Argentina vs Netherlands Tips: Betting Odds, Preview & Predictions For QF Match
Argentina vs Netherlands Predictions:
- Both Teams To Score - Evens With Ladbrokes
- Cody Gakpo To Score Anytime - 7/2 With Bet UK
- Argentina To Win - 5/4 With 10Bet
The World Cup 2022 quarter-finals begin on Friday, with the Netherlands and Argentina set to go head-to-head in the evening at 7pm.
Betting sites anticipate a close encounter, with the South Americans the clear favourites to triumph.
The Dutch booked their spot in the last eight by finishing top of Group A, ahead of Senegal, Ecuador and Qatar.
The Netherlands then ran out 3-1 winners against the United States in the round of 16, reaching the quarters for the third time in the last four World Cups.
Argentina were stunned by Saudi Arabia in their first match in Qatar, but they have bounced back impressively since.
Victories over Mexico and Poland saw them win Group C, before Lionel Messi inspired his country to a 2-1 triumph over Australia last weekend.
Who will come out on top at the Lusail Iconic Stadium? Read on for our betting preview of what could be a fascinating match.
Expect Attack Talent On Both Sides To Shine
The last time these two teams faced off, there were no goals after 120 minutes and Argentina scraped through on penalties.
That was in the semi-finals of World Cup 2014; eight-and-a-half years later, there is reason to believe this will be a more exciting contest.
A lack of preparation time ahead of this tournament was held up as one reason for some cagey encounters in the group phase, but the eight remaining quarter-final teams will have had four games together now in Qatar.
Given that this World Cup is not taking place at the end of a long, gruelling domestic season, there is hope that fresher bodies and minds could produce an entertaining climax with just over a week to go.
There will certainly be ample attacking talent on the pitch on Friday evening as these World Cup betting favourites go head-to-head.
The return to full fitness of Memphis Depay is a huge boost for the Dutch, who look like a much more coherent outfit with the Barcelona forward in the team.
Depay helps to connect this Netherlands side, who scored three goals against the USA with him at the heart of their attack.
As for Argentina, Lionel Scaloni has settled on a new structure with Lionel Messi as a false nine and Julian Alvarez as a narrow right-sided forward.
The system worked well against Australia last time out, when the Albiceleste really should have scored more than two goals.
Back both teams to find the back of the net here, it’s available at Evens with World Cup betting sites.
Tip: Both Teams To Score - Evens With Ladbrokes
Ignore Messi And Back Gakpo To Score
Lionel Messi was superb against both Poland and Australia recently.
He does not have the burst of acceleration that regularly took him away from defenders in his prime, but the 35-year-old showed in both games that his close control and trickery have not deserted him.
He also possesses the ability to cut through opposition backlines with his razor-sharp passing.
With the Netherlands much tougher opposition than Australia, we will probably see Messi primarily involved in deeper areas here.
That would give Argentina the opportunity to overload the Netherlands in midfield, with Van Gaal set to stick with the 3-4-1-2 formation he has used throughout the competition.
With three goals in four appearances, Cody Gakpo has been one of the stars of the World Cup so far.
At 7/2, he looks like the best choice to find the net anytime, a market in which football betting sites unsurprisingly make Messi the favourite at 7/4.
Gakpo could either partner Depay in the front two or start as an attacking midfielder behind the Barcelona man and Steven Bergwijn.
Either way, he will get himself into scoring positions and pose a threat to an Argentina defence that, despite two clean sheets in their last three matches, can still be got at.
Tip: Cody Gakpo To Score Anytime - 7/2 With Bet UK
Back Argentina To Get Job Done
Argentina deserve their status as favourites on betting apps but these two teams are pretty evenly matched.
The Netherlands might not have set the World Cup alight up to now, but they were impressive in a controlled and measured way against the USA.
Knowing that their opponents wanted to make the game open and high-paced, the Dutch did the opposite and reaped the rewards.
With Depay back in the starting XI, Frenkie de Jong pulling strings in midfield and Gakpo in fine scoring form, the Netherlands will be quietly confident of an underdog triumph.
However, just like the odds on new betting sites, we fancy Argentina to just about edge them out.
Scaloni’s side made a disastrous start to the tournament, but they have recovered really well and seem to be getting better with each passing game.
A new-look midfield trio of Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez and Rodrigo De Paul has a lovely balance to it, and Messi looks like he is in the zone right now.
More than anything else, it is the 35-year-old’s genius that gives Argentina the edge. Back them to come out on top at a best price of 5/4 with 10Bet.
Tip: Argentina To Win - 5/4 With 10Bet
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