Sunday 22/06/2014, 00:00, World Cup Group F, Nigeria vs Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nigeria vs Bosnia and Herzegovina Betting Preview

This is by far the most balanced match of all scheduled for Group F and also one of critical importance for the two competitors. Winning all three points is the only way to advance to the next stage, where the winner is very likely to face France in a highly anticipated match. With Argentina being simply too good to defeat, both Bosnia and Herzegovina and Nigeria will try to pick up points in the head-to-head match while also defeating Iran.

Nigeria vs Bosnia and Herzegovina Betting Odds

At Bet365

Nigeria 3.00, Draw 3.30, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2.40

Nigeria vs Bosnia and Herzegovina Betting Tips

This is the first time that Bosnia and Herzegovina plays at the World Cup so the pressure is extraordinary, but they have good reasons to be optimistic. Safet Susic was given enough time to prepare a competitive formation and find a strategy that is suitable for his players.
Instead of defending against better opponents, the small nation from the former Yugoslavia relies on one striker and five aggressive midfielders. Dzeko is the man of the hour and his brief experience with Manchester City was a tremendous success that insured his presence at the World Cup.

For Boston and Herzegovina this is the only irreplaceable player and the one that opponents will try to annihilate first and foremost. He doesn't need too many opportunities to score and will be provided with plenty of useful balls by midfielders, not to mention that they're expected to join him from time to time.

At least on paper, Nigeria has an even more aggressive starting formation, with three strikers and three midfielders that routinely score goals for their clubs. Mikel is not only a great playmaker, but also a player that the entire team looks up to and he is frequently executing penalties and free kicks. The problem with Nigeria is that the backline is crumbling, with players that sometimes spend the entire match on the bench for their clubs.

Key Facts

• Nigeria lost just twice in the last 16 games and scored an average of two goals per match, a far better ratio than most African nations.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified to the World Cup without breaking a sweat and won a group featuring the former European champions Greece

Nigeria vs Bosnia and Herzegovina Betting Odds Prediction

Pressure is mounting on Bosnia and Herzegovina, with both players and the manager being fully aware of the importance of this fixture. Nobody would bat an eye if they were to lose to Argentina, but dropping points to Nigeria would send shockwaves back home. With both teams trying to collect all three points and nobody willing to settle for a draw, betting on more than 2.5 goals to be scored is a smart choice.

Bet: Over 2.5 goals @ 1.90 with Bet365