Argentina should breeze through Group F

Argentina should breeze through Group F

By Charlie Rowing Apr 15, 2014

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Argentina are huge favourites with Pinnacle Sports to qualify from Group F as Nigeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iran go head-to-head for the remaining qualification place. Read this 2014 World Cup Group F betting preview to see who is more likely to join Argentina.

Argentina: Too much fire power for Group E

Fifa Ranking: 3rd

Best Finish: Winners (1978 & 1986)

Overall Miles to travel: 1,046^

Odds to win 2014 World Cup: 5.830*

Two-time winners Argentina are the strong 1.033* favourites to qualify out of a relatively easy group F, while they can be backed at 5.830* as the second favourites to earn a third gold star.

They qualified for the 2014 World Cup with ease and despite a couple of poor results – a home draw with Bolivia and a meaningless final game with Uruguay – they looked ruthless.

Coached by former Sheffield United player Alejandro Sabella Argentina have an array of talent at their disposal, which is highlighted by the four attackers – Angel Di Maria, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Lionel Messi.

Messi has so far not produced his club form on the biggest stage for his nation and had gone 16 competitive matches without scoring prior to the appointment of Sabella in 2011 – however he has been in terrifying form since being handed the captaincy.

One area of concern for Sabella and bettors punting on Argentina is the question marks over their central defence and goalkeeper. These defensive frailties can be seen in their qualifying campaign, which saw them keep a clean sheet in just 35% of qualifying games. Will it be a case of you score, but we will score more?

Argentina’s record against Group F opponents

H-to-H Record

Win

Loss

Draw

Win %

Nigeria

4

1

1

67%

Iran

0

0

0

0%

Bosnia-Herzegovina

1

0

0

100%

Nigeria: Could Nigeria cause an upset?

Fifa Ranking: 36th

Best Finish: Last 16 (1994 & 1998)

Overall Miles to travel: 1,849^

Odds to win 2014 World Cup: 151.000*

Nigeria can be backed at 2.280* to progress out of Group F and are the 5th most improved nation in terms of Fifa’ rankings, moving from 57th to 36th in 12 months.

The Super Eagles are a team transformed under manager Stephen Keshi. After failing to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, Keshi axed a number of ageing players in an attempt to lower the average age of the squad. His somewhat controversial selection policy has worked however, with Nigeria winning their first African title since 1994.

Nigeria qualified with ease, going through the group stage unbeaten and then beating Ethiopia 4-1 in a play-off to secure their place at the 2014 World Cup.

The Super Eagles reached the last 16 in 1994 and 1998 but failed to get out of the group stages in their two subsequent tournament appearances (2002 and 2010). Can Nigeria’s youth prevail in the heat of Brazil?

Nigeria’s record against Group F opponents

H-to-H Record

Win

Loss

Draw

Win %

Argentina

1

4

1

17%

Iran

0

0

0

0%

Bosnia-Herzegovina

0

0

0

0%

Bosnia-Hercegovina: Expect an attacking approach

Fifa Ranking: 21st

Best Finish: First tournament

Overall Miles to travel: 2,171^

Odds to win 2014 World Cup: 151.000*

Formerly part of Yugoslavia this will be the Bosnians first World Cup and they can be backed at 1.833* – second Group F favourites to progress to the knockout stages.

After being beaten in the play-offs by Portugal in the two previous campaigns, the Bosnians topped their group on goal difference after securing victory against Lithuania in the final group game.

They play an expansive style of football and the 30 goals they scored in qualifying was the fourth highest in Europe, while strike their partnership Edin Dzeko and Vedad Ibisevic scored 18 goals between them – in fact as a team they scored three or more goals in 60% of qualifying games.

Manager Safet Susic expects plenty of excitement during Brazil stating, “We know that we expose ourselves too much and that there is a huge risk in the way we play – we play to score more goals than the opposition.

During qualification they held up defensively being one of the only six teams to concede no more than one goal a game, however better opposition could test their defence more.

Bosnia-Herzegovina’s record against Group F opponents

H-to-H Record

Win

Loss

Draw

Win %

Argentina

0

1

0

0%

Nigeria

0

0

0

0%

Iran

0

3

1

0%

Iran: Dead ball situation… strength and weakness

Fifa Ranking: 45th

Best Finish: Group Stage (1978, 1998 & 2006)

Overall Miles to travel: 1,849^

Odds to win 2014 World Cup: N/A

The Iranian team are predominantly domestic-based and will do well to win a game in Group F – in their nine previous World Cup games they have won once.

Despite only conceding two goals in eight qualifying games, tougher tasks lie in wait, and this is reflected in odds of 7.440* for them to qualify for the knockout stages.

Managed by former Manchester United assistant Carlos Queiroz, Iran will attempt to shock the world of football but to do so, they will need to utilize the new golden boy of Iranian football; Reza Ghoochannejhad who has plays for Charlton Athletic in the English Championship.

After making a flying start in the early stages of qualifying, they started poorly in the final group stage – winning just twice of their opening five games. However, Queiroz masterminded his team to three straight defeats to finish top of the group.

Interestingly during qualifying they conceded the most goals of any team at the 2014 World Cup from free kicks (57%), but in turn scored the highest proportion of their goals from free kicks themselves (40%).

Iran’s record against Group F opponents

H-to-H Record

Win

Loss

Draw

Win %

Argentina

0

0

0

0%

Nigeria

0

0

0

0%

Bosnia-Herzegovina

3

0

1

75%

*Odds subject to change

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