By the end of Wednes, all 48 teams will have played a game at this World Cup — and the second set of group games will begin on Thursday.
The stakes are elevated now, as many teams can advance or be eliminated based on the results of these second group games. Given the expanded format with eight of 12 third-place teams advancing, guessing how teams will approach these second games is a bit of a challenge.
Teams might press more for a win, knowing that six points definitively puts them in the knockout stage, and four points is more than likely enough. Or teams might batten down the proverbial hatches even more, thinking that a point or two through two games puts them in position to advance with a point or three in the group finale.
Making my best guesses on how teams will approach these games, here are my best bets for the second group games (grouped by day):
Czechia win (-130) vs. South Africa
The stakes are elevated now, as many teams can advance or be eliminated based on the results of these second group games. Given the expanded format with eight of 12 third-place teams advancing, guessing how teams will approach these second games is a bit of a challenge.
Teams might press more for a win, knowing that six points definitively puts them in the knockout stage, and four points is more than likely enough. Or teams might batten down the proverbial hatches even more, thinking that a point or two through two games puts them in position to advance with a point or three in the group finale.
Making my best guesses on how teams will approach these games, here are my best bets for the second group games (grouped by day):
Czechia win (-130) vs. South Africa
3 months ago
