29
Draw 6.00
D.R. Congo 11.00
Verdict
D.R. Congo have shown they can stay competitive against quality opposition, but Portugal possess far greater attacking depth and experience across the pitch. The Europeans have been consistently finding ways to win, and I think they will create enough opportunities to start their World Cup campaign with maximum points.
BET: Portugal to Win and Over 2.5 Goals at 1.98
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England vs Croatia
England arrive in confident mood after beating Costa Rica 3-0 in their most recent friendly after edging New Zealand 1-0. The English have been particularly strong defensively, conceding just one goal across their last five matches which came in a narrow defeat to Japan.
Croatia have experienced a slight decline in form over the past two months. They bounced back from 2-0 and 3-1 defeats to Belgium and Brazil by defeating Slovenia 2-1 and they have also beaten Columbia, Montenegro, Faroe Islands and Gibraltar over roughly n eight month period.
Head-to-Head
England have dominated recent meetings between the nations, winning four of the last six encounters between the teams. Croatia’s last victory over England came in the 2018 World Cup Semi-Final where they won 2-1. Since then, the sides have clashed three times with a goalless draw and a 2-1 English win occurring during 2018 while the latest fixture ended 1-0 to England in 2021.
Betting – Click here to bet
England 1.77
Draw 3.85
Croatia 5.00
Verdict
England look the more settled side heading into the tournament, and their defensive record has been outstanding. Croatia still possess plenty of experience and quality but have looked vulnerable in recent months. I think England should be technical and precise enough to clinch a narrow win.
BET: England to Win at 1.77
Ghana vs Panama
Ghana have endured a difficult run of results leading into the World Cup. They managed a 1-1 draw away to Wales two weeks ago but had previously lost to Mexico, Germany, Austria, South Korea and Japan. Across these five fixtures they produced two goals while letting twelve breach their keeper which shows their struggles at both ends of the pitch.
Panama arrive with slightly stronger momentum after drawing 1-1 against Bosnia & Herzegovina and defeating the Dominican Republic 4-2. They also recorded a 2-1 victory over South Africa earlier this year and have generally looked competitive despite suffering a heavy 6-2 defeat against Brazil in May.
Head-to-Head
There have been no previous meetings between Ghana and Panama.
Betting – Click here to bet
Ghana 2.20
Draw 3.40
Panama 3.50
Verdict
This looks like one of the most evenly matched fixtures of the round. Ghana have struggled badly against quality opposition while Panama have shown greater attacking intent and have been finding the net regularly. With both teams capable of contributing offensively but neither defence being in form, I am backing the draw to land after a tight matchup.
BET: Draw at 3.40
Note: All prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.
