After a few long, boring days of no FIFA World Cup betting action to be had, the quarterfinals are finally here to kick off the weekend with Argentina vs Netherlands on Friday. Lionel Messi’s quest to finally add the World Cup trophy to his overflowing cabinet of successes collides with the Netherlands and manager Louis van Gaal’s mission to finally guide his country to the trophy.
Argentina is the betting favorite over the Netherlands, with +120 odds to win inside of full time and -163 odds to advance to the semifinal. The Dutch play the role of underdogs for the first time this tournament, getting +130 odds to dish out heartbreak to Messi and the Argentinians.
Argentina vs Netherlands Betting Pick
| ℹ️ The Pick: | Under 2 (+106) |
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This game will be played at Lusail Stadium at 2:00 PM ET on Friday, December 9, 2022.
Why Bet on the Under:
✅ Three of Netherlands four matches at the World Cup have seen less than three goals scored. The exception being their 3-1 rout of the Americans in the Round of 16 where there was considerably more offensive output with the USA chasing the match after conceding early to Memphis Depay.
✅ Both the Dutch and the Argentinians have solid defensive structure and performances to date in Qatar. Conceding just two goals each in their four matches at the tournament. Based on their defensive form, expect a potential repeat of their 0-0 draw over 120 minutes that took place at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
✅ It is expected that Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal will employ a more defensive strategy against Argentina. The veteran legend of the game is known for his willingness to defend and counterattack if needed, which will play into the favor of the under should they approach this matchup with the plan to shut down the Argentina attack.
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Argentina
Argentina survived a late push from a scrappy Australia side to advance through to the quarterfinals from the Round of 16. Two early goals put Argentina comfortably ahead before an own goal from Enzo Fernandez made the final 15 minutes of the match extremely nervy before they ultimately held on for the win.
Next up for Argentina is a considerably more difficult opponent in the Netherlands, who will be their biggest test by far to date in Qatar. Argentina so far has played Saudi Arabia, Poland, Mexico and Australia to date with mixed results that included the 2-1 shock defeat to the Saudis to open their campaign. The Dutch are a far more talented group and the quality of play will need to be increased accordingly if Messi and co want to advance to the semifinal stage.
Argentina fans hope the quarterfinal matchup against one of their most familiar World Cup rivals is a repeat of two of their most famous victories at the tournament. Argentina famously beat the Netherlands in the 1978 World Cup Final and earned their place in the 2014 World Cup Final with a semifinal win over the Oranje.
Netherlands
The quarterfinal round has been extremely kind to the Dutch over the course of World Cup history. Netherlands have progressed to the semifinal stage from all three of their most recent quarterfinal matches, achieving glory in 1998, 2010 and 2014.
The Dutch will also have to be feeling good about their chances to knock off Argentina after a Round of 16 match where they couldn’t stop scoring against the United States. Memphis Depay scored in the 10th minute before Daley Blind put the final nail in the coffin of the Americans just before halftime on the road to the 3-1 win.
Scoring goals will be crucial for Louis van Gaal’s men as their past two matches against Argentina at the World Cup haven’t seen a single goal for either nation. 210 minutes of footy has been played by both sides in World Cup matches without a goal, with a Nil-Nil group stage draw in 2006 followed up by the 0-0 stalemate that went to penalties in the 2014 WC semis. With low scoring, tightly contested affairs being the norm between the two, the first goal scored could very well be the winner.
