Croatia vs Brazil: South Americans hot favourites to advance
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World Cup 2022: Croatia vs Brazil betting tips and odds
Brazil justified their status as World Cup favourites on Monday night when they dismantled South Korea to set up Friday’s quarter-final clash with Croatia.
First-half goals from Vinicius jr, Neymar, Richarlison and Lucas Paqueta meant the contest was done and dusted by the break, but Croatia needed extra time and penalties to get past Japan and advance to the last eight.
Brazil are just 4/11 to beat the 17/2 Croats inside 90 minutes and they have been cut in the World Cup winner odds to 13/8 following their impressive performance against South Korea.
Floodgates finally open for favourites
The five-time World Cup winners had yet to score in the opening 45 minutes until they came across Son Heung-min and co, but two goals inside the first quarter of an hour paved the way for a comfortable 4-1 round-of-16 victory against a team that left cavernous gaps at the back.
Croatia had goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic to thank for making three saves in the shoot-out against a Japan team that had surprisingly beaten Germany and Spain to finish top of Group E.
During the group stage, the 2018 World Cup runners-up came back from behind to beat Canada 4-1, but scored just once in their other three games, so goals seem to be a problem for Zlatko Dalic’s side who have a poor record against the Brazilians.
The South Americans beat Croatia 1-0 and 3-1 during the group phase of the 2006 and 2014 World Cups and Neymar opened the scoring in a 2-0 victory at Anfield in the build-up to Russia four years ago, so recent history is with Tite’s men.
Upper hand with Tite troops
Brazil, who are without injured duo Gabriel Jesus and Alex Telles, are 23/10 to win and concede again or on the flip side 21/20 to win to nil as they did against Switzerland and Serbia.
We picked out both teams to score at evens for Croatia’s clash with Japan, the draw with goals at both ends at 7/2, plus a goal in both halves and the match to end all square at 13/2, but these seem like unlikely scenarios for Friday’s first quarter-final.
Brazil have won the last two encounters with Croatia by two-goal margins and are 29/10 to do so again in the World Cup odds, although we go 21/20 on them overcoming a one-goal deficit and progressing to the semi-finals inside 90 minutes.
We don’t expect Croatia to be so cavalier at the back like the Koreans, so Brazil to win and under 3.5 match goals at evens in the World Cup betting. Draw HT/Brazil FT at 27/10 also catches the eye.
In the goalscorer markets, Barcelona winger Raphinha failed to deliver for us in the round of 16, but we’re giving him a second chance to find the net at 9/4 in the Croatia vs Brazil betting tips.
The former Leeds star had three shots on target on Monday night and had a good build-up to the World Cup, scoring twice in a 5-1 victory over Tunisia, so it looks like it’s only a matter of time before he breaks his duck.
Neymar, who missed the last two group games with ankle ligament damage before taking his place in Monday’s starting line-up, broke the deadlock when the nations met in 2018 and is 16/5 to repeat the trick in our Croatia vs Brazil betting tips, having scored from the penalty spot against South Korea.
Match Info
Where: Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan
When: 15:00, Friday, 9th December
How to watch: BBC
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
