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On June 30th, 2014 we will see France take on Nigeria in the early match of the day in the World Cup Knockout Stages.
The winner of this game will face Germany. Well okay – Germany or Algeria. But really – it’s going to be Germany.
France got here in quite spectacular fashion, scoring 8 goals in 3 games as they topped Group E with 2 wins and 1 draw. The French showed how lethal they can be – against Honduras and Ecuador they dominated possession. Against Switzerland they did not – but scored 5 goals out of it.
Nigeria qualified out of Group G. They lost to Argentina 3-2 in a tight game where they gave it their all and looked effective on possession. They drew against the Iranian team that were hard to break down, and then got the crucial 1-0 victory over Bosnia that cemented their place in the World Cup knockout stages.
What We Learned:
France: Against Honduras, they dominated as expected. They did have trouble breaking Honduras down but after they won the penalty, it was over as a contest and they thrived on confidence plus could counter attack at will where they are most dangerous. Valbuena was fantastic in that game, his movement was beautiful. Against Switzerland, counter attack was the key. They pushed up wide, letting people know that wing backs or attacking full backs just won’t work against the French.
The game against Ecuador – Ecuador should have pushed for a goal but didn’t, and so France didn’t work on the counter attack. They pushed up often though and had some good chances, and if the French needed the win in this game you know they would have probably gotten it.
Nigeria: Against Iran, Nigeria had troubles breaking down their defense. They generally focus on quick breaks and they couldn’t do that against Iran who sat back for most of the game. They couldn’t filly control the game either, or get any real good passes in. We saw a better performance against Bosnia who actually attacked. They exploited the right side like crazy, with some great movement. However defensively they did not look good, and really Bosnia should’ve been up 1-0 and it would’ve been a whole different game. We saw a much more exciting game against Argentina, and what is key is how they stifled Messi for most of the game. Ahmed Musa was also the star there.
France vs Nigeria Betting Odds:
France To Win: 1/2
Draw: 17/5
Nigeria To Win: 13/2
Over 2.5 Goals: 9/10
Under 2.5 Goals: 9/10
The best odds for France vs Nigeria
France vs Nigeria Betting Tips:
This game is a very tricky one. Both teams love the counter attack, so it’s one of those games where a goal changes everything. It all depends on how they approach the game.
France winning at 1/2 odds probably isn’t worth the bet. Nigeria went toe to toe with Argentina and beat a solid Bosnian team. While France have looked very good a lot of that is the counter attack.
This is one where unfortunately, I’d have to suggest not betting anything. The Over 2.5 goals market is brutal too – it’s a coinflip. If there is a goal in the first half then you have to expect a much more open game. But if it is a tight first half with no goals then it will probably go under.
Don’t bet anything out of the above.
France vs Nigeria Betting Props:
Going to go with the 2nd half to have the most goals. 21/20 for that which is a nice price.
