After a surprising 1-1 stalemate against Argentina in the previous game at the 2018 World Cup, Iceland is still in the competition for the knock-out stage, while on the other side, Nigeria is already in dire straits as they were beaten by Croatia 2-0 in the Matchday 1 of the Group D. Iceland and Nigeria will lock horns on this Friday, June 22nd, 2018, at Volgograd Arena in Volgograd where the bettors can expect to see a dramatic clash and plenty of excitements.
Nigeria vs. Iceland
3-Way: 1: Nigeria +210; X: +210 Draw; 2: Iceland +160 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread 0: Nigeria +110; Iceland -120
Total +2: Over -130; Under +110
Both Teams to Score Yes/No: -105/-125
NIGERIA
Super Eagles are arguably the biggest disappointment of the 2018 World Cup so far, as they were easily beaten by Croatia 2-0 in their opening match of the tournament. Although they were underdogs against the Blazers, Super Eagles couldn’t create anything at the front, while their offensive line was considered as the strongest part of the team. On the other side, they struggled to cope with Croatia’s short-passing game, also making some inadmissible mistakes in front of their own net.
Nigeria is now in a quite difficult situation, desperately needing a victory over Our Boys to stay in the race for the Round of 16, while the potential draw will probably mean an early exit from the World Cup, not to mention a possible defeat. The manager Gernot Rohr will have to shake the things in his team, and try to find the right starting eleven. If his boys replicate the performance from the first match, they cannot expect to get anything out from the clash against Iceland. At the moment, Nigeria is a +1600 out-of-towner to reach the last eight, while the price on Super Eagles to win the title is +50000.
ICELAND
Our Boys continued with upsetting the odds wherever they compete, pulling out a 1-1 draw out of the first-round encounter against the defending vice-champions Argentina. Despite the fact they had a ball on their feet for only 22% of the time, making 500 passes fewer than Lionel Messi and co., Our Boys managed to create some dangerous scoring opportunities, and with a bit of luck, stay undefeated against the heavyweight opponent.
Iceland sticks strictly to the game plan, sitting back and waiting for any opportunities to launch counter-attacks, while their aggressiveness and work rate are both remarkable. The great team spirit is another strong weapon that makes Our Boys so difficult to beat. The playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson has recovered from a knee injury, looking pretty fit against Argentina which is encouraging fact for Our Boys, as Gylfi adds another dimension to Iceland’s play with his exceptional individual skills. After a prelusive draw against La Albiceleste, Our Boys are set as +900 favorites to make it to the last eight in Russia.
Nigeria vs. Iceland – Match and Odds Breakdown
This is another game where bookmakers expect to see less than three goals in the total, anticipating some cautious approaches on both sides of the field, while Iceland is a slight +160 favorite to grab a win here. Nigeria will try to use the quickness to create some chances in the final third, but Super Eagles could easily suffer against Our Boys’ sturdy defensive block.
I believe Nigeria would need much more than just a speed to beat Iceland, and with the lack of creativity in the middle of the park, Super Eagles will have serious problems to find the way to Iceland’s net. Our Boys will leave the ball to their rivals, and with their counter-attacking skills, I think they could easily break the deadlock first here. Likewise, the potential opening goal should lead to another, as both sides need to avoid the defeat.
Hereof, I’m backing the over at decent odds, while the bettors who want greater wages can wager on Iceland. Betting on both teams to score could be another nice pick, as it pays -105, but I think betting on the totals makes the most sense here.
The Pick: Over 2 Goals (-130)
