World Cup Predictions & Tips | Round of 32: Australia v Egypt

Match 88: Australia v Egypt
Location: Dallas Stadium
Time: 6:00am, Saturday 4 July
Head to Head: Australia Wins (0), Egypt Wins (1), Draws (0)

Key Stats

• Under 2.5 goals is 5-0 in Australia’s last 5 games
• Both Teams To Score has hit in only 2 of Australia’s last 9 games
• Egypt has scored at least once in each of its last 5 games
• Egypt has lost only 2 of its last 15 games (Brazil and Senegal)

Preview

Egypt were in a position to finish top of Group G but a draw in their final group game against Iran coupled with a big win by Belgium relegated them to second spot. It means a date with Australia in the Round of 32 who have qualified for the knockout stages for the second time in a row. They played out a goalless draw and two clean sheets in the group stage tell us that defence is their number one priority.

Under 2.5 goals is 5-0 in the Socceroos last 5 games with both teams to score hitting in only 2 of their last 9 matches. If Australia are to progress it will be on the back of their defence as their attack has scored 2+ goals just twice in their last 11 games. They have scored a total of 11 goals in those matches and if you take out the 5 goals they put past Curacao, they are averaging half a goal per game.

In contrast, Egypt has scored at least once in each of its last 5 games and have tasted defeat just the two times in their last 15 games. They had almost twice as many shots (48) as Australia did (26) in the group stage but Australia were far more accurate with 11 on targe compared to 13 for Egypt. The Socceroos have been content to play almost exclusively on the counter so we should expect nothing different here. That said, they have shown that they can contain some very good opposition and frustrate them for the entire 90 minutes. This could be a 0-0 draw that is decided by penalties.

Player To Watch

Normally the focus in this section is on attacking players but this time around the focus will be on the players that have been tasked with containing the likes of Mo Salah and Marmoush. That would be the tall timber at the back for Australia – Harry Souttar and Lucas Herrington. The former made a name for himself four years ago but this time around it is Herrington with 6 foot 4, 18-year-old, attracting attention from the world’s biggest clubs. The pair are dominant in the air and have both pace and a physical advantage. It will take fast movement and silky passing to break the deadlock.

Betting Tips

Best Bet: Both Teams To Score – NO ($1.62)
Other: Under 1.5 goals ($2.30)
Correct Score: Draw 0-0 ($6.25)
SGM: Under 2.5 goals, Australia Goalkeeper 3+ saves, Under 8.5 corners ($4.38)