The ultimate game of the 2018 World Cup Matchday 1 is set for Tuesday, June 19th, 2018, when Poland faces Senegal at Spartak Stadium in Moscow. It’s a stiff competition in the Group H, so the bookmakers expect to see a cracking game between two strong sides, setting Poland as a slight +137 favorite. The odds on Senegal to win the match are set at +210, while the price on a draw is also at +210 which tells a lot about how tight game we should see here.
Poland vs. Senegal
3-Way: 1: Poland +137; X: +210 Draw; 2: Senegal +210 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread 0: Poland -163; Senegal +129
Total +2: Over -140; Under +120
Both Teams to Score Yes/No: -105/-125
POLAND
The Eagles are the first seeders in the Group H, but certainly unhappy with a draw, although bookmakers favor them at -175 to finish in top two and reach the Round of 16. Poland had a great qualifying campaign, recording eight wins, one draw, and one defeat with a goal difference of 28:14, while all their ten matches had at least three goals in the total. Preparing for the 2018 World Cup, Poland has suffered a couple of 1-0 losses against Mexico and Nigeria, while beating South Korea 3-2 in their previous friendly game.
Poland is a physically strong team, mostly playing in a 4-5-1 system with some top-class players among the squad, preferring a simple direct-passing style. The Eagles always look for Robert Lewandowski in the final third, as the 29-year old striker is one of the best forwards in the game capable of scoring five goals in nine minutes, so he will be Poland’s main weapon, no doubt. However, he will need some help, particularly from a pacey hitman Arkadiusz Milik and a box-to-box midfielder Piotr Zielinski, while Kamil Grosicki should be a great danger of the left flank. Kamil Glik will try to hold the things at the back, but a defensive line could be Poland’s weakest link.
SENEGAL
The Lions of Teranga will be at the biggest stage for the second time in their history, and memories from 2002 are still fresh, as they reached the Quarter-Finals on their debut, eventually losing to Turkey 1-0 on a golden goal rule. They will have a tough task to replicate this achievement in Russia with the odds at +600, while bookies set them as -163 favorites to finish the journey in the group phase. Senegal was excellent in the qualifying round, reaching the World Cup spot with one game to spare, while they’ve suffered only one defeat in their previous ten games overall along with four wins and five draws in the process.
Senegal possesses a spectacular offensive line with Sadio Mane onwards, as the 26-year old Liverpool’s forward is a creative force, while the 23-year old winger Keita Balde is a great talent. Likewise, Moussa Sow and Mame Biram Diouf both are dangerous strikers with good physical abilities, so it seems like Senegal will like to push forward. The captain Cheikhou Kouyate will be a key guy in the middle of the park where Senegal mostly have hard-working players. At the back, Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli will be a key man, but Senegal’s defensive line could the biggest issue along with some inexperienced goalkeepers.
Poland vs. Senegal – Match and Odds Breakdown
This will be a clash of two physically quite strong sides, while both teams could struggle at the defensive end, so the first thing on my mind is goals. Senegal will have a tough time to stop Robert Lewandowski, whilst on the other side, Poland will certainly have problems with quick Senegal’s forwards, so the wages on both teams to find the net here look tempting at -105.
However, betting on the totals could be a tricky job, as we could get a slow start, considering this is only the first-round game of the group phase, and a potential loss could be fatal for each team. On the other hand, with a superb attacking potential on both sides here, we could easily see a couple of goals even from a cautious approach. Picking a winner would be so ungrateful, so I suggest to stick with totals.
Hereof, I’m backing both teams to score on this one, while the bettors can check out all lines and odds on BetDSI Sportsbook, as they will cover all 2018 World Cup games this summer.
The Pick: Both Teams to Score YES (-105)
