Group F Preview ~ World Cup 2022
Croatia – Morocco – Belgium – Canada (Rankings As Of Finals Draw, April 1, 2022)
Croatia National Team Profile:
FIFA World Rank: 12
Manager: Zlatko Dalić
World Cup Appearances: 6
Best Finish: Runners-Up (2018)
Odds to Win Cup: +5,000
Odds to Win Group F: +240
Odds to Qualify: -200
Group Stage Points Total O/U: 4.5
Group Stage Schedule:
November 23 vs. Morocco
November 27 vs. Canada
December 1 vs. Belgium
Almost every major outlet covering this World Cup and Group F will have Belgium and Croatia easily moving on without much of a discussion about it either. I get it, and I totally agree with almost everyone except for the slight chance that Morocco could provide a surprise here in Qatar.
The opening match against Morocco has Croatia favored to land all 3 points, and the Canadian affair is pointing to 3 more points for the Vatreni, so why are we looking at a 4.5-point total? So, where is the discrepancy going to come from?
I think I know, and it will shock and dismay you to no end. The match with Morocco is going to end in a draw to open Group F play for Croatia. That 1 point will lead to the win over Canada to earn their 4 points that will end Group play.
Because Croatia will get Belgium in their final match, the Belgians will already know how seriously they’ll need to take the Croatians. If Belgium’s 6 points through 2 matches are enough to clinch the top spot with a match remaining, Belgium might not need to run up the score to put Croatia farther in the hole. I can see it basically coming down to Morocco or Croatia to advance out of this group, and there is money to be made for the right call.
I think it will come down to goals, as both Croatia and Morocco will have 4 points and only one of them will be able to move on to the Round of 16. I see Croatia advancing with Belgium, but boy, would I love to see any surprises from Group F that we can. I am rooting for Morocco to do well, and hell, if Canada shows up then all hell will break loose!
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Morocco National Team Profile:
FIFA World Rank: 22
Manager: Walid Regragui
World Cup Appearances: 6
Best Finish: Round of 16 (1986)
Odds to Win Cup: +7,000
Odds to Win Group F: +1,100
Odds to Qualify: +210
Group Stage Points Total O/U: 3.5
Group Stage Schedule:
November 23 vs. Croatia
November 27 vs. Belgium
December 1 vs. Canada
This Morocco National Team is recognizable to me for two reasons. I give out betting tips and advice from only 5 domestic football leagues, and Botola Pro happens to be one of them. Additionally, if you know anything about me, I cover CAF Champions League and I have every year since 2010.
Clubs like Wydad Casablanca and Raja Casablanca are usual suspects in the annual African club tournament, and Wydad just took their 3rd Champions League title back on May 30.
The Atlas Lions won’t have any players from those two clubs on the pitch for the World Cup in Qatar, but we know one big name which will decide the outcome of a match or two.
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou is the current caretaker of the Zamora Trophy, which is bestowed to the netminder in Espana La Liga who gives up the least goals in a campaign. Bounou leads Sevilla with his Spanish club, and he will certainly play a big role for Morocco in Qatar.
Achraf Hakimi is a big part of the PSG back line for his domestic French side, and he will play a pivotal role for Morocco. Hakimi can move forward and add his name to the hat offensively, so watch for him to be creeping up that wing to contribute when he can.
How big was the decision for Morocco to part ways with Vahid Halilhodžić and bring in Walid Regragui? It influenced ‘The Wizard’ Hakim Ziyech to bail on his decision to quit with the National team, and he will likely be on the pitch contributing. Ziyech leads the active roster with 17 goals to his credit with Morocco, so a few more won’t hurt!
As an Arab Nation competing in an Arab Nation, that certainly won’t hurt Morocco’s ability to have fans in the seats at some of these venues. I expect them to have plenty of support from the crowd, and it may not seem like much but it will lift this team up.
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Belgium National Team Profile:
FIFA World Rank: 2
Manager: Roberto Martínez
World Cup Appearances: 14
Best Finish: 3rd Place (2018)
Odds to Win Cup: +1,600
Odds to Win Group F: -195
Odds to Qualify: -900
Group Stage Points Total O/U: 6.5
Group Stage Schedule:
November 23 vs. Canada
November 27 vs. Morocco
December 1 vs. Croatia
Everyone puts Belgium right through this group like there will be no effort and there will be no challenges until the Round of 16. The Red Devils are ranked 2nd in the entire World Rankings, and I don’t know bout you but that interests me none.
WIN SOMETHING! ANY F**KING THING!! Sorry for my French, or wait, what?
When I see a #2 in the World Rankings, I expect to see a National Team that has trophies in their showcase. Hey, okay, even if not one, maybe two, but how about nothing since finally coming in third place in last year’s edition of the tournament? Yay! You got a participation trophy, woo-hoo!
I am so down on Belgium that words cannot convey it enough. Sure, they are favoured in all 3 Group F matches, and yes, they will get to the Round of 16 most likely. This group isn’t exactly screaming GROUP OF DEATH to anyone, so the trio of matches they face seems like an easy path to the next stage.
Great, I don’t care. Germany and Belgium will likely meet in the Round of 16 if Germany lands behind Spain in Group E. I don’t even expect Belgium to get past them, so any bets you make on Belgium? Are all yours and they never came from me!
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Canada National Team Profile:
FIFA World Rank: 41
Manager: John Herdman
World Cup Appearances: 2
Best Finish: Group Stage (1986)
Odds to Win Cup: +20,000
Odds to Win Group F: +1,400
Odds to Qualify: +275
Group Stage Points Total O/U: 2.5
Group Stage Schedule:
November 23 vs. Belgium
November 27 vs. Croatia
December 1 vs. Morocco
I get to see a lot of what the Canadian National Team posts and does being here in North America, so they are certainly more optimistic about the trip to Qatar than we think they should be. Ranked 41st in the World, the opening match with Belgium will surely be an uphill battle, and any European side in this event can be a tough out, even if it is Croatia.
As I say that, Croatia is quietly ranked 12 on planet Earth by Fifa, so we can try to slight Croatia all you like. I don’t like it, so don’t do it!
Canada’s team point total is only 2.5 for a reason, and the line setters don’t expect any wins for this CONCACAF outfit in Qatar. Most people only take the USA and Mexico seriously when it comes to CONCACAF, and living here I understand why.
The MLS is full of American and Canadian athletes, and there is the other major issue when it comes to International football. The lack of talent around North American soccer, dare I call it, is evident to all of us who live here. Don Garber is a complete schmuck of epic proportions, but we won’t bother bashing the MLS commissioner for this piece. (Dude’s a moron)
Canada might find a point if they can hold someone down long enough to draw, but the holding down part is a concern and scoring is a concern here. When I look at that 27 – 1 goal differential in the first round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying? There are about two words to sum it up. JUNK FOOTBALL!
That group had more shit in it than an entire field of cows, and the Nations’ that they faced from Group B were hysterical. Things got a little more serious in the final stage of qualifying, and a win over the USA sure built up the confidence a bit.
Put it down, stop it, and realize that Canada has no chance to win this group, no chance to advance out of this group, but the travel miles will do wonders for a free trip up the road for everyone on the active roster!
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World Cup 2022 Group F Predictions and Bets: (Bookmaker BetOnline)
Morocco Over 3.5 Group Points @ +140 1U
Canada Under 2.5 Group Points @ -110 1U
Croatia Under 4.5 Group Points @ +100 1U
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