Those who bet on World Cup odds easily identified Group G as the “Group Of Death” as soon as the draw was made, as Brazil, the Ivory Coast, Portugal and North Korea were put together in South Africa. The group kicks off on Tuesday morning, and while the first match will be difficult to pick, the second one is a shoo-in.
Portugal Ivory Coast Betting – Tuesday, 10:00 AM ET
Portugal is favored at +110 in this 2010 World Cup contest, while the Ivorians are listed at +245, and a draw is rated at +225. This match is all about the captains, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and the Ivorians’ Didier Drogba, and all eyes are on Drogba as he tries to come back from a broken arm suffered on the eve of the World Cup. Drogba has been doing non-contact drills with a cast on his arm, but with his physical and barreling style of play, it’s going to affect the way Drogba carries himself. Portugal has their own injury worry as Nani will miss the World Cup because of a collarbone bruise, and even though they still have Deco and Simao, the Portuguese would have loved to see Ronaldo and Nani, former teammates at Manchester United, rampaging on either wing. This is the first meeting for these two countries, and you have to give the edge to Portugal, as an ineffective Drogba playing for the Ivorians is like the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant being hurt in their NBA championship betting match.
Brazil North Korean Betting – Tuesday, 2:30 PM ET
Soccer betting odds are backing Brazil as a massive -1100 favorite in this match, while the North Koreans are rated at +2500, and a draw is listed at +750 in the first-meeting between these two. In their lone World Cup appearance at England 1966, North Korea shocked Italy 1-0 to make it to the knockout stages, but a win over Brazil would be much, much bigger than that. The Samba Kings are the only country to play in every World Cup, and they’ve won the most with five victories in the big tournament. Brazil manager Dunga has taken some criticism from fans and media alike who say that the Selecao aren’t as flashy and entertaining under him, but Dunga is one of two managers in this tournament (Argentina’s Diego Maradona is the other) aiming to join German legend Franz Beckenbauer as the only players to win the World Cup as a manager and a captain. It’s not a matter of if Brazil will win this match, it’s about how many, and even though they’re going to have to deal with a very defensive North Korean team, it would be the betting upset of the century if North Korean even managed to tie Brazil.
