World Cup Opta Stats: Argentina v Iran

Can Lionel Messi add to his World Cup tally when Argentina face Iran?

Argentina are expected to steamroller Iran but Opta are on hand to guide you to where the value lies.

This is Argentina and Iran's first World Cup encounter. Argentina are rated as the 1.132/15 favourites.

Their only previous meeting was in a friendly on 22 March 1977 in Madrid, with the game ending 1-1. The draw is priced at 10.5n/a.

Iran's only previous World Cup game against a South American side was a 4-1 defeat against Peru in 1978. Argentina are 1.528/15 to win half-time/full-time.

Argentina have won ten and lost just one of their last 13 World Cup group games (D2), scoring 26 and conceding just five in total in this run. They are just 1.041/25 to win Group F.

Argentina have won five of their last six World Cup games, with the 4-0 defeat against Germany in 2010 the only exception. They are 1.910/11 to win both halves.

Lionel Messi has scored one goal in one game at the 2014 World Cup, that's already as many as in his eight games at the World Cups 2006 and 2010 combined. Messi is 1.51/2 to score again.

Iran have won only one of their ten games at the World Cup (D3 L6), against USA in 1998 (2-1). Argentina are 1.51/2 to win to nil.

Argentina have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last three World Cup games, the last time they failed to do so in four successive matches was in the 80's (1982/86). Iran are 2.942/1 to score.

Five of the last nine goals Iran have conceded at World Cups have been headed. The Argentine central defender Ezequiel Garay is 10.09/1 to score.