World Cup 2018 Betting – Highest Scoring Group
The last World Cup Finals in Brazil four years ago were the joint highest ever scoring World Cup, with a stunning 171 goals scored at an average of 2.67 goals per game. Fans will be hoping for more of the same in Russia in the next month and with all of the best attacking players in the world involved and in fine form, we could be in for another goal fest.
Paddy Power are giving you the opportunity to bet on both the highest and lowest scoring groups in Russia, and these could well be great markets to make money on. In this article, I will be taking an in depth look at the highest scoring group market and making my predictions for the winner. All of the odds in this article come courtesy of Paddy Power and are accurate at the time of writing.
Highest Scoring Group
When looking at a group to back as the highest scoring group, you have to consider whether you think there will be a side weak enough in the group to concede a large number of goals, or whether you’re backing a group which you expect to be highly competitive but with plenty of goals. For example, you’d fancy Saudi Arabia in Group A and Panama in Group G to concede plenty of goals, but in Group A, apart from Uruguay, I can’t see Russia and Egypt really having enough quality to exploit this weakness.
As for Panama, they have had some encouraging results in the past few months and with England looking rather goal shy in recent friendlies, they may well be able to limit the damage in their matches.
Australia are another side that could struggle, the Socceroos have been drawn in Group C alongside France, Denmark and Peru and that could be an interesting group to look at in this market. France have one of the best attacking units in the tournament with Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele forming a fearsome frontline. Australia usually perform well at major tournaments, but their team is nowhere as good as it has been previously and they could well end up as the Group C whipping boys.
Peru have been tipped by many as dark horses to do well at this World Cup and they are a well organised side who performed above expectations in qualifying in finishing ahead of Chile. It should be a battle between Peru and Denmark to finish second in this group and it could well come down to goal difference, so expect them both to go hell for leather against Australia.
What about Group D and Group H?
On the flipside of the groups with one very weak side, we have two very competitive looking groups in Group D and Group H. Argentina have been drawn alongside Croatia, Iceland and Nigeria in Group D and all of those teams will think they have a great chance of advancing. Croatia have an excellent side, whilst Iceland showed at EURO 2016 how dangerous they can be and this Nigeria side have some exciting attacking players. With Argentina boasting an attack featuring Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero, but with a very weak looking goalkeeper and defence, there could be goals on offer in Group D.
Group H is another competitive looking one, with Colombia, Japan, Poland and Senegal all having an excellent chance of qualifying for the last 16. This group features some of the most dangerous attacking players at the World Cup with Robert Lewandowski, Radamel Falcao and Sadio Mane all featuring.
I think there could well be plenty of goals in this group with it being another one featuring teams with better attacks than defences, but overall I’m backing Group D to be the group with the most goals in Russia. All of the sides in Group D look to have goals in them, and with some suspect defences on show, I think there will be goals galore.
Group D – 7/1 (Paddy Power)