Saturday 14/06/2014, 18:00, World Cup Group C, Colombia vs Greece

Colombia vs Greece Betting Preview

The question that is on everybody's lips right now is whether Falcao will miss the World Cup 2014 or if he will return to fitness in time to play for Colombia. The South Americans depend on this gifted striker and they would be a lesser team without him, so the stakes are as high as they get. Greece might benefit from Falcao's absence in the opening game, but they still have plenty of reasons to fear Colombia.

Colombia vs Greece Betting Odds

At Bet365

Colombia 1.66, Draw 3.50, Greece 5.50

Colombia vs Greece Betting Tips

If Falcao mends his injuries in time to represent his country in Brazil, then Colombia will have one of the best offenses among all participating teams. He has been an inspiration for the national team as well as Monaco, despite the fact that he spent many months on the bench.
Jose Pekerman was lucky enough to be dealt in a group featuring modest opponents and that's why Colombia is credited with the first chance to win Group C. Even without his best player on the pitch, the experienced manager should have enough players at his disposal to meet these high expectations.

He uses the starting formation that features four defenders and four midfielders, but two of them can easily join the strikers. Martinez and Falcao are the ones supposed to pair upfront, but if the latter doesn't solve his fitness concerns, he is very likely to get replaced by Bacca.

The two Colombian strikers played against each other in Europa League and Bacca emerged victorious as his team Sevilla, won the match against Porto en route to another European trophy. The national team will play some offensive football at the World Cup, trying to make their own defensive woes go unnoticed.

Key Facts

• Greece features an aging team, with most of the veterans being above 30 years old and this is the last major international competition.
• Colombia has a vulnerable back line, but this shouldn't be a concern in the group stage as their opponents are more likely to defend for 90 min.

Colombia vs Greece Betting Odds Prediction

The odds are not great at 1.66 but it is too early to take any chances by backing Colombia to win by two goals or more. Punters should play it safe and take the existing value, while waiting to see whether Falcao will be fit to play or not. The odds might be affected, yet it is always better to make an informed decision, instead of taking a leap of faith and hoping for the best.

Bet: Colombia @ 1.66 with Bet365