Saturday 14/06/2014, 00:00, World Cup Group B, Chile vs Australia

Chile vs Australia Betting Preview

Being second best is rarely a good thing, but fortunately this would be a dream come true, especially in Group B, where they play against Spain and the Netherlands. The chances to win the group are slim to none, but if they play their cards well, the South Americans have a decent chance at advancing to the next stage. It goes without saying that they need all three points in the match played against Australia, with a draw being just as bad as a wide margin defeat.

Chile vs Australia Betting Odds

At Bet365

Chile 1.50, Draw 4.00, Australia 7.00

Chile vs Australia Betting Tips

Australia is virtually doomed to face an untimely elimination at the World Cup 2014 and their only concern is to avoid humiliating defeats. They will have to play defensive football against both Spain and the Netherlands, but might be tempted to take more chances upfront when facing Chile.

The problem with adopting such a strategy is that they don't have a midfield strong enough to exercise constant pressure on their opponents, or strikers capable of scoring on few opportunities. Instead, they are struggling with a defensive that consists of an eclectic mix of young and inexperienced players.

During the qualification campaign, Australia had an easy task at keeping clean sheets, as they faced weaker opponents, but the situation will change dramatically in Brazil. Chile grew a lot over the last couple of years and now the South Americans have one of the best midfields of all participating teams.

Arturo Vidal is a formidable player who proved his worth many times while playing for Juventus and he will be the brain creating offensive plays. Add to this the fact that he has a keen eye for scoring goals and is expected to join the strikers frequently, and it is obvious that Australian defenders will have their hands full. Alexis Sanchez and Eduardo Vargas will pair up in the offense.

Key Facts

• Chile uses an original 3-4-3 starting formation which makes them extremely dangerous upfront, as seven players can surprise Australia defenses
• Alexis Sanchez was given the chance to play often for Barcelona lately and he scored a handful of goals in the final rounds of Primera Division

Chile vs Australia Betting Odds Prediction

Chile will try to kick-start its campaign with an emphatic victory over Australia and they won't stop after scoring an early goal. One way of handling this match is by betting on the South Americans to win by two goals or more, as there is no value whatsoever in wagering on the straight victory. An even safer back at similar odds is to bet on more than 2.5 goals to be scored which covers the risk of Australia getting lucky and scoring a goal.

Bet: Over 2.5 goals @ 2.05 with Bet365