FIFA World Cup Group A Preview


Image result for fifa world cup 2018
The 2018 FIFA World Cup is finally here.  The World Cup is my favorite sporting event with all the anticipation it brings.  With the United States failing to qualify this year, there has not been quite as much hype on American broadcasting.  From a bettors view, not having a horse in the race makes you impartial for every single match without having bias get in the way.  If the United States would have qualified, I'm sure I would have put some money on them to win their group at the very least and I'm sure it would have cost me money.  I am going to breakdown each group and storylines to watch.  I am also going to provide betting insight to each Group Stage match.

Group A


Team
WC Winner
Group A Winner
To Advance
Not to Advance
Uruguay
+2800
-130
-600
+375
Russia
+4000
+180
-325
+230
Egypt
+15000
+550
+150
-200
Saudi Arabia
+1000000
+4000
+900
-2000


Injuries

Egypt
Mohamed Salah (Shoulder) - Questionable (Included in the Squad)
Mohamed Elneny (Ankle) - Probable (Included in the Squad)

Russia
Aleksandr Kokorin (Knee) - Doubtful (Out)
Georgi Dzhikiya (Knee) - Doubtful (Out)
Viktor Vasin (Knee) - Doubtful (Out)






Uruguay

I have Uruguay being far and away the best team in this subpar group.  Although Strikers Luis Suarez and Edison Cavani are getting up there in age, they are still high level players that the other teams in the group don't have at their disposal (other than Egypt's Mo Salah).  Pair the two up top with accomplished Center Backs Diego Godin and Jose Maria Gimenez and you have a team that can contend with anyone.  It will be interesting to see how the youth in the midfield performs as the rest of the team is a veteran unit.  
Image result for luis suarez uruguay
Uruguay's Striker Luis Suarez
Projected Lineup (4-4-2): 
GK Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray)
LB Diego Laxalt (Genoa)
CB Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)
CB Jose Maria Jimenez (Atletico Madrid)
RB Guillermo Varela (Penarol)
LM Cristian Rodriguez (Penarol)
CM Matias Vecino (Internazionale)
CM Rodrigo Bentacur (Juventus)
RM Nahitan Nandez (Boca Juniors)
ST Edinson Cavani (Paris Saint-Germain)
ST Luis Suarez (FC Barcelona)

Subs/Reserves
GK Martin Silva (Vasco da Gama)
GK Martin Campana (Independiente)
DF Sebastian Coates (Sporting CP)
DF Maximiliano Pereira (FC Porto)
DF Gaston Silva (Independiente)
DF Martin Caceres (Lazio)
MF Lucas Torreira (Sampdoria)
MF Carlos Sanchez (Monterrey)
MF Giorgian De Arrascaeta (Cruzeiro)
MF Jonathan Urretaviscaya (Monterrey)
ST Cristhian Stuani (Girona)
ST Maximiliano Gomez (Celta Vigo)

Egypt

Egypt will go as far as Liverpool superstar Mo Salah can take the team.  Salah left Liverpool's Champions League Final match in the First Half with a shoulder injury.  Salah posted a picture of him training the shoulder he injured with resistance bands which will have Egyptian fans exhale a little.  It looks as though he will be ready for the opening match against Uruguay barring any setbacks.  I think this team has some good pieces around Mo Salah and this could be the team from Africa that causes some surprises.  
Image result for mo salah egypt
Egypt's Mo Salah

Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1):
GK Essam El-Hadary (Al-Taawoun)
LB Mohamed Abdel Shafy (Al-Ahli)
CB Ahmed Hegazi (West Bromwich Albion)
CB Ali Gabr (West Bromwich Albion)
RB Ahmed Fathy (Al Ahly)
DM Tarek Hamed (Zamalek SC)
DM Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal)
LM Trezeguet (Kasimpasa)
CAM Abdallah Said (Al-Ahli)
RM Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
ST Kouka (Braga)

Subs/Reserves
GK Mohamed El Shenawy (Al Ahly)
GK Sherif Ekramy (Al Ahly)
DF Ayman Ashraf (Al Ahly)
DF Mahmoud Hamdy (Zamalek SC)
DF Saad Samir (Al Ahly)
DF Ahmed Elmohamady (Aston Villa)
DF Omar Gaber (Los Angeles FC)
MF Sam Morsy (Wigan Athletic)
MF Ramadan Sobhi (Stoke City)
MF Shikabala (Al-Raed)
MF Kahraba (Zamalek SC)
MF Amr Wanda (Atromitos)
ST Marwan Mohsen (Al Ahly)

Russia

Russia has the home advantage at this year's World Cup.  We've seen in the past that the home squad can make an impact on the tournament as somewhat of a giant killer.  Five of the last six host countries have won their group (that includes when South Korea and Japan co-hosted the tournament).  I think that has merit here, but I really don't have faith in this squad.  This is not the toughest group in the world, but I will be betting against the home advantage.  Injuries have affected this squad and they don't have a real superstar they can lean on.  One player that could blossom into a star at this year's World Cup is Aleksandr Golovin.  He's only 22 and has made 18 appearances for the Russian National Team already.  He's also already made 81 appearances for his club team CSKA Moscow.  I could see a big named club making a bid on Golovin after this year's World Cup.
Image result for aleksandr golovin
Russia's Aleksandr Golovin

Projected Lineup (3-5-2):
GK Igor Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow)
CB Fedor Kudryashov (Rubin Kazan)
CB Vladimir Granat (Rubin Kazan)
CB Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow)
LM Yuri Zhirkov (Zenit)
CM Aleksandr Golovin (CSKA Moscow)
CM Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow)
CM Daler Kuzyaev (Zenit)
RM Aleksandr Samedov (Spartak Moscow)
ST Fedor Smolov (Krasnodar)
ST Artyom Dzyuba (Arsenal Tula)

Subs/Reserves
GK Vladimir Gabulov (Club Brugge)
GK Andrey Lunev (Zenit)
DF Ilya Kutepov (Spartak Moscow)
DF Andrei Semyonov (Akhmat Grozny)
DF Mario Fernandes (CSKA Moscow)
DF Igor Smolnikov (Zenit)
MF Aleksandr Erokhin (Zenit)
MF Roman Zobnin (Spartak Moscow)
MF Yuri Gazinsky (Krasnodar)
MF Anton Miranchuk (Lokomotiv)
MF Denis Cheryshev (Villarreal)
FW Aleksei Miranchuk (Lokomotiv)

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia comes into this World Cup as huge underdogs and may very well be the worst team in the competition.  To be honest, it took me way too long to stop mixing up which player played where and who was who.  The squad is made up of entirely Saudi Professional League players and while they will have some chemistry, they struggle in terms of talent.  They do have some chances in a soft group, but I'm not sure they will be able to steal a win.  The team also is on its third coach since Qualifying for its first World Cup appearance since 2006.  

Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1):
Image result for Mohammad Al-Sahlawi
Saudi Arabia's Mohammad Al-Sahlawi
GK Yasser Al Mosailem (Al-Ahli)
LB Mansour Al Harbi (Al-Ahli)
CB Osama Hawsawi (Al-Hilal)
CB Omar Hawsawi (Al-Nassr)
RB Mohammed Al-Breik (Al-Hilal)
DM Salman Al-Faraj (Al-Hilal)
CM Abdullah Otayf (Al-Hilal)
LM Salem Al-Dawsari (Al-Hilal)
CAM Saisir Al-Jassim (Al-Ahli)
RM Yahya Al-Shehri (Al-Nassr)
ST Mohammad Al-Sahlawi (Al-Nassr)

Subs/Reserves
GK Abdullah Al-Mayouf (Al-Hilal)
GK Mohammed Al-Owais (Al-Ahli)
DF Mansoor Al-Harbi (Al-Ahli)
DF Yasser Al-Shahrani (Al-Hilal)
DF Motaz Hawsawi (Al-Ahli)
DF Ali Al Bulaihi (Al-Hilal)
MF Fahad Al-Muwallad (Al-Ittihad)
MF Abdulmalek Al-Khaibri (Al-Hilal)
MF Housain Al-Mogahwi (Al-Ahli)
MF Mohamed Kanno (Al-Hilal)
MF Abdullah Al-Khaibari (Al-Shabab)
MF Hattan Bahebri (Al-Shabab)
FW Muhannad Assiri (Al-Ahli)

Matches

Russia (-265) vs. Saudi Arabia (+900), Draw (+350)
Over 2.5 (+125), Under 2.5 (-150)
Prediction: Russia 1-0

Uruguay (-170) vs. Egypt (+550), Draw (+270)
Over 2 (-120), Under 2 (+100)
Prediction: Uruguay 2-1

Russia (-115) vs. Egypt (+345), Draw (+250)
Over 2 (-140), Under 2 (+115)
Prediction: Egypt 2-1

Uruguay (-475) vs. Saudi Arabia (+1400), Draw (+500)
Over 2.5 (-120), Under 2.5 (+110)
Prediction: Uruguay 3-0

Egypt (-130) vs. Saudi Arabia (+400), Draw (+265)
Over 2 (-150), Under 2 (+120)
Prediction: Egypt 3-1

Uruguay (+145) vs. Russia (+205), Draw (+220)
Over 2 (-155), Under 2 (+120)
Prediction: Draw 1-1


Table

Team
W-D-L
Pts
GF
GA
Uruguay
2-1-0
7
6
2
Egypt
2-0-1
6
6
4
Russia
1-1-1
4
3
3
Saudi Arabia
0-0-3
0
1
7




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