Serbia has beaten Costa Rica 1-0 at Samara Arena in the opening game of the Group E at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Serbia was a -118 favorite grab a victory here, failing to cover the spread at -1.5, while the match was ended in the under of the total of 2 goals at +100.
Game Recap
As it was expected, we saw a tight game between Costa Rica and Serbia at Samara Arena, and the clash was finished in the under of the total of 2.5 goals at -190, while the bettors who bravely wagered on the under 2 goals easily doubled their money. Serbia deservedly earned a narrow 1-0 victory over Ticos, satisfying the odds at -118, but the bettors who tried to beat the spread at -1.5 with the odds at +250 are probably disappointed with the final result.
Both Costa Rica and Serbia took a cautious approach from the start of the match, as the stake was huge for two underdogs in the Group E of the 2018 World Cup. The Ticos played in a 5-4-1 system with a defensive line deep into their own half, while on the other side, Serbia started in a 4-5-1 formation with two defensive-minded players in the middle of the park, so we got a great battle for all 90 minutes with a couple of good scoring chances on both sides.
Each team had a ball on their feet for 50% of the time, taking ten shots towards the opponent’s goalkeeper, and interestingly, on both sides, three out of ten shots went on target. The fans at Samara Arena couldn’t some spectacular moves, particularly in the first half, while at the start of the second 45 minutes, Aleksandar Mitrovic missed a colossal opportunity for Serbia after he was one-on-one with Costa Rica’s keeper Keylor Navas.
However, the only spectacular moment came in the 56th minute of the game when Aleksandar Kolarov proved he is one of the best free-kick takers in the world, as he nailed it from about 25 yards right into the top-left corner of Keylor Navas’ net. No chance for one of the world’s top keepers, and a moment of glory for Serbia’s captain. The Eagles managed to resist until the end and retain the lead, while their sturdy defensive work was a pleasant surprise for Serbia’s fans.
Costa Rica will now have a mountain to climb in the Group E, as they meet Brazil in the next fixture as massive +350 underdogs to avoid the defeat against Selecao, while the Ticos are at +3300 to reach the Quarter-Finals in Russia, according to BetDSI Sportsbook. On the other side, Serbia is at +550 to make it to the last eight, whilst the Eagles meet Switzerland in their next match of the group phase as slight +200 underdogs to record another victory.
