Given the heft of the Belgium national team, the 1-0 scoreline alone reflects favourably on Canada. Then, when you consider the performance, it was a rather good showing from Les Rouges.
Next, they face Croatia on Sunday, November 27 at 11 am ET (8 am PT), who also failed to score in their opening game. Will Canada finally be able to net a goal at the FIFA World Cup?
Here’s what the World Cup odds say for Canada vs Croatia.
Canada vs Croatia World Cup odds:
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Tie No Bet Canada +140, Croatia -200
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Under 2.5 Goals -150
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Jonathan David to Score Anytime +260
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Ivan Perišić to Score Anytime +250
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Canada Over 0.5 Goals -222
Read on for the full Canada vs Croatia preview and how the odds are leaning for this Group F clash.
Canada Did Everything but Score Against Belgium
John Herdman’s team really took it to Belgium, closing down spaces, attacking the ball carriers, and putting plenty of passes and crosses into the box.
Pressing all over the field, they even managed to keep the great Kevin De Bruyne under wraps for most of the contest, and breaking away with pace and drive opened up a hatful of opportunities for Canada.
From several very close penalty shouts, Canada won the clear-cut spot kick, but Thibaut Courtois – who stood on his head to get Belgium the win – dove low and to his right to stop Alphonso Davies’ attempt.
Canada created so many chances, with the glut of them falling to Jonathan David, and mostly in the box, but none of his seven shots found the back of the net, and many were off target.
On the flip side, Belgium’s goal exposed the weakness in Herdman’s high-pressure strategies. With a high line and comparatively immobile centre-backs, a direct cross from deep landed perfectly for Michy Batshuayi to tuck away the only goal of the game.
Croatia found themselves against a rather lively and stout Morocco side, just about managing to fire five shots all match. They played a strong possession game in midfield, but only winger Ivan Perišić consistently proved a threat going forward.
Goalie Dominik Livaković looked assured in goal, but wasn’t really tested. A lot of the credit here goes to the aggressive centre-back pairing of Dejan Lovren and Joško Gvardiol.
The veteran, Lovren, crunched in the tackles, while the younger Gvardiol often found himself picking apart pass attempts and getting involved in the possession play a bit higher up the field.
Neither side managed to score in their opening 2022 World Cup games, but coming into Canada vs Croatia, Les Rouges did put in a better performance. However, one couldn’t nestle away chances, while the other didn’t create many at all.
This is likely why the under 2.5 goals odds sit at a favourable -150. That said, at least two are expected, with under 1.5 goals at +205. Importantly for Canada, the North American team to score over 0.5 goals is at -222.
By The Numbers 📊
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) November 23, 2022
Canada fall to Belgium 1-0 after a gutsy and impressive performance in our opening @FIFAWorldCup match.#WeCAN pic.twitter.com/eMaFEMZvPX
How Will Canada vs Croatia Play Out?
Drawing from the opening matches, Canada can create plenty of opportunities with the lesser share of possession, while Croatia can struggle to create chances against low-lying defences even with most of the ball.
As it worked so well against Belgium, Herdman will likely demand more high-tempo attacks, a high press, but will maybe ask the backline to sit a little bit deeper.
After all, Croatia’s left winger, Perišić, is very quick off the mark, and each of Croatia’s central midfielders is a classy playmaker – particularly Luka Modrić.
Still, as Belgium found, Canada will mob these midfielders, making key passes tough to play. If anyone’s to break beyond Canada’s lines, though, it looks to be Perišić at +250 to score anytime.
Croatia’s forwards had a lacklustre game against a stubborn Morocco side: the attackers of the Kackasti are far better than what was displayed in the last match.
So, it’ll be worth seeing how the odds when betting online swing after the opening phases. Croatia may have just shed some rust and aim to be much more attacking against Canada.
Going forward for Canada, Jonathan David often found himself in space and with the ball in the box. Arguably, Croatia’s centre-backs pose more of a brick wall than Belgium’s, but they’ll still find it tough to contain David.
Add in the quick-turn playmaking of Stephen Eustáquio along with the speedy persistence of Tajon Buchanan and likely Cyle Larin from just behind, and David looks to see the ball enough to make good on his +260 odds to score anytime.
Croatia will see the Morocco game as two lost points, knowing that they need to win Canada vs Croatia or risk Morocco getting out with Belgium if they beat Canada.
Canada doesn’t have anything to lose and will play like it again, going full-throttle to unbalance the core of Croatia’s tactics: its midfield. Still, Croatia are favoured at -200 in tie no bet markets.
The Belgium game will give the Canada faithful plenty of hope in Canada vs Croatia, but the European heavyweights shouldn’t be underestimated – even after a lacklustre start to the 2022 World Cup.
*Credit for all images in this article belongs to AP Photo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 25th November 2022
