The 2022 World Cup is almost done, as there are just two things left to decide after four weeks and 62 soccer matches involving 32 countries. Of course, the first one is who will win the world championship on Sunday - Argentina or France? The second is who will win the bronze medal 24 hours earlier: Croatia or Morocco?
Let’s take a closer look at Saturday’s match for third place.
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
2022 World Cup Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (12/17)
Croatia vs. Morocco (Khalifa International Stadium, Doha; 10 a.m.)
The third-place play-off is not popular with everyone, as it has previously been characterized as a time waster, especially when it was played out between two teams with goals of winning the championship. But this time, things are a little different.
Because neither Croatia nor Morocco were predicted to advance past the semifinals, they will be less disappointed than Argentina or France to be playing in the tournament’s second-to-last game.
This winter, Morocco made history by becoming the first African nation to go to the World Cup semifinals. They accomplished this in outstanding style, coming out on top of a challenging group ahead of Croatia, Belgium and Canada. They then shocked Spain and Portugal in the knockout round.
On Wednesday, the defending champions France defeated Walid Regragui’s team 2-0, ending their epic journey. Although it was a fairly competitive game, and the French were not completely in control until they scored the second goal in the 79th minute, Morocco did not embarrass themselves.
Morocco will now be driven to win the third-place play-off to cap off their campaign on a positive note. Although this team’s injuries have started to take a toll, the Atlas Lions will persevere for one final effort at the Khalifa International Stadium.
Croatia may find it a bit more difficult to proceed after their defeat to Argentina. Croatia ultimately failed in their attempt to make a second straight World Cup final. Despite having a strong first half against Argentina in their semifinal match, Croatia could not overcome a Lionel Messi penalty and promptly gave up a second goal.
Croatia’s campaign offered plenty of opportunities for Zlatko Dalic to learn as the country of fewer than four million people once again outperformed its size. As things are, the manager’s long-term prospects are uncertain, but for the time being, he will be concerned with trying to finish the tournament on a high note.
I like for Morocco to steal this one, adding one final clean sheet to their legendary World Cup run.
Pick: Morocco (+200)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts
Whether you're new to sports betting or a betting pro, our How To Bet and Sports Betting Strategy and Advice pages are for you. You can get started with our How To Section - including How to Avoid the 7 Biggest Sports Betting Mistakes - or head to a more advanced strategy - like Thinking Like an Expert Sports Bettor - to learn more.
Johnny is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Johnny, check out his free UFC picks newsletter and follow him @JohnnyCovers.