France vs. Morocco 2022 World Cup Semifinal Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (12/14)
The semi-final round concludes on Wednesday as Morocco attempts to keep its Cinderella run alive. This will be their toughest test yet as they're tasked with taking on a French side that's on a mission to repeat as World Cup champions.
Below I've listed my best bet for this semi-final showdown in Qatar. Let's get into it!
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
France vs. Morocco 2022 World Cup Semifinal Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (12/14)
France vs. Morocco (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; 10 p.m.)
Morocco became the first African team in World Cup history to reach the semi-finals when they topped Portugal 1-0 on Saturday. The clean sweep victory shouldn't be considered an anomaly at this point as the Moroccans have allowed just one goal over five matches thus far. Their defense and timely goalkeeping from Bono (Sevilla) has been the difference-maker in this World Cup run.
As for France, they've made things look extremely easy through the first five matches. They're 4-0-1 with a +6 goal differential, and the lone loss came when they rolled out a lineup featuring nine new starters in the final group stage match. I'm a little shocked at their dominance solely based on the injuries they faced coming into the tournament. With Paul Pogba (Juventus), N'Golo Kante (Chelsea), and Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) all sidelined, I thought the French side may get exposed in the later rounds of the World Cup. However, that hasn't been the case as Olivier Giroud (Milan) and Kylian Mbappé (PSG) have put the team on their backs and carried them into the semi-finals. The duo has combined for nine of France's 11 goals in the tournament and it looks like they're determined to break through for a second straight World Cup.
From a betting perspective, the oddsmakers see France as a -400 favorite to advance while Morocco comes back at +300 to make it to the final. The three-way moneyline has France at -190, Morocco at +650 and the draw comes in at +295. I have an eye on the total for this match and I'm going to lock in the under on 2.5 goals in regular time. Four of Morocco's five matches have stayed under three goals and three have stayed under two. Defense has been the path to victory for the African side and I expect them to have things tightened up in their half once again. Furthermore, their offense hasn't been overpowering as they've scored just five goals and have been shut out twice. Look for another low-scoring affair on Wednesday. Let's take the under.
Bet: Under 2.5 Goals (-160 via DraftKings)
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