Groups C and D will be facing their third matches of the group stage on Nov. 30. The results on this day will show which teams are going to make it through the group stage and on to the knockout rounds. With powerhouses like France and Argentina involved, both of these groups are worth watching and keeping tabs on.
There have already been upsets with these groups as Saudi Arabia managed a shocker over tournament favourite Argentina. It just goes to show that anything can happen in World Cup play, and no one can truly be slept on. The third set of matches carries extra importance for teams like Argentina that lost its first match.
Here are the match day odds courtesy of bet365:
Match Odds | |
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Tunisia vs. France | Tunisia (+700), Draw (+333), France (-225) |
Australia vs. Denmark | Australia (+550), Draw (+300), Denmark (-188) |
Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico | Saudi Arabia (+375), Draw (+300), Mexico (-143) |
Poland vs. Argentina | Poland (+650), Draw (+320), Argentina (-200) |
Tunisia vs. France betting preview
Match Odds | |
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Tunisia vs. France | Tunisia (+700), Draw (+333), France (-225) |
Total Goals | Over 2.5 (-125), Under 2.5 (+100) |
0-0 Score At Halftime | (+200) |
France continues to enter its matchups as a heavy favourite and this one is no different with -225 odds to win outright and a whopping -1600 to win or tie.
France, the defending World Cup champions, is one of the most talented teams in the tournament and will make another deep run in 2022. This should be a “business as usual” affair for France.
Tunisia wins if: Everything goes wrong for France. Tunisia isn’t a pushover, but it’s just are not on the same talent level as the French. Unfortunately, Tunisia will need France to shoot itself in the foot to some degree to earn the full points from this match, and it’ll need to be patient and pick apart any mistake made by the French.
France wins if: It capitalizes on all of its firepower. Unless Tunisia plays a flawless game, it will be there for France to take. France conceded first against Australia in its opening game and still managed to stay calm and collected to pull off the 4-1 victory.
Mismatch to watch: Kylian Mbappe will get the attention, but Olivier Giroud may be more important to watch. He’s taken a starting spot after an injury to the world-class Karim Benzema and there will be pressure on Giroud to fill Benzema’s large shoes and provide clinical finishing.
Prop to watch: if Tunisia can stay on top of France for the first half, the 0-0 halftime prop score can be a good bet. Tunisia will likely come out playing very defensively in an attempt to deal with France’s embarrassment of attacking riches. With +200 odds for this bet, it’s a chance to take advantage of a tight game and come away with quality winnings.
Australia vs. Denmark betting preview
Match Odds | |
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Australia vs. Denmark | Australia (+550), Draw (+300), Denmark (-188) |
Total Goals | Over 2.5 (-110), Under 2.5 (-110) |
Denmark Goals | Over 2.5 (+175) |
Flying under the radar is fine for the Danes, who will continue to embrace their role as the dark horses of the tournament.
At -188 to win outright and -1200 to win or tie, Denmark quietly has the major advantage in its tilt with the Aussies. If France can take care of business as usual, this can be Denmark’s chance to firmly establish control as the second-best team in Group D.
Australia wins if: It limits the self-inflicted errors. Allowing four goals to France isn’t the most embarrassing result considering the talent it was up against, but far too many of them looked very easy. Denmark also has plenty of clinical talent that will punish any big errors.
Denmark wins if: It can unlock some creative energy. Denmark has the historical advantage when it comes to head-to-head battles. It’s also the better team on paper and the favourite to come out of Group D alongside France. Staying smart and disciplined is what the Danes do, leading to them taking advantage of mistakes. However, after failing to score against Tunisia, Denmark will need to unlock some creative juices to get three points.
Mismatch to watch: Christian Eriksen is undoubtedly one of the best players in Denmark’s history. He has also recovered from a major health scare and will be someone to watch out for throughout the tournament, especially in a seriously important match like this one. He’s a candidate to break out and become a major player for Denmark. Eriksen is just as much of a threat to find the back of the net with a curling shot as he is to put a perfectly-placed cross into the box.
Prop to watch: Denmark has the talent to do it and will be pushing for three points in this game. Therefore, picking its Team Goals Over 2.5 at odds of +175 isn’t a bad idea. France put four past Australia and could have had many more. While Denmark isn’t France, the added motivation of needing the full three points could make this one a blowout.
Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico betting preview
Match Odds | |
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Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico | Saudi Arabia (+375), Draw (+300), Mexico (-143) |
Total Goals | Over 2.5 (-110), Under 2.5 (-110) |
Both Teams To Score, Mexico To Win | (+300) |
It will be an uphill battle for Saudi Arabia, with Mexico coming in at -143 to win the game outright. More importantly, as the last game of the group stage, it’s going to be crucial for the hopes of both squads to make it to the next round.
Mexico, in particular, will likely be playing for a lot. The Mexicans have a more impressive squad top to bottom than the Saudis, putting them in the driver’s seat in this particular matchup.
Saudi Arabia wins if: It keeps playing with the confidence like it did against Argentina. The huge win in the first game of the group stage set up Saudi Arabia well for these final matchups. Building off that victory and keeping that same confidence will be key to getting a result.
Mexico wins if: It takes advantage of the high Saudi Arabia defensive line. Argentina almost had success with this strategy, but had three goals called back for offsides. Given its history with Saudi Arabia, winning all three previous meetings, the stars are lining up for Mexico to prevail as long as it can put the ball in the back of the net.
Mismatch to watch: The Mexican attackers, namely Alexis Vega and Hirving Lozano against the Saudi Arabian high line. If Saudi Arabia can limit Mexico to one goal or fewer, it stands a solid chance at getting at least a point from this one.
Prop to watch: With Mexico being the notable favourite entering the match, the most interesting prop of the day may not be on individual performance. Betting on both teams to score as well as a Mexico victory is available at odds of +300. This could be a solid wager as both teams have shown the ability to put the ball in the net.
Poland vs. Argentina betting preview
Match Odds | |
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Poland vs. Argentina | Poland (+650), Draw (+320), Argentina (-200) |
Total Goals | Over 2.5 (-110), Under 2.5 (-138) |
Both Teams To Score | (+100) |
Though Poland is expected to contend for the second spot in Group C, Argentina is expected to walk away on top. Despite being -200 to win outright, there are questions when it comes to Argentina.
Despite being favourites to win the tournament outright, Argentina already slipped up after suffering a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Saudis. How it rebounds will dictate its chances in group play and going forward.
Poland wins if: Robert Lewandowski plays his best on the biggest stage. Poland isn’t the flashiest team out there, but it is dangerous. Lewandowski is one of the best players in the world and he’s also one of a few players in this tournament that can win a game by himself. Argentina may not show it, but it must be feeling the pressure after dropping its first game. If Poland can get Argentina to press, there will be mistakes there to take advantage of.
Argentina wins if: It’s mentally strong. Despite having all the talent in the world, it won’t matter if Argentina isn’t playing soundly throughout. Argentina will need to be disciplined, focused, and push the play offensively. It can’t let the ghost of that loss against Saudi Arabia linger around.
Mismatch to watch: The Argentina attack against the Polish defence. With Angel Di Maria, Leo Messi, and Lautaro Martinez, Argentina has three world-class players up front. Poland’s defence cannot match this star power and will need to play together to stand any chance. Saudi Arabia found success using an offside trap and Poland could elect to use a similar strategy.
Prop to watch: It’s safe to say that the potential for offence is there. With odds of +100 to see both teams score, there may not be a safer bet to take when it comes to the available props. Both Lewandowski and Messi are some of the most prolific scorers in the biggest leagues around the world.