Group A Odds World Cup
If I didn’t know better, I would think host Russia got a real sweetheart of a draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. A lucky, fortunate, miraculous draw. A “let’s investigate everyone involved” draw.
World Cup Betting Odds. View all available outright and match odds, plus get news, tips, free bets and money-back offers. All you need to bet. Uruguay are tipped to be the winner in this group. Russia, the host country, are in second place, followed by Egypt. Saudi Arabia are the underdogs in this group and current predictions put them at the bottom of the group. Group A consists of host nation France, along with Norway, South Korea and Nigeria. 2018 World Cup Group A Predictions Uruguay is by far the best team in the group, and even if they are not in top form, they are still better than all the other teams. They are given at (-110) to win the group, and this should happen one way or the other. FIFA World Cup 2014 - Group A Winner Odds from Bodog Brazil 1/5. FIFA World Cup 2014 - Group A Forecast.
But after the Winter Olympics, there are already enough accusations of cheating going around. I’m just here to handicap some football matches.
The Sbornaya originally sat in Pot 1. That was bad news considering the pool of 8 included 2014 World Cup winner Germany alongside Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, and France. None of those countries ended up in Group A with Russia.
Instead, the hosts will only have to contend with Uruguay, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Challenging? Sure. Uruguay is stacked with young talent and the Egyptians are highly motivated.
Bettors don’t have it quite so easy when it comes to Group A. One dilemma of betting on World Cup futures is that tasty odds are often found in the odds-to-win column. Picking a side to beat 3 other teams for 1st place feels a lot easier than choosing an outright winner of the tournament.
But many FIFA nations and their managers aren’t focused on winning their group. They’re trying to advance. Remember that a single team wins the group but the top 2 move on. If a marginal squad wins its opening match, it may assume a kick-and-chase defensive posture that brings extra time and 0-0 or 1-1 draws. Other nations may push harder trying to finish 1st in group and decrease their chances of meeting a titan before the quarterfinals.
How will Russian manager Stanislav Cherchesov react to an opening win over Saudi Arabia? Will the Russians play to advance or go for the gusto in front of a home throng?
Russia (Odds to win Group A: (+125) at Sportsbetting.ag)
The hosts are only the 2nd-most accomplished FIFA side in their group but sit at near-minus odds thanks to playing in the comforts of home. Sbornaya has only played in 2 World Cups since 1994 and finished 0-2-1 in Brazil in 2014. Russia’s record is more comparable to a side like Egypt’s than any other country at shorter than 2/1 odds to win a group.
Handicappers are expecting a pair of factors to work in Russia’s favor. The fans will be cheering like mad, and Alan Dzagoev will make opposing defenders crazy. The skinny 27-year-old midfielder led the Russian league in assists in 2017-18 and once tied for the scoring crown at the European Championships as a 21-year-old.
Important:Dzagoev could feel a bit overwhelmed though. It’s easier for a forward to score a bunch of goals and lead an underdog in the World Cup. That doesn’t mean Dzagoev can’t make successful runs at the goal from midfield.
He can and will. But the responsibilities of being the spine of the Russian squad at its own World Cup could test his stamina and resolve, especially with a questionable supporting cast.
Russia’s odds-to-advance are (-300) at Sportsbetting.ag.
Uruguay (+100)
La Celeste hasn’t done a whole lot at recent World Cups. But Uruguay has qualified 3 times in a row and made a thrilling run at a medal in 2010 before losing to Colombia in the 2014 knockout round.
But Óscar Tabárez’s squad is full of talent and getting better all the time.
Goalkeeper Fernando Muslero is a veteran of 96 international caps who kept a clean sheet against the Czech Republic in the China Cup.
Note:Backliners Diego Godin and Jose Maria Gimenez provide excellent man-on-man defense and good clearance. Striker Luis Suarez could have a career-defining World Cup at age 31.
Uruguay’s odds-to-advance are best in the group at (-425). Bookies seem to think that while the Uruguayans could very well lose to Russia, there’s no chance that the side will lose to either Egypt or Saudi Arabia.
Egypt (+450)
Nations going into the World Cup merely hoping to advance as far as possible have extra motivation to win their group and get a less-powerful opponent in the round of 16.
Egypt is only ranked 31st in the world. But that’s not as prohibitive as some handicappers seem to think.
Their debut is against Uruguay, which could be most vulnerable when taking the pitch for the South American side’s opening cap. The Russians will come next in what could be a rubber-match for 1st place.
Most importantly the Egyptians have the talent for an underdog run at the knockout stage. Muhammad Salah is a terrific striker with speed and quickness, and midfielder Mohamed Elneny is going into the prime of his career at age 25.
Saudi Arabia (+2500)
The Saudis opened as more than 30-to-1 Group A underdogs, but the line has shrunk at least a little bit. Gamblers are looking for a big payoff and hoping that the team’s stunning qualifying run wasn’t a mirage. Mohammad Al Sahlawi has been a top striker throughout the 2018 FIFA cycle with 16 tallies in 10 caps. It seems very impressive.
But that analysis overlooks the level of competition Al Sahlawi has faced to this point. Not only have most of his goals been against nations ranked below the top 100, stronger keepers have held him to almost nothing.
Japan, UAE and Iraq have bothered the Saudis. They’ve got little to no chance in Russia against far tougher nations.
Recommended Wagers in Group A
Because there are subtle differences in the 1st place market and the advance-to-knockout market for Group A, I’ll split my recommendations into the 2 categories.
Group A: Best Bets in the Odds-To-Advance Market
The lines for countries to advance to the knockout round at sportsbetting.ag:
- Russia (-300)
- Saudi Arabia (+800)
- Egypt (+125)
- Uruguay (-425)
It’s strange to see Uruguay’s line in relationship to Russia’s. The 1st place market’s odds are leaning more toward Russia. The odds-to-advance favor the seasoned Uruguayans most of all.
Casinos are taking the position that while Russia has a chance to play well and ride a drum-beating crowd to a sweep of 3 beatable teams, the host squad could also belly-flop. The South Americans are proven winners in group play at the World Cup.
Under normal circumstances Egypt would be a great pick at these odds. They’re still far and away the stronger of the 2 underdog picks to-advance. But long-time goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy has been felled by a severe injury, leaving The Pharaohs with unproven GKs at the elite level.
Group A Winner: A Flaw in the Odds
At least one book isn’t being consistent. Just as Russia could sink or swim in Group A, Egypt could as well.
The price of (+125) is a tricky one. I like Egypt as a pick for the nickel-and-dime sports gambler. Salah will be fun to watch and his name makes a great chant. It’s a fun bet for sure, even with the sudden bummer at the all-important keeper position.
Remember that goalkeeping isn’t as crucial in every FIFA match as it can be in ice hockey or water polo. Hockey Canada has fallen and redeemed itself as usual over the past few days in Denmark, but the real issue is the goalies who are the flakiest they’ve iced at the World Championships in a while.
Great soccer clubs are more able to mask a slight deficiency on the backline or in goal. They’ve got the ball most of the time, and shots are sparing for both sides in the early-going. Soon, they score, and can play lock-down defense from there on out. That makes ancient replacement keeper Essam El Hadary and the Egyptians a solid bet despite the headlines.
High Rollers ‘Keep’ Away From Egypt
Regretfully the odds on Egypt at (+125) don’t carry value the way that a mispriced Premier League over/under market would. It is a fun shot at the Moon…better made with a potato gun than a space capsule. As far as a large-sum gamble? There are better stocks to grab all those shares of.
Note:Russia is a safe high-roller bet in comparison. If they’re playing well, the Sbornaya will be more motivated to keep pushing, as opposed to a France or Italy coasting toward the final bracket.
An opening fixture with Saudi Arabia is a chance to grab the momentum.
Putting a Token on the Egyptians
Group A is apt to be a much more enjoyable betting experience for the everyman gambler vs the career shark. I should say that The Pharaohs will look exciting and versatile on TV in comparison to the hosts, whose fixtures will feel like mostly running and tackling and sweat in a noisy setting.
If it fails, it can be made up without any further risk than planned.
Just don’t get carried away and make bad decisions during the World Cup. That’s more of a supporters’ group thing after all.
World Cup 2018 Group A consist of Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Uruguay. Find here our World Cup 2018 Group A betting preview including predictions on Group Winner, To Qualify, To Finish 2nd, To Finish Bottom and Straigh Forecast. Plus, the best odds, betting promotions and no deposit free bets on Russia 2018!
In this post, we'll take a closer look at Group A and try to determine which two nations are likely to prevail.
WORLD CUP 2018 GROUP A BETTING PREVIEW
Russia
Russia qualified automatically as hosts and judging by their Fifa points rankings, and current form, this is the only reason they're playing at a World Cup. They will hope to get a boost from what is certain to be a hugely vocal home support.Manager Stanislav Cherchesov has extensive knowledge of the game in his country, having spent most of his coaching career in Russian domestic football. The 54-year-old has assembled a squad of players who virtually all ply their trade in the Russian Premier League since he started managing the national team, and boasts a 31.25% win rate. Last march, they lost both their friendlies at the hands of France (1-3) and Brazil (0-3).
With Krasnodar striker Fyodor Smolov wearing the captain’s armband, Russia will hope to advance to the knockout stage, relying on a number of stars from CSKA Moscow and Spartak Moscow.
They were disappointing in international friendlies but their attack is impressive. Aleksandr Kokorin leads the goalscoring charts of players currently in the squad with 12, while Smolov has 11 and Alan Dzagoev nine.
Russia have qualified for the World Cup on three occasions, in 1994, 2002 and 2014 but have yet to make it out of the group stage. With a home boost, will this be the year? Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia missed out in 2010 and 2014 but are back after finishing ahead of Australia in their qualifying group. They reached the round of 16 in 1994.Manager Bert van Marwijk steered the team through qualification but left just days after the successful conclusion of the campaign. He was replaced by former Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza but he has since been sacked after just five games in charge. Former Spain striker Juan Antonio Pizzi is now at the helm and the 49-year-old can draw on 13 years of managerial experience, including a stint in charge of Chile. He played for Barcelona and has managed Valencia in La Liga, meaning he won’t be fazed by the prospect of a World Cup campaign.
They recently beat Greece 2-0 on 15th May but lost 4-0 to Belgium and drew 1-1 against Ukraine last March.
Veteran central defender Osama Hawsawi skippers the side and will lead out a team comprised almost exclusively of home-based stars, as there are strict laws that prevent players from playing for foreign clubs if they hold only Saudi citizenship.
Al-Nassr striker Mohammad Al-Sahlawi led the way in qualifying with an amazing 16 goals and much will depend on the 31-year-old in Russia.
Elsewhere, experienced midfielder Taisir Al-Jassim bagged six and can boast 124 caps for his national side, while winger Salem Al-Dawsari is one to look out for with four goals from 26 outings, including a couple in 2017.
Egypt
Egypt eased into the 2018 World Cup by topping their qualification group, and will make their third ever appearance in the finals. The Africans first appeared at the 1934 World Cup, but had to wait until 1990 for their second chance at the event.However, hopes are high this time around with experienced manager Hector Cuper pulling the strings for the past three years. The Pharaohs are the 14th side he has coached, while spells at clubs such as Valencia and Inter Milan prove that he has the pedigree to work at the top level. The 62-year-old has international experience too, spending a year in charge of Georgia and he has made Egypt a tough side to beat with a strong defence.
The squad is a mixture of home-based payers and some star names who have opted to play abroad. Essam El-Hadary captains the side at the age of 45 and will hope to add to his 155 caps in Russia, plus Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny and West Brom duo Ali Gabr and Ahmed Hegazi are likely to feature. Clearly, however, it is Mohamed Salah whose name leaps off the team sheet. The 25-year-old failed to shine at Chelsea but, after spending time at Roma, moved to Liverpool in the summer of 2017, and so far - the rest is history. He has scored goals for fun all season long and become one of the most feared strikers in the Premier League, going from strength to strength.
Unsurprisingly, he topped the qualification goalscoring charts with five and will have several other Premier League players for company at the World Cup, including plenty from Liverpool. Runners-up to Cameroon in this year's African Nations Cup, Egypt booked their place in Russia with victory over Congo and a game to play, courtesy of a late goal scored by the team's star player Mohamed Salah. Their last notable success at a major tournament was in 2010, when they lifted the Africa Cup of Nations for the seventh time. In recent friendlies, Egypt suffered back to back defeat against Portugal (2-1) and Greece (1-0).
Uruguay
Uruguay finished second to Brazil in their group to secure their place in the finals and make their 13th appearance at a World Cup. They looked certain for qualification during much of their campaign but it took a final-round victory over Bolivia to make absolute certain. Winners in 1930 and 1950, their next best efforts have been fourth in 1970 and 2010.Atletico Madrid defender Diego Godin captains the side and is a rock at the back, but it is the attacking players that will really have coach Oscar Tabarez purring. Superstar attackers in Barcelona’s Luis Suarez and Paris Saint Germain’s Edinson Cavani have a combined 89 goals this season, and it is obvious that the nation’s hopes will be pinned on these two.
The South American outfit has a cosmopolitan feel overall too, with squad members playing all over the world, including some of Europe’s top clubs. Right-back Maxi Pereira has 124 caps, while supporters of Southampton, Hull and Middlesbrough will be familiar with midfielder Gaston Ramirez.
Tabarez has been in charge for 12 years and guided his side to the round of 16 four years ago. Can he go even further this time out? Uruguay played two friendlies on march, beating both Czech Republic (2-0) and Wales (0-1).
WORLD CUP 2018 GROUP A BEST ODDS
The following are the best prices available on the World Cup Group A Winner market. Click on the 'Bet' button to back your selected team at the odds shown.WORLD CUP 2018 GROUP A PREDICTIONS
Undoubtedly one of the most levelled World Cup groups, we're backing Egypt to upset other contenders for the first place. The battle for second place could be a tough affair between Russia and Uruguay while Saudi Arabia are very outsiders.
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