FIFA World Cup: Spain Obliterates Costa Rica, But Watch Out For Brazil

Posted on: November 24, 2022, 10:43h. 

Last updated on: November 24, 2022, 11:25h.

Erik Gibbs Read More

Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

Japan’s victory over Germany and Saudi Arabia’s win over Argentina in the FIFA World Cup over the past couple of days were huge upsets. No one was surprised when Spain shut out Costa Rica yesterday, and Brazil is ready to do the same to Serbia today.

The victories by Japan and Saudi Arabia changed the current of the tournament. The results are forcing several teams to recalculate their strategies as they prepare for the next round of their group stage games.

As Brazil gets ready to face Serbia today, it hopes to find the same success that Spain had yesterday against Costa Rica. An embarrassing performance by the Central American team will forever be enshrined in the annals of soccer.

Spain Pulls Ahead, Brazil Next

Spain started its World Cup in dazzling style on Wednesday, defeating Costa Rica 7-0. It was a record-breaking victory that marked the most dominant display yet at this year’s World Cup.

Spain’s next match is against Germany on Sunday, while Japan faces Costa Rica on the same day. A victory for the Spaniards would almost certainly mean the elimination of their European rivals.

It’s now Brazil’s turn to step onto the battlefield. As it faces Serbia in a Group G contest, the talent it is putting out there is remarkable.

There’s Neymar (Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior), who has had 15 goals and 12 assists in 20 games during his time with Paris Saint Germaine. Next is Vinícius Jr. (Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior) and his 10 goals and five assists for Real Madrid in 21 games.

Rodrygo (Rodrygo Silva de Goes), who shares the field with Vinícius in Spain, has had 11 goals in three years. Combine these attackers with some of the best defensive players in soccer, and it’s easy to see why Brazil is among the top choices to win the World Cup this year.

Brazil’s done it before. It took the title in Sweden in 1958, Chile in 1962, Mexico in 1970, the US in 1994 and Japan in 2002. However, it’s now looking to regain its leadership after being left out in the quarterfinals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Brazil Gets The Nod

Brazil is a big favorite against Serbia, which hopes to advance past the initial phase for the first time. The European squad has Dušan Vlahović, a product of Juventus in Italy, and other important figures like Dušan Tadić, currently with Ajax, and Nemanja “Neno” Gudelj, who’s with LaLiga’s Seville FC in Spain.

In the net, Serbia will likely lead off with Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, who has had some ups and downs with Torino FC in Italy. He’s going to have to be on point today if he expects to stop a charging Brazilian front.

If the oddsmakers are correct, that’s not going to happen. Brazil is the go-to team today, getting -210 on BetMGM to Serbia’s +550. Instead of backing the winner, taking a shot on the total number of goals or who scores first is a better option. The over/under for the contest is just 2.5, with the Over getting -145.

Fortune Sometimes Shines Unexpectedly

Argentina may have taken a massive loss against Saudi Arabia, but it paid off unexpectedly for one bettor. An Argentine woman, just starting her initiation in the sports betting world, walked away with a pleasant surprise.

She visited an online sportsbook and was perhaps overwhelmed by the information. When she saw the layout of the betting options, which included a “1,” “X” and “2,” she assumed it was for “one goal,” “no goals” or “two goals.”

It was actually the lineup for the game – Argentina to win, the game to end in a tie or for Saudi Arabia to win.

Confident that Argentina was going to score big, she bet ARS200 (US$1.21) on “2.” She actually bet for Saudi Arabia to win, but can’t complain about the results. She took home ARS25,000 (US$151.28).