The opening game of the 2018 FIFA World Cup between the host nation Russia and Saudi Arabia is set for Thursday, June 14th, 2018, at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, and the soccer fans can expect a true spectacle prior to and during the first match of the Group A.
The bookmakers favor Russia at -334 to grab a victory at the start of the World Cup, but the first game is always a tricky one, although Saudi Arabia is considered as a massive +1100 out-of-towner here. Likewise, the bookies don’t expect to see a bunch of goals and would be even surprised if Saudi Arabia finds the net, so let’s take a closer look what can the bettors look for in this clash.
Russia vs. Saudi Arabia
3-Way: 1: Russia -334; X: +375 Draw; 2: Saudi Arabia +1100 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread -1.5: Russia +110; Saudi Arabia -125
Total +2.5: Over +115; Under -150
Both Teams to Score Yes/No: +175/-250
RUSSIA
As a host nation, Russia hasn’t played in the qualifying round for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, so Sbornaya took plenty of friendlies in the last two years, showing some quite poor displays. Russia has won only one out of their previous six friendly games along with two draws, three losses, and a goal difference of 9:13, conceding in each of these six tilts. Last year, Russia hosted the FIFA Confederations Cup, recording a 2-0 victory over New Zealand, and a couple of losses against Portugal 1-0, and Mexico 2-1 ending the campaign after the group stage.
Sbornaya disappointed its’ fans at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil finishing behind Algeria and Belgium in the group phase, while the performance at the EURO 2016 was a complete fiasco, so both pundits and fans expect to see Russia in the knock-out stage this year which puts a lot of pressure on Stanislav Cherchesov’s team. Russia’s manager has introduced some new players into the squad, particularly at the back, and in the recent friendlies, it looked like his defensive line is the biggest issue. The playmaker Alan Dzagoev will lead the side, and his creativity is invaluable for Sbornaya, while the pacey hitman Fyodor Smolov should be the main threat at the front.
SAUDI ARABIA
The Green Falcons are coming to Russia as massive +700 underdogs to reach the Round of 16, according to the bookmakers, although they’ve had a strong campaign in the qualifying round, finishing second in their group ahead of Australia with a 6-1-3 record and a goal difference of 17:10, whilst seven out of their ten games had at least three goals in the total. In the last five friendly matches, Saudi Arabia has recorded two identical 2-0 wins against Algeria and Greece, along with a 1-1 draw with Ukraine and two defeats against Belgium 4-0, and Italy 2-1.
After a twelve-year drought, the Green Falcons are back at the FIFA World Cup, determined to prove their quality against the strongest teams and upset the odds. They have a 2-2-9 record in the previous four involvements with a terrible 9:32 goal difference. The bettors can expect to see a cautious approach from Saudi Arabia in all their encounters this summer in Russia, trying to launch counter-attacks whenever it’s possible. They should keep eye on a 33-year old midfielder Taisir Al-Jassim who’s arguably the most gifted player in Saudi Arabia team, while the striker Mohammad Al-Sahlawi will be a go-to-guy in the final third, as he’s scored 28 goals in 38 caps thus far.
Russia vs. Saudi Arabia – Match and Odds Breakdown
Russia is both physically and technically a stronger team than Saudi Arabia, so Sbornaya should have the ball on their feet for the most of the time here, despite they like to play directly through counter-attacks. Considering this is an opening game of the group stage, I think we’ll see a patient approach from the hosts, especially in the first 45 minutes, as any mistake could be fatal while avoiding a loss will be essential for both sides if they want to keep the strong position ahead of further matches. Hereof, rarely who can expect to see more than a couple of goals in this clash, but Russia’s defense is surely an issue, so the odds on both teams to score are quite tempting at +175.
On the other side, Saudi Arabia should struggle to keep the clean sheet with plenty of potential troubles in aerial duels and defensive set pieces, making the odds attractive on Russia to win the game with a two-goal margin at +110. The hosts are big favorites for a reason, and the key will be their defensive work. If they perform on a high level, even one goal in Saudi Arabia’s net will be enough, although Sbornaya should bag at least two using their gains in the final third with the great audience behind them.
Betting on the straight Russia win is not looking too appealing as the bookies are offering -334 odds, but putting some money on the spread sounds like a good choice at decent wages. In addition, the bettors can check out all lines and markets on BetDSI Sportsbook, as they’ll cover all 2018 FIFA World Cup matches.
The Pick: Russia AH -1.5 (+110)
