The stage is set for the World Cup Semifinals with Argentina taking on Croatia in the first of the two matches. Croatia returns to the semifinals for the second consecutive World Cup after losing to France during the 2018 finals.
This will be a battle of the previous two runner-ups.
This is Argentina’s first Semifinal appearance since losing to Germany during the 2014 World Cup Finals and they will be looking for their first World Cup Title since 1986.
Will Lionel Messi finally return to the World Cup Final? Can Croatia repeat their performance from 2018?
Let’s dive in on the odds and best bets for this Semifinal showdown between Argentina and Croatia.
Argentina vs Croatia Odds
- 3-Way Handicap: Argentina (-125) | Draw (+240) | Croatia (+370)
- Draw No Bet: Argentina (-320) | Croatia (+240)
- Over/Under Goals: Over 2.5 (+150) | Under 2.5 (-190)
- To Qualify: Argentina (-275) | Croatia (+210)
- Both Teams to Score: Yes (+127) | No (-165)
Argentina vs Croatia odds are current as of 10 a.m. EST on Monday, Dec. 12, at Caesars Sportsbook.
The oddsmakers have Argentina as considerable favorites at -275 to advance to the finals, but you definitely cannot count out this Croatian side. They battled against Belgium to qualify out of the group and knocked out tournament favorites Brazil in the quarterfinals.
This will be a close game and could take more than 90 minutes to decide.
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Argentina vs Croatia Prediction
Argentina 2-1 Croatia AET
Croatia entered this World Cup with almost the same lineup they went to the finals with in 2018 but were overlooked. This is a team that does not quit and are proving all the doubters, including myself, wrong at this World Cup.
The stars have all aligned for Messi to win his first World Cup as the powerhouse teams such as Brazil, Spain, Germany, and Portugal have all been eliminated and won’t have to face off against Argentina.
All three of Croatia’s knockout round matches at the 2018 World Cup before the finals went into extra time with two ending in a penalty shootout. They are repeating that path with their first two matches of this World Cup also going the distance to a penalty shootout.
This match will not be decided in the 90 minutes but the edge goes to Argentina, who will grind out the victory in extra time.
Argentina vs Croatia Betting Tips
Fatigue might play a role in this match as both nations went to a penalty shootout in their quarterfinals matchup. Croatia scored in the 117th minute against Brazil to force penalties and Argentina let up a two-goal lead late against the Netherlands forcing them to play the extra 30 minutes.
This will be a physical game with goals coming at a premium with how stout the Croatian defense has been at this World Cup. They kept Brazil scoreless for 90 minutes and are always looking to attack down the wings on a counterattack.
Ivan Perišić has been the best player for Croatia at this tournament, and it seems like even at 37 years old, Luka Modrić is still one of the best midfielders in the World.
It will be interesting to see how Argentina lines up in this match but I suspect it will be the same as their starting 11 against the Netherlands. Their manager changed his tactics and started two wingbacks against the Dutch to combat their counterattack and could decide to do that against Croatia.
This is the third meeting between the two nations at the World Cup with Argentina winning the first match 1-0 in 1998 and Croatia winning 3-0 during the group stages of the 2018 World Cup.
Argentina vs Croatia Best Bets
Both Teams to Score (+127) at Caesars Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
Argentina has immense talent on the offensive side of the ball that can create quality goal-scoring opportunities and will be able to break down the Croatian defense, especially with Messi over the ball. Messi has the assist of the tournament during the quarterfinals and his vision will be the key component in this match.
We saw late in the Argentina vs Netherlands match the vulnerability of the Argentine defense conceding two goals after the 83rd minute. Croatia can take advantage on set pieces with their size and have strikers on the bench such as Ante Budimir who will pose an aerial threat.
