Russians Go Crazy. Ronaldo Delivers Big Time. Messi Crumbles Under Pressure

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2 The 2018 FIFA World Cup has started with a bang. Not only hosts Russia unexpectedly thrashed Saudi Arabia with the biggest score in the last 84 years, but Iran managed to grind out a sensational victory against Morocco and Cristiano Ronaldo, taking part in his fourth world championship, delivered his best performance on the global stage, netting a hat trick against Spain. We did correctly predict Portugal's draw against the Spaniards, as well as wins for Uruguay and France, Antoine Griezmann's goal against Australia, the correct score of the 1st half of Iran versus Morocco, just to name a few. And we are more than ready to continue in the same vein. England, Belgium and Colombia are about to open their campaigns, Russia, Argentina and Portugal are ready to play their second fixtures, and YOU are on the verge of making some good money.

3 Russians Go Crazy There was Vladimir Putin with a speech, Brazilian Ronaldo with some moves and Robbie Williams, giving the middle finger, during the opening ceremony of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. But what impressed the most last Thursday in Moscow was Russia's opening fixture against Saudi Arabia, with the hosts netting five goals in total, delivering their best performance in years. With Uruguay narrowly beating Egypt with a late header one minute from time the following day, the Russians now proudly sit at the top of Group A and are not so unlikely now to qualify for the knockout stages, with odds of -400 not even seeming like a rip-off. Russia to finish 2nd in the group is currently at a decent And if you still haven't put a bet on Saudi Arabia to end up rock bottom (-250), you will definitely not get better odds after the second round. Ronaldo Delivers Big Time Ahead of Portugal's opening clash against Spain, Cristiano Ronaldo had managed to net just three goals in his previous 13 World Cup appearances. Keeping in mind his national team's cautious approach during major tournaments, there is no way anyone could have predicted a hat trick from the man, who delivered his best World Cup performance last Friday, single-handedly earning his team a well deserved 3-3 draw. If both Portugal and Spain now manage to beat Iran and Morocco (which is likely), goal difference will be the key factor to determine the winner of Group B. With Ronaldo in excellent form, don't count out Portugal to finish at the top (+175). Morocco, though, is destined to end up at the bottom (-500). With Iran already three points ahead of it in the group and the Atlas Lions very unlikely to get more than two points against Portugal and Spain in total, it is as good as a sealed deal. Messi Crumbles Under Pressure The favorites of Groups C and D both had poor showings last Saturday. France managed to win against Australia, but only just (2-1), while Argentina only mustered a 1-1 draw versus Iceland, with Lionel Messi missing a penalty and looking like a child who just dropped his icecream. Argentina still is likely to finish top of Group D (+145) by beating both Croatia and Nigeria, who both looked uninspiring in their own fixture, a 2-0 win for the Vatreni. For France, though, things are not looking as bright, with resilient and defensively astute Denmark looking like a real contender for the top spot in Group C (+450). The Danes can definitely beat Australia and maybe even squeeze out a draw versus France, with Les Bleus likely to struggle against the hard-working Peru, which so far has looked the best team in its group, despite sitting last in the standings.

4 BELGIUM TO WIN VS. PANAMA AND OVER 1.5 GOALS (-330) Panama might be a team that could easily fail to score a single goal in its maiden World Cup campaign, but Belgium is definitely one that can manage two in a game, having netted at least three strikes in six of its last eight matches. OVER 1.5 GOALS IN SWEDEN VS. SOUTH KOREA (-220) Sweden has been shooting blanks lately, failing to find the back of the net in three consecutive games. Still, South Korea is hardly the best defensive outfit in the world. Plus, it can actually score some goals itself. UNDER 3.5 GOALS IN TUNISIA VS. ENGLAND (-400) Four of the past six outings with the participation of Tunisia have not gone past the one-goal mark, while England has averaged just one scored snipe per game in its last eight overall fixtures. There is no way this game will see four goals! No way! OVER 1.5 GOALS IN COLOMBIA VS. JAPAN (-250) The last time both teams met at the World Cup four years ago, they combined for five strikes in total. Do you really believe either of them will not be able to bury a goal apiece this time around in Russia? FRANCE TO WIN VS. PERU (-220) Peru is a good team, no question about it. Focused, organized and with a plan to deal with each opponent on individual basis. Still, the quality France has in its squad this year should take it past some of the trickier opponents, most definitely including Peru. FINAL ODDS: +378

5 MONDAY, 18 JUNE, :00 AM ET NIZHNY NOVGOROD STADIUM, NIZHNY NOVGOROD VISITING RUSSIA WITHOUT ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC, SWEDEN (24TH IN FIFA WORLD RANKINGS) OPENS ITS NEWEST WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN WITH A CLASH AGAINST STRUGGLING SOUTH KOREA (57TH IN THE WORLD). Sweden Does Well Without Zlatan South Korea Struggles Of Late Sweden s first appearance in the World Cup since 2006, when it reached the Round of 16, but was eliminated by Germany, sees the Blagult travel to Russia without Zlatan Ibrahimovic (LA Galaxy). The nation s all-time top scorer has retired from international soccer for quite a while now, which hasn t bothered the Swedes that much, really. Without Ibra, Sweden qualified for its 12th World Cup quite impressively, finishing 2nd behind France in a group also consisting of the Netherlands, eventually beating Italy 1-0 on aggregate in the two-legged Second Round playoffs. The team scored the highest amount of goals in its group (26), eight more than France, posting a W6 D1 L3 record, registering five clean sheets along the way. Sweden s last two friendlies against Denmark and Peru also brought clean sheets, with goalie Robin Olsen (Copenhagen) and defenders Victor Lindelof (Manchester United), Andreas Granqvist (Helsingborg) and Ludwig Augustinsson (Werder Bremen) all in solid form. The problem lately, though, has been on the offensive front, as the Blagult has managed to find the back of the net in just three of the past seven outings, netting a goal apiece in each of them. Marcus Berg (Al Ain), who finished the qualifiers with a team-high eight strikes, and Ola Toivonen (Toulouse), who failed to find the back of the net in 23 appearances in French Ligue 1 this season, will need to get it going in Russia. Especially in a group, in which Germany and Mexico are the favorites to qualify further. Eight years have passed since the last time South Korea managed to get to the knockout stages in the World Cup and further 16 since it went as far as reaching the 4th place while co-hosting the tournament in This time around, though, it doesn t look as promising. This will be the nation s ninth consecutive appearance on soccer s biggest stage. Still, the Taegeuk Warriors haven t had too much of a competition qualifying for the tournament over the years now, despite winning just four contests in their very last qualifying phase (W4 D3 L3), posting a disappointing +1 goal differential (11 for, 10 against). The team s last six friendlies have also been a let-down, with only one victory achieved (W1 D1 L4), and losses to Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Senegal raising particular concerns. Overall, though, South Korea is not a totally bad team. Especially when it comes to its attacking options. Son Heung-Min had an individually successful campaign with Tottenham Hotspur this year, netting 20 goals over all club competitions. Hwang Hee-Chan notched 13 strikes for RB Salzburg in , while Lee Jae-Sung, the 25-year-old K-League diamond, who plays for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and will be eager to impress to facilitate a move to Europe after the World Cup, could turn out to be the brightest star of a team destined to struggle in a group with Germany, Mexico and Sweden. If, of course, the opposition allows him any breathing space. GAME PREDICTION: South Korea is yet to win a game against Sweden, having been beaten by the Blagult 2-0 back in 1996, with a couple of draws (1-1 and 2-2) following nine years later. The Taegeuk Warriors would probably settle for a stalemate in this one. For Sweden, though, this is a must-win to up its chances of muscling out Mexico from the potential 2nd place in the group (providing Germany will finish 1st). Sweden is the better team here, no question about it. And even though it hasn't found the back of the net in three consecutive outings, leading up to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, South Korea has allowed at least two goals in four of its last six fixtures, so Marcus Berg and Ola Toivonen - Blagult's offensive duo - should feel quite comfortable here. 4SWEDEN TO WIN (+105) 4OLA TOIVONEN TO SCORE ANYTIME (+265) 4SWEDEN TO SCORE OVER 1.5 GOALS (+130)

6 Belgium Aspires For Big Things MONDAY, 18 JUNE, :00 AM ET FISHT STADIUM, SOCHI IN-FORM BELGIUM (3RD IN FIFA WORLD RANKINGS) KICKS OFF ITS LATEST WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN WITH AN OUTING AGAINST PANAMA (55TH IN THE WORLD), WHICH DOESN'T HOLD MUCH HOPE GETTING OUT OF ITS GROUP Panama Is Just Happy To Take Part As Golden generations of national soccer teams go, Belgium is currently at its peak. And that brings tremendous pressure with it, especially after the fairly noteworthy disappointments the Red Devils delivered in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Euro 2016, finishing both tournaments in the Quarter-finals. While no mean feats on their own, Belgium s last two achievements in their previous major campaigns have ended underwhelmingly, with question marks over the team s ability to deliver as a collective stamped all over the start-studded squad. So far, though, the Red Devils have not disappointed. Their qualifying campaign went without a defeat (W9 D1), providing 43 goals, while the latest friendlies haven t seen any losses either (W4 D2), with Belgium scoring at least three goals in four of those games. Romelu Lukaku, who bagged 28 goals and seven assists for Manchester United in all competitions in and led his national team with 11 strikes during the qualifiers, has netted eight markers in Belgium s last six friendlies, including doubles against Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Costa Rica. Eden Hazard, who notched 17 goals and seven assists for Chelsea this season and was the Red Devils second highest scorer during the qualifying process (6 snipes), has collected four goals in Belgium s last seven outings overall. Aided by the likes of Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Dries Mertens (Napoli) and Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea), the duo is bound to cause carnage. It remains to be seen, though, until which stage. Unlike with the case with Belgium, the expectations for Panama during the 2018 FIFA World Cup are as low a they come. Alongside Saudi Arabia, Los Canaleros are the unlikeliest of candidates to lift the prestigious trophy (+99900) and have already made enough history to be the talk of the town for the next 300 years, reaching their first ever World Cup at the expense of the United States and Honduras. Its record during the last phase of the qualifiers (W3 D4 L3) might not seem anything special, but was just enough to book a ticket to Russia, with only Mexico truly impressing during the CON- CACAF qualifying stage. Since qualifying for the World Cup, though, Panama has gone downhill, managing to win just two of its last eight friendlies (W2 D2 L4), both against lowly Grenada (5-0) and Trinidad and Tobago (1-0). It addition to that, Los Canaleros have managed to bury just one goal in their last five overall outings, being outscored 8-1. Interestingly enough, Josiel Nunez (Arabe Unido), who netted the sole strike, has not even traveled with the team to Russia, with its main attacking threat expected to come from Blas Perez (Municipal) and Luis Tejada (Sport Boys), both of whom share 223 caps between them and are their nation s all-time top scorers with 43 snipes each, but are 37 and 36 years old respectively. GAME PREDICTION: For Belgium, the opening fixture of the 2018 FIFA World Cup could have not been drawn against an easier opponent. With all due respect to Panama, which is about to take part in its first ever World Cup campaign, the Red Devils should not have any problems in this one. Los Canaleros are known to keep things quite tight at the back, but still managed to concede six goals against Switzerland in a friendly back in March. And the Swiss don't even have half of the attacking options the Belgians are currently blessed with. Having gone unbeaten since September 2016 (W13 D5), the Red Devils have scored at least three goals in six of their past eight contests, with Romelu Lukaku netting a double in three of his last six appearances. This is NOT going to end well for Panama. 4ROMELU LUKAKU TO SCORE 2 OR MORE GOALS (+275) 4ROMELU LUKAKU TO SCORE ANYTIME (-155) 4 OVER 2.5 GOALS (-155) 4BELGIUM CLEAN SHEET (-220) 4BELGIUM TO WIN (-555)

7 Tunisia Makes A World Cup Return MONDAY, 18 JUNE, :00 PM ET VOLGOGRAD ARENA, VOLGOGRAD BOASTING A YOUNG, EXCITING SQUAD, ENGLAND (12TH IN FIFA WORLD RANKINGS) WILL BE HOPING TO START THE CURRENT WORLD CUP WITH A VICTORY AGAINST TUNISIA (21ST IN THE WORLD) - A TRICKY OPPONENT FROM AFRICA Expectations At All-Time Low For England Tunisia might be the highest-ranked African team of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. It still, however, is not really likely to break through to the knockout stages for the first time in its history, having won just one game (3-1 versus Mexico in 1978) in its previous four appearances on the biggest stage of world soccer. Returning to the tournament after an eight-year absence, having failed to qualify for the 2010 and 2014 editions, the Eagles of Carthage will be more than eager to improve on their D1 L2 record, which ended all of their previous three appearances between 1998 and Having gone through its qualifying campaign unbeaten (W4 D2), scoring 11 goals while allowing just four, the team is definitely capable of an upset. Or two... Right before Tunisia s last warm-up game against Spain on June 9, the team had gone unbeaten for nine straight contests (W5 D4), notching 2-2 draws versus Portugal and Turkey among others. Spain did manage to beat the Eagles of Carthage with a count of 1-0 eventually, but not without some effort, registering its first shot on goal after just 65 minutes of play, netting the winner with just six minutes remaining on the clock. That definitely speaks volumes of Tunisia s compact and resilient defensive system, which with the likes of Syam Ben Youssef (Kasimpasa), Yassine Meriah (CS Sfaxien) and Dylan Bronn (Gent) in the line-up will definitely be difficult to break down. Since lifting its only World Cup in 1966, England has gone past the group stage on eight of the last nine occasions, with the only total fiasco happening four years ago in Brazil, when the Three Lions failed to win a single World Cup game for the first time since With the expectations at the all-time low, England will be trying to resurrect itself and shouldn t have too many problems advancing to the knockout stages, with Tunisia and Panama all looking like teams it can beat. With Gareth Southgate leading the coaching staff, the squad has definitely seen some major changes. And not only tactically ( is England s current preferred system), but also regarding the lineup, which at 25.6 years of age on average - is the youngest the Three Lions have had in almost 20 years. England cruised through the qualifying campaign unbeaten (W8 D2) and has done quite alright in its last six friendlies as well (W3 D3), despite managing to net just six goals in total. Still, the team s attacking duo of Harry Kane (41 goals for Tottenham Hotspur in all competitions this season) and Raheem Sterling (23 goals for Manchester City), with Dele Alli (14 goals for Tottenham Hotspur) just behind them and Marcus Rashford (13 goals for Manchester United) coming off the bench, is a dangerous proposition to any opposing defense. And that s before you even realize England also has Jamie Vardy (23 goals for Leicester City), Jesse Lingard (13 goals for Manchester United) and Danny Welbeck (10 goals for Arsenal) at its disposal. GAME PREDICTION: The previous World Cup meeting between the two sides resulted in a 2-0 victory for England in Gareth Southgate, who kept a clean sheet in that game as a defender, is now the manager of the Three Lions. And he is well aware that Tunisia will not be easily beaten even after 20 years. The Eagles of Carthage are still sweating on the fitness of influential left-back Ali Maaloul, the second most capped player in the team's current squad. Still, Tunisia has lost just one of its last 10 overall games, dropping a close 1-0 contest against Spain, and will prove quite a challenge for the new-look England, which boasts some of the most exciting new talents the country has at its disposal at the moment. Despite their potential, though, the Three Lions have managed to net just eight goals in their last eight overall fixtures, scoring more than once in a game on just two occasions. 4ENGLAND TO WIN AND UNDER 3.5 GOALS (-125) 4ENGLAND TO WIN (-220)

8 TUESDAY, 19 JUNE, :00 PM ET SAINT PETERSBURG STADIUM, ST. PETERSBURG A PAINFUL LAST-MINUTE DEFEAT AGAINST URUGUAY BRINGS MOHAMED SALAH'S EGYPT (45TH IN FIFA WORLD RANKINGS) TO A BATTLE AGAINST HOSTS RUSSIA (70TH IN THE WORLD), WHO MANAGED TO NET FIVE GOALS PAST SAUDI ARABIA Russia Stuns The World Russia kept the tradition of a World Cup hosting nation to start their organized tournament without a defeat alive (W16 D6) after blanking Saudi Arabia with a score of 5-0 at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Thursday. It was a perfect start for the Russians, who failed to record a single victory in seven straight games ahead of the current tournament (D3 L4), but ended up posting the biggest opening-match victory by the hosts of a World Cup competition since 1934, when Italy beat USA with a count of 7-1. Despite missing a string of players due to injuries (including influential striker Aleksandr Kokorin) and losing creative leader Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow) to an apparent hamstring problem midway through the first half, Sbornaya still managed to boss the Saudis about with considerable ease. Despite registering just 39% of ball possession, the Russians out-attempted their opponents 14-6, notching seven shots on goal in total. Yury Gazinsky (Krasnodar) opened the scoring with a header just 12 minutes into the contest before Denis Cheryshev (Villarreal), who came in for the injured Dzagoev,became the first substitute in World Cup history to score in the opening game. He doubled his tally one minute into the added time in the following half after Artem Dzyuba (Arsenal Tula) made it 3-0 with another header just 89 seconds after coming off the bench, while Aleksandr Golovin (CSKA Moscow) rounded off the scoring in the dying seconds of the game with a perfectly placed free-kick, adding a snipe to a couple of assists he provided earlier. Egypt Fails In The Last Minute Participating in its third World Cup campaign, following stints in 1934 and 1990, Egypt still remained on the lookout for its first victory on the biggest stage of world soccer after dropping a late 1-0 decision against Uruguay at Ekaterinburg Arena in Ekaterinburg on Friday. Mohamed Salah, who bagged 44 strikes for Liverpool this season, was mostly all smiles on Egypt's bench on his birthday, but failed to make an appearance, with Egypt's coaching staff apparently opting not to take any risks with his recent shoulder injury in what seemed to end as a 0-0 draw, only for Uruguay to score a header from a free-kick on the 89th minute to spoil Salah's 26th celebration. Despite controlling just 42% of ball possession and being outshot 15-8, the Pharaohs still managed to frustrate Uruguay for the most part of the game, taking charge in the middle of the park during the first half. Goalie Mohamed El Shenawy (Al Ahly) was excellent in the net for Egypt, making a crucial save on a point blank shot by Luis Suarez, robbing the Uruguayan from another chance later on, parrying a thunder-strike by Edinson Cavani as well. Trezeguet (Kasimpasa) and Ahmed Fathy (Al Ahly) did create a couple of decent chances, but failed to turn them into goals, leaving Egypt scoreless now in its last three World Cup outings. GAME PREDICTION: Russia five-goal thrashing of Saudi Arabia on the opening night of 2018 FIFA World Cup was definitely impressive. That, however, was in no small part helped by a tragic display of their opponents, who looked out of breath, form and any kind of motivation. It will not be the case with Egypt, who had a strong game against Uruguay and are more than likely to finally field Mohamed Salah - their current squad's top goalscorer. Russia will be going into this game with a lot of confidence, but do not underestimate the Pharaohs, for whom this one will be like a Final. Egypt has failed to win for seven straight contests (D3 L4), but hasn't played as important a game as this one for quite a while now. 4CORRECT SCORE OF 1-1 (+390) 4DRAW (+210) 4MOHAMED SALAH TO SCORE ANYTIME (+155) 4 UNDER 2.5 GOALS (-200)

9 WEDNESDAY, 20 JUNE, :00 AM ET LUZHNIKI STADIUM, MOSCOW BADLY NEEDING A WIN, MOROCCO (41ST IN FIFA WORLD RANKINGS) IS ABOUT TO FACE THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS PORTUGAL (4TH IN THE WORLD), WHO - THANKS TO CRISTIANO RONALDO - MANAGED TO DRAW AGAINST SPAIN IN THEIR WORLD CUP OPENER Portugal Makes A Statement Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up big time in Portugal's opening clash of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, bagging a hat trick to help his national side to a well-deserved 3-3 draw against Spain at Fisht Stadium in Sochi on Friday. At 33 years and 130 days, Ronaldo became the oldest player to net three times in a single game in World Cup history, the fourth (behind Germany's Miroslav Klose and Uwe Seeler as well as Brazil's Pele) to find the back of the net in four separate World Cups and the first ever to score in eight (!) consecutive major tournaments, dating back to UEFA Euro Ronaldo notched a game-high four shots, three - on goal, and won five aerial duels, completing an incredible 94.4% of all his passes. The Real Madrid marksman, who netted 43 goals for his club team this season, opened the scoring from the penalty spot four minutes into the game before giving Portugal a 2-1 lead with one minute remaining in the first half. After Spain regained the control of the contest with two strikes in a matter of three minutes in the following frame, Ronaldo buried a trademark free-kick with two minutes left on the clock, scoring just his sixth strike in 14 World Cup outings. During a game, in which Spain dominated in ball possession (67%-33%), total shots (13-9) and shots on goal (6-3), the Portuguese couldn't have hoped for a better outcome. Morocco's Luck Has Ran Out Returning to the World Cup for the first time in 20 years, Morocco was dealt the heartbreak of all heartbreaks after losing their opening clash of the current tournament with a score of 1-0 due to a late own goal against Iran at Saint Petersburg Stadium in St. Petersburg on Friday. Aziz Bouhaddouz (St. Pauli), who came on as a second-half substitute, scored a diving header into his own net after Team Melli earned a free-kick deep into the added time, becoming just the third substitute in World Cup history to net an own-goal. Prior to that, Morocco had 68% of ball possession and registered 13 shot attempts, with three of them finding the target, but never crossing the line. Amine Harit (Schalke 04), Hakim Ziyech (Ajax), Younes Belhanda (Galatasaray) and Ayoub El Kaabi (RS Berkane) all had decent chances in the first half to open the scoring for Atlas Lions, who lost for the first time in their past 19 outings (W14 D4 L1). Captain Mehdi Benatia (Juventus) was particularly impressive at the heart of Morocco's defense, registering three clearances, one blocked shot, a shot on goal and a game-high 92 passes. His hard work, though, didn't bear any fruits, as Morocco was faced with its second fiasco in a matter of three days after King Mohammed VI also failed in his bid to host the World Cup in 2026 on Wednesday. GAME PREDICTION: On a soccer field, there is no one more dangerous than an in-form Cristiano Ronaldo. And it looks like the 33-year-old is about to have one hell of a tournament. He has not particularly excelled in his previous three World Cups, but if the performance against Spain is anything to go by, you can expect Portugal to be way more aggressive than it was during the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament, which the team eventually won. Nothing but a victory will do for Morocco in this game, following their shock defeat against Iran in their opening fixture, so expect the Atlas Lions approach this outing with a more attacking mindset, which will be great news for the Portuguese, who - with Ronaldo orchestrating the proceedings - can be absolutely deadly on the counter-attack. 4PORTUGAL TO WIN AND OVER 1.5 GOALS (-120) 4PORTUGAL TO WIN (-180) 4 CRISTIANO RONALDO TO SCORE ANYTIME (NOT YET AVAILABLE) 4CRISTIANO RONALDO TO SCORE 2 OR MORE GOALS

10 WEDNESDAY, 20 JUNE, :00 AM ET ROSTOV ARENA, ROSTOV-ON-DON A LAST-GASP WINNER VERSUS EGYPT BRINGS URUGUAY (14TH IN FIFA WORLD RANKINGS) TO ITS SECOND OUTING OF THE 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP, WITH OPPOSING SAUDI ARABIA (67TH IN THE WORLD) HAVING JUST BEEN THRASHED BY HOSTS RUSSIA Uruguay Gets Saved By Gimenez After much frustration throughout 89 minutes, Uruguay still managed to start its 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign with a victory, beating Egypt 1-0 due to a late set-piece goal at Ekaterinburg Arena in Ekaterinburg on Friday. After finding the back of the net in his national team's very last friendly against Uzbekistan on June 7, central defender Jose Gimenez (Atletico Madrid) scored for the second consecutive game, heading home La Celeste's winner on the 89th minute after a perfect free-kick delivery by Carlos Sanchez (Monterrey), thus giving Uruguay its first World Cup openingmatch win since On top of his goal, Gimenez also made three tackles as well as eight interceptions and clearances, keeping a fairly active Egypt team at bay. With their scoring leader Mohamed Salah not leaving the bench, the Pharaohs failed to create anything worth a mention offensively, while Uruguay's Luis Suarez, making his 99th appearance for his national side, squandered FOUR (!) sure-fire scoring chances, including a point-blank opportunity in front of an open net midway through the first half. Edinson Cavani led Uruguay with two shots on goal from five attempts and came close to scoring himself, hitting the inside of Egypt's goal-post in the second half from a free-kick 25 yards out. Saudi Arabia Gets Humiliated By Russia Saudi Arabia's return to the biggest stage of world soccer since 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany turned into an absolute disaster, as hosts Russia dismantled them with a count of 5-0 at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Thursday. The Green Falcons failed to win in the World Cup for the 11th consecutive time (D2 L9) and have now gone W2 D2 L10 in all of their previous said tournament games in total. Sloppiness, individual mistakes and apparent lack of physical strength and stamina, most probably caused by the team's fasting during Ramadan, saw Saudi Arabia encounter the biggest World Cup opening-match defeat since 1934, when USA were thrashed by Italy with a score of 7-1. Although enjoying 61% of ball possession and 86% of pass accuracy, the Green Falcons still managed just six shots in total (compared to Russia's 14), with Mohammad Al-Sahlawi (Al-Nassr), who led his team's qualifying campaign with 16 goals, heading wide in a rare danger-moment for the Saudis in the first half. Russia, meanwhile, scored twice in the the opening 45 minutes, adding another strike midway through the second frame, with another couple of goals being buried after the 90-minute mark. Two of the five strikes, that Saudi Arabia gave up, came after crosses, leaving the team with 14 conceded headers at the World Cup stage since its debut in the most by any national side during that stretch. GAME PREDICTION: It might seem unusual, but Uruguay has not managed to win neither of its two previous outings against Saudi Arabia, both friendlies, losing 3-2 in 2002 before registering a 1-1 tie in That, however, is about to change. The Green Falcons were terrible in their opening fixture against Russia, allowing a total of five goals, and are about to meet an even better offensive side, which was simply unlucky not to net five goals past Egypt in its previous fixture, with Luis Suarez having a particularly frustrating day. For the Saudis, this potentially could turn out into an even more embarrassing carnage. 4OVER 2.5 GOALS (-200) 4URUGUAY CLEAN SHEET (-220) 4EDINSON CAVANI TO SCORE ANYTIME (-220) 4LUIS SUAREZ TO SCORE ANYTIME (-220) 4URUGUAY TO WIN (-715)

11 WEDNESDAY, 20 JUNE, :00 PM ET KAZAN ARENA, KAZAN A SURPRISE VICTORY VERSUS MOROCCO TAKES IRAN (37TH IN FIFA WORLD RANKINGS) TO ITS SECOND GROUP STAGE OUTING IN THE 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP, WITH SPAIN (10TH IN THE WORLD) STANDING IN THE WAY FOLLOWING A DRAMATIC DRAW WITH PORTUGAL Iran Delivers A Stunner Iran will still be pinching itself after notching a shock last-minute 1-0 victory against Morocco, which scored into its own net late in injury time to grant Team Melli its first win on the World Cup stage in 20 years at Saint Petersburg Stadium in St. Petersburg on Friday. Ahead of the contest, Iran had carved out just a single triumph on its previous four World Cup appearances (W1 D3 L8) and had managed to keep just a single clean sheet. A free-kick by left-back Ehsan Haji Safi (Olympiacos) found its way into Morocco's net on the 95th minute, making Iran the first team since 1966 to score a goal in a World Cup period without attempting a single shot. All nine shots, that Team Melli provided, were struck in the first half, with Alireza Jahanbakhsh (AZ Alkmaar) and Sardar Azmoun (Rubin Kazan) recording a shot on goal each. Goalie Ali Beiranvand (Persepolis) made three saves, including a crucial one at the start of the contest, when Morocco had two opportunities to score during a scramble right in front of the net. Jahanbakhsh, meanwhile, made a team-high four tackles, Vahid Amiri (Persepolis) registered three interceptions, while Morteza Pouraliganji (Al- Sadd) and Ramin Rezaeian (Oostende) made four clearances each. The victory came just three days after Nike disrupted Iran's preparations for the tournament after refusing to supply the team with boots due to new US sanctions. Spain Fails To Win Versus Portugal A week, which started on a downbeat note for the Spanish national soccer team, finished with more drama, as La Furia Roja managed to squeeze out just a single point in their 2018 FIFA World Cup opener, drawing 3-3 with Portugal at Fisht Stadium in Sochi on Friday. Spain controlled 67% of ball possession, had four more shots than their opponent (13-9) and half as many attempts on target (6-3), but a brilliant showing by Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored a hat trick, left the Spaniards without an opening-match victory in the World Cup for the 11th time (W2 D4 L7). Playing just two days after the Spanish football federation sacked head coach Julen Lopetegui after he agreed to manage Real Madrid next season without their knowledge, the team had to battle back from 1-0 and 2-1 first-half deficits before right-back Nacho (Real Madrid) gave La Furia Roja a 3-2 lead with half an hour remaining, only for Ronaldo to equalize with a stunning free kick two minutes from added time. Striker Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid) was in fiery form, finding the back of the net twice, while Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) recorded an assist. It was, however, a frustrating night for goalie David de Gea (Manchester United), whose blunder on a long-range effort by Ronaldo gifted the Portuguese their second goal. GAME PREDICTION: Iran is coming into the fixture against Spain, unexpectedly leading Group B. It still does remain, though, the relatively worst team in the group, with Morocco, its opponent in the previous game, being the architect of its own downfall. A lot of luck came hand in hand with Iran's solid defensive work in Friday's 1-0 win. But don't expect any miracles against the Spaniards, who themselves showed a very decent performance versus Portugal, with striker Diego Costa looking particularly lethal at the top of the team's offensive system. After a disappointing draw in their previous contest, Spain will be keen to bag all three points this time around. 4SPAIN TO WIN WITH A CORRECT SCORE OF 3-0 (+365) OR 4-0 (+600) 4OVER 2.5 GOALS (-145) 4SPAIN TO WIN (-625) 4DIEGO COSTA TO SCORE ANYTIME (NOT YET AVAILABLE)

12 Denmark Squeezes Past Peru THURSDAY, 21 JUNE, :00 AM ET SAMARA ARENA, SAMARA HAVING BEATEN PERU IN THE FIRST OUTING OF THEIR 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN, DENMARK (12TH IN FIFA WORLD RANKINGS) IS HOPING TO GATHER MORE POINTS WHILE FACING OFF AGAINST AUSTRALIA (36TH IN THE WORLD) Australia Looks Good Versus France Denmark posted its fourth opening-game victory in its last five World Cup appearances after kicking off the current campaign with a hardfought 1-0 win against Peru at Mordovia Arena in Saransk on Saturday. The Danes were outshot 17-10, with their opponents posting twice as many shots on target (6-3), as Thomas Delaney (Borussia Dortmund) recorded Denmark's first attempt at the 27thminute mark in the first half, with Lasse Schone (Ajax) notching the team's first shot on goal 39 minutes after the start of the game. It was Yussuf Yurary Poulsen (RB Leipzig), though, who netted the winner 15 minutes into the second half after Peru missed a penalty he conceded at the end of the first period. Christian Eriksen, who collected 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions for Tottenham Hotspur this season, provided the helper to Poulsen, further registering three attempts, one shot on goal and three key passes. He has now been involved in 17 goals for Denmark in his last 14 international appearances, netting 12 snipes himself, while assisting on further five. Goalie Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City), meanwhile, made a total of six saves, recording his fifth consecutive clean sheet for Denmark, going 534 minutes without conceding a goal on international duty. Pretty impressive, that! The 2018 FIFA World Cup started with a defeat for Australia, which dropped a 2-1 decision against France at Kazan Arena in Kazan on Saturday. Video assistant referee (VAR) and goal-line technology dominated the proceedings in the second half, when both teams netted a penalty each, awarded after video reviews, while France's subsequent winner with nine minutes remaining before the added time stood following a video confirmation that is crossed the goal-line. Australia captain Mile Jedinak (Aston Villa) converted from the penalty spot after France's Samuel Umtiti handled the ball in his own box just four minutes after Les Bleus opened the scoring with their own spot kick following a challenge by Josh Risdon (Western Sydney Wanderers) on Antoine Griezmann. Despite losing their fourth World Cup opening game in five previous tries, the Socceroos still showed some compact defending, with Jedinak and Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town) keeping things under control in the midfield. Mooy was particularly impressive, registering a team-high 79 touches, two key passes, five tackles and three interceptions. Risdon, Mark Milligan (Al-Ahli) and Trent Sainsbury (Grasshopper) kept things tight at the back, combining for 26 clearances and four interceptions, while goalie Mathew Ryan (Brighton & Hove Albion) made a total of four saves, all in the first eight minutes of the game. GAME PREDICTION: When coach Bert van Marwijk, who qualified Saudi Arabia for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, took over Australia in January, it really didn't seem he would be able to infuse any breath of fresh air in a squad still quite reliant on its veterans. And while the Socceroos' record under him (W2 D1 L2) is nothing exceptional, the team still has been playing pretty decent, competitive game and has, in fact, scored in four of its last five overall fixtures, with the only exception being a 0-0 draw against Colombia. Denmark is still the better team and ultimately should notch another win here against the Australians it has already beaten on two of the past three occasions (W2 L1). It will, however, not be easy. 4DENMARK TO WIN (-120) 4BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE (+110) 4OVER 2.5 GOALS (+130)

13 France Gets Job Done THURSDAY, 21 JUNE, :00 AM ET EKATERINBURG ARENA, EKATERINBURG A NARROW VICTORY AGAINST AUSTRALIA BRINGS FRANCE (7TH IN FIFA WORLD RANKINGS) TO THE SECOND OUTING OF THEIR CURRENT WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN, WITH RESILIENT PERU (11TH IN THE WORLD) PROVIDING TOUGH OPPOSITION Peru Impresses, But Loses It wasn't too pretty, but France still managed to win its opening outing of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, beating Australia with a count of 2-1 at Kazan Arena in Kazan on Saturday. Paul Pogba (Manchester United) turned out to be the hero of the day, scoring the winning strike with nine minutes remaining before the added time, impressively converting off the crossbar just inches over the line. Some 23 minutes earlier, Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) buried a penalty, netting the first World Cup goal directly influenced by video assistant referee (VAR), while another such spot kick was scored just four minutes later by the Socceroos after Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona) was penalized for a hand-ball in his own box. Despite outshooting the Australians 13-6 with a 6-1 edge in shots on goal, Les Bleus failed to live up to their offensive potential, with both Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona) being substituted after the 69th minute mark. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain), at 19 years of age being the youngest Frenchman to play in a major tournament, was probably the best attacking player for France, notching four dribbles, a shot on goal and two key passes. Olivier Giroud (Chelsea), who came in for Griezmann for the last 20 minutes of the game, collected an assist on Pogba's winner. Returning to the World Cup after 36-year absence, Peru squandered an excellent chance to start its newest campaign with a victory, being edged out by Denmark with a score of 1-0 at Mordovia Arena in Saransk on Saturday. La Blanquirroja had 53% of ball possession, 17 shot attempts (compared to Denmark's 10) and six shots on target, but failed to bury either of them, most notably a first-half penalty, which, after being awarded following a VAR decision, was hit over the crossbar by Christian Cueva (Sao Paulo), who led the team with four key passes. The Danes scored 14 minutes into the second period on a rare counterattack after Peru held them without a shot for 27 minutes in the first half, allowing their first shot on goal just six minutes before half time. While arguably being the best of two sides, buoyed by 40,000 traveling fans, La Blanquirroja had a frustrating evening, with Edison Flores (AaB) and Jefferson Farfan (Lokomotiv Moscow) both having good chances to score. Captain Paolo Guerrero, who came on as a 62ndminute substitute after traveling to Russia following a decision in Swiss court to freeze his 14-month doping ban, almost equalized with a neat backheel shot, only to see the ball go inches wide. The defeat now leaves Peru without a World Cup victory for seven straight games (D2 L5), with their last win being a 4-1 decision against Iran in GAME PREDICTION: Despite the result, France's performance against Australia was a disappointment. Les Bleus seemed uninterested, lacked an offensive drive and were quite lucky to snatch a win. Peru, on the other hand, impressed against Denmark, playing with purpose, urgency and heart, and would have beaten the Danes in nine of 10 similar games. France has been known lately to switch off during contests it thinks it should win easily and could, quite realistically, be given a reality check in this one, especially knowing Peru has already managed to beat Les Bleus previously, edging them out with a 1-0 score back in DOUBLE CHANCE (PERU WIN/DRAW) (+120) 4DRAW NO BET - PERU (+360) 4BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE (-105)

14 THURSDAY, 21 JUNE, :00 PM ET NIZHNY NOVGOROD STADIUM, NIZHNY NOVGOROD FOLLOWING A TRAGIC DRAW AGAINST ICELAND, ARGENTINA (5TH IN FIFA WORLD RANKINGS) WILL TRY TO GET ITS CURRENT WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN BACK ON TRACK WHILE MEETING CROATIA (20TH IN THE WORLD), WHICH JUST MANAGED TO BEAT NIGERIA Argentina Gets Held By Iceland Argentina was left ruing missed chances in the first outing of its 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign after managing to muster just a 1-1 draw against the tournament newcomers Iceland at Spartak Stadium in Moscow on Saturday. Just one day after his old foe Cristiano Ronaldo shook the current competition with an incredible hat trick against Spain, La Albiceleste captain Lionel Messi (Barcelona) had a nightmare of a game, failing to channel any inspiration across to his teammates and missing a poorly-taken penalty shot in the second period, registering his fourth fiasco from the spot on his last seven attempts for club and country, excluding shootouts. Messi recorded a total of 11 shot attempts - the most by any player without finding the back of the net during the World Cup in the last 48 years. He had a team-high three shots on goal and provided three key passes, with only Maximiliano Meza (Independiente) notching more (5). Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), meanwhile, netted the only strike for Argentina, scoring just four minutes before Iceland equalized midway through the first period. La Albiceleste finished the game with 78% of ball possession, 27 attempts and seven shots on goal, but with many question marks lingering over its flimsy defense and ability to perform when under pressure. Croatia Slithers Past Nigeria Although hardly impressing as much as it did two years ago during the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament in France, Croatia still managed to sneak to the top of Group D after a 2-0 victory over Nigeria at Kaliningrad Stadium in Kaliningrad on Saturday. After opening their previous World Cup campaign four years ago with an own goal by Brazil's Marcelo, the Vatreni saw another own goal by their opponents kick off their current competition, as Nigeria's Oghenekaro Etebo directed a corner kick by Luca Modric (Real Madrid) into his own net after the ball bounced off the heads of Ante Rebic (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Mario Mandzukic (Juventus) straight into him. Modric, who for a while now has been his country's public enemy number one following his involvement in a tax fraud trial of a senior Croatian soccer official, got on the scoreboard later on himself as well, slotting home a penalty on the 71st minute. Incredibly, it was only one of two Croatia's shots on goal during the whole contest, with neither team managing one until the 59th minute. Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid), who came on as a 77th-minute substitute, notched the other shot on goal, while Mandzukic and Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) stood out with a team-high three key passes each. Overall, though, Croatia was lucky to get away with a win in what was largely a very poor showing. GAME PREDICTION: Despite some considerable effort, Argentina failed to get all three points from Iceland in its opening game of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and now faces extra pressure to deliver against Croatia, which has taken the top spot in Group D after an uneventful victory against Nigeria. Luca Modric and Ivan Rakitic were excellent in the middle of the park for the Vatreni, but the team will need to step up considerably on the offensive front if it stands any chance against La Albiceleste, which has already notched two victories in the last four meetings with Croatia (W2 D1 L1), including a 1-0 triumph in the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. 4ARGENTINA TO WIN (-105) 4OVER 2.5 GOALS (+120) 4BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE (+100) 4LIONEL MESSI TO SCORE ANYTIME (NOT YET AVAILABLE)