USA v Belgium World Cup Odds Preview

Can the USA advance to the last eight of the World Cup, or will the Belgian greatest generation finally start to fulfil its promise? Ricky Rothstein previews the game at Salvador.

The USA’s draw in the so-called Group of Death did have one advantage – if the USA managed to survive, the game in the Round of Sixteen would be potentially easier than any game played in the Group itself.

And so it has come to pass. Jurgen Klinsmann’s USA team finds itself playing Belgium at Salvador as a +250 underdog, which will suit the USA just fine. Belgium is ranked fifth in the world and stormed through its qualifying group for the tournament, but the goals have dried up since the Belgians arrived in Brazil. That means there’s a real opportunity for the USA to make it to the last eight and after that – well, who knows?

Belgium was dominant in its qualifying group, winning eight games, tying two and losing none. It scored eighteen goals against four conceded, and has its best team since it finished third in the 1986 World Cup, twenty-eight years ago. It has a top-class goalkeeper in Thibaut Courtois, an outstanding central defender and captain in Vincent Kompany, and some of the greatest young creative talents in the game in De Bruyne, Lukaku, Hazard, Origi and more.

So why hasn’t Belgium scorched through Group H like the French scorched through Group E? Belgium has struggled in all its games, scoring only four goals against opposition that is not quite world class. Why have the goals dried up, in this World Cup that has been goals-a-go-go?

Goals came from everywhere for Belgium in qualifying, whereas now Belgium would be glad of a goal from anywhere to get some momentum going and fulfilling some very high expectations at home. The USA has no such worries.

Surviving the Group of Death, sending Portugal home, playing on in the World Cup while powerhouses like England, Italy and Spain have gone home – these are all major achievements for Team USA. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain when they face Belgium at high noon in Salvador.

Midfielder Michael Bradley said that the USA would do well because they could endure the most, which was an interesting insight into how German Klinsmann has made this team. Back in Germany Klinsmann is seen as one step away from a California beach boy but the relentless nature of the team, the level of organisation and the sheer will to win is German in every respect.

In a World Cup that has been so laden with goals, scoring opportunities are unlikely to abound at Salvador. The defenses on either side are that much better than the opposing attacks. A 0-0 draw at 13/2 (+650) may be the sharpest bet of the lot.