Monster Weekend for the Americas as World Cup Knockout Round Begins
by Bovada Sportsbook Staff | June 27, 2014
It has been proven time and time again that European teams tend to dominate tournaments played in Europe, and South American teams do the same when soccer’s biggest event is held in the Americas. This weekend the knockout round begins, and the Americas dominate the landscape.
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Of the four games Saturday and Sunday in Brazil, teams from the Americas occupy six of the eight spots. Thus two of the four quarterfinal matches next weekend could only feature teams from the Americas, and that doesn’t even include the United States, which plays its knockout round on Tuesday.
On Saturday, the matchups are Brazil, still 3/1 to win the tournament, against Chile, and Colombia against Uruguay. The two winners will face off in the quarterfinals.
The Brazilians have looked the part of the favorites by winning Group A. They routed Croatia and Cameroon but tied Mexico in the group stage. Chile, 28/1 to win the World Cup, was the runner-up to the Netherlands in Group B. The Chileans lost 2-0 to the Dutch in the final group stage; a victory would have given them a chance to avoid Brazil. However, the Chileans also have an impressive 2-0 win over World No. 1 Spain on their resume.
Brazil is the favorite at -175 to win the match against Chile (+450), and a regulation draw is set at +330. Brazil has historically dominated Chile; they have not lost a match (10 victories, two draws) since 2000. Brazil is 3-0 against Chile all-time in the World Cup.
The chances of Uruguay upsetting
Colombia took a huge hit Thursday when FIFA banned the country’s superstar, Luis Suarez, from all international play for the next four months because he bit an Italian player in the final group stage match. Suarez is the third-best player in the world behind Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Suarez was the English Premier League Player of the Year this past season (his suspension drags into the start of that next season for Liverpool).
The line on the match was initially Colombia at even money and Uruguay (+290), but now the odds have moved to Colombia at -115 and Uruguay at +330. Uruguay has remained 33/1 to win the World Cup, but Colombia, the Group C winner, is now 16/1.
In Sunday’s first match, Mexico is the underdog at +260 against Group B winner the Netherlands (+105), which won all three group stage matches by a combined count of 10-3. The Dutch played their last match without a suspended Robin van Persie, the side’s best player, and he will return. He had three combined goals in the Netherlands’ first two matches. The Dutch have jumped to 15/2 to win the World Cup, while Mexico has moved from an opening 100/1 to 28/1.
The final match of the weekend features the two biggest surprises: Costa Rica and Greece. Costa Rica was the long shot just to qualify from Group D but won the "group of champions" that featured Uruguay, Italy and England. Costa Rica is the favorite at +155, and Greece (+190) is in the knockout round for the first time. Costa Rica is 40/1 to win the World Cup and Greece 80/1. The winner of that match faces the Netherlands-Mexico winner on July 5.
