Saturday 14/06/2014, 21:00, World Cup Group C, Uruguay vs Costa Rica
Uruguay vs Costa Rica Betting Preview
The fact that the team sharing the group with Italy and England is actually credited with the first chance to advance to the next stage at the World Cup is surprising to say the least. Uruguay hasn't won the most important football competition in the world since 1950 but they have the best team ever since. Overly aggressive and solid defensively, they are expected to steamroll past Costa Rica and earn all three points with ease, while giving up for the real challenge.
Uruguay vs Costa Rica Betting Odds
At Bet365
Uruguay 1.33, Draw 4.50, Costa Rica 11.00
Uruguay vs Costa Rica Betting Tips
Uruguay turned from a mediocre team into a real contender for the trophy and they will have their hands full in Group D. Their best asset is the offensive trident made of Suarez, Forlan and Cavani, strikers that grew to be indispensable for their clubs.
Forlan is by far the most experienced one and even though he is no longer in his prime, he is expected to feature at the World Cup, probably for the last time. His experience is unmatched and his ability to convert free kicks legendary, so he is definitely an asset, alongside Suarez and Cavani.
The former brought Liverpool just one step from winning the Premier League after two decades, while Cavani was invaluable for PSG. Even though he spent most of the time in the shadow of Ibrahimovic, he made the most of his opportunities and scored double-digit goals this season.
Costa Rica know all too well what it means to play against a superior opponent and makes no illusion regarding their chances in the opening game. A crowded defensive featuring five players will try to contain the threat posed by these three strikers. They are ready to withstand a 90 min. siege and even if Uruguay takes the lead, Costa Rica is unlikely to come out of his shell and rely solely on counterattacks.
Key Facts
- Uruguay's only weakness is in the defense and that's why they will come out firing on all cylinders and start with all three strikers from the very beginning.
- In the qualifying campaign, Costa Rica allowed very few goals and that's what brought them to the World Cup 2014, so they will stick to their defensive strategy.
Uruguay vs Costa Rica Betting Odds Prediction
There are not many teams given such low odds at the World Cup 2014, but there is a good reason for why bookies chose to underprice Uruguay. In order to extract maximum value without taking unreasonably high risks, punters should bet on them to win by two goals or more. The odds are above even value with Bet365 and the chances for Costa Rica to cause an upset in the opening game of Group D are quite low.
Bet: Uruguay -1.5 goals @ 2.05 with Bet365
