As it was expected, France topped the Group C to qualify for the Round of 16, but the Blues surely didn’t want to meet Lionel Messi and co. at the start of the knock-out stage, although Argentina disappointed with the performance in the Group D. The clash is set for Saturday, June 30th, 2018, at Kazan Arena in Kazan, and the bettors can expect a pure spectacle, as two heavyweights are going on each other.
France vs. Argentina
3-Way: 1: France +140; X: +200 Draw; 2: Argentina +260 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread -0.5: France +140; Argentina -155
Total +2: Over -110; Under -103
Both Teams to Score Yes/No: +110/-150
FRANCE
The Blues started the tourney with the unconvincing 2-1 victory over Australia, while they secured the spot in the Round of 16 after another lame 1-0 win against Peru. In the final match of the group stage, they played a nil-nil draw with Denmark in the only goalless game of the 2018 World Cup so far, but it was obvious that both sides just want a peaceful stalemate.
France has shown some drawbacks in the attacking play, struggling to create dangerous attacks in sequences, so their mighty frontline just couldn’t bag more than three goals in the first three games of the tournament. On the other side, the Blues’ defense looked quite sturdy with Raphael Varane onwards who’s a true leader at the back along with the keeper Hugo Lloris. However, the Blues will have to improve in the middle of the park, especially Paul Pogba who was the best young player of the previous World Cup in Brazil.
ARGENTINA
La Albiceleste came through a hell in the Group D, clinching a spot in the Round of 16 after a narrow 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the final match of the group stage. Argentina earned a 1-1 draw in the opener against Iceland where Lionel Messi missed a penalty kick to grab a victory for his side, while in the second match, La Albiceleste were trashed by Croatia 3-0.
There were plenty of draws in Argentina play in the first three games, and Lionel Messi and co. just didn’t look like a well-organized team who knows how to create chances and deal with their opponents. The lack of creativity in the midfield turned out to be a massive issue for Jorge Sampaoli’s team, and the manager struggled to change anything game by game. The first half against Nigeria should be a guideline, but after conceding a goal early in the second half, it looked like everything’s falling apart, so mental preparation is another problem for Argentina ahead of the Round of 16.
France vs. Argentina – Match and Odds Breakdown
While Argentina appears like a drowner fighting for his life, France looks more like a team who knows what to do but struggling with the effort, so the bettors can expect a cautious approach on both sides, as neither side is full of confidence. The bookies expect to see a tight battle with no more than a couple of goals in the total, setting the odds on the Over/Under 2.5 Goals at +160/-211, and we really shouldn’t see a bunch of goals in this one. France’s defense worked pretty well in the group stage against some arguably weaker sides than Argentina, but quite well-organized.
The key factor should be Argentina’s performance, and if Lionel Messi and co. finally find the right way to play like a team, then we’ll get a spectacular clash where we could easily see even both teams scoring at +110. But if Argentina replicates the performance from the group stage, they will have a difficult time against sturdy France side. A draw at the halftime at -111 is certainly an option here, while the bettors can check out all lines and markets on BetDSI Sportsbook, as they will cover all 2018 World Cup games.
The Pick: France (+140)
