Russia vs Croatia
Russia is a happy nation for a good chunk of the 2018 World Cup. The competition has provided plenty of exciting football and shocking drama for many of the fans who made the trip to the multiple stadiums throughout Russia.
The FIFA 2018 tournament is now down to the last eight teams, and the title feels all the closer to the home crowd. The Sbornaya pulled off an incredible upset against Spain in the Round of 16, and Fisht Stadium will undoubtedly be chock-full of rabid supporters that will cheer their home team against a tough challenge.
Meanwhile, Croatia surprised many with their outstanding football in this competition. A lot wasn’t expected out of the Vatreni before the competition began, but their exciting attacks have brought them to a quarter-final on the back of an incredible Luka Modric.
Both nations want to book a seat to the semi-final, and winning this game is the utmost priority for both sides. Will Russia’s shell-like defence and home-court advantage take them to unimaginable heights? Or will Croatia’s attacks break through and help them repeat their magical 1998 run?
Talking Points
Russia are the biggest underdogs in this World Cup, and not a lot of FIFA 2018 predictions saw them even making it out of the group stages. However, Stanislav Cherchesov rallied his men and pulled off a legendary World Cup run with players that aren’t known outside their home countries.
The latest notch in their superb tournament is their biggest one so far. Spain, their Round of 16 opponents, were heavy favourites to make it at least to the tournament semi-finals. Countless pundits expected them to steamroll the Russians without breaking so much as a drop of sweat.
However, the Russians held on with a brilliant defence and a well-taken penalty to force a dramatic penalty shootout. Denis Cheryshev scored the winning penalty and Igor Akinfeev pulled off a dazzling save to give Russia a brilliant victory and a quarter-final seat for the first time since 1986.
At the heart of the Russian team is Russian keeper Igor Akinfeev. His out-of-this-world foot save against Iago Aspas has gained him the moniker of the “Foot of God”. The CSKA Moscow man, who has made 14 saves and a 74% save rate in four matches, is an important cog in the Russian machine.
Of course, Cheryshev and Artem Dzyuba have to pull their weight on the attacking front and score goals to give Russia the advantage. Both men have scored three goals each and will be relied upon to bring the advantage to the side.
However, the Russian backline should be wary of a certain Vatreni playing his trade for Real Madrid. Modric has been nothing short of outstanding for the national side, and his wonder goal against Argentina is a stern reminder for everyone that he is a capable maestro that can pull off a superb strike any time he likes.
Of course, he is not the only man the Sbornaya have to be wary of. Ivan Rakitic, Ivan Perisic, Mario Mandzukic and Ante Rebic have been great attacking pieces for Zlatko Dalic. Dejan Lovren and Sime Vrsaljko will hold the defensive line, and the equally fantastic Danijel Subasic will be a tough keeper to get past.
However, Dalic has to warn his players of being disciplined in defence. Eight players are in danger of getting suspended for the semi-final if they get another booking in this game. While they are still the slight favourites in this competition, losing any of his key players to disciplinary sanctions will hurt the team’s future FIFA 2018 results.
Moreover, both teams got through to the quarter-finals via penalties. Both Akinfeev and Subasic made superb saves and will likely be tough guardians for the opposing attackers should the game head to pens. However, Croatia should see to it that the game is settled during open play.
They do not want to have an entire stadium of Russians breathing on their backs during such a high-pressure moment.
History
Both nations haven’t won the World Cup but have made it to the semi-finals during previous tournaments. The last time the Vatreni made it to the semi-final was in 1998, where they scored 11 goals in seven matches played. Meanwhile, the Sbornaya reached the semi-final in 1966 as the Soviet Union.
When it comes to head-to-head history, the Croats have the advantage. They first met in 2006 where they played out a draw during the European Championship qualifiers. Their next qualifier was in 2007, and they also drew there. Their latest meeting was a 1-3 Croatian victory in a 2015 friendly.
What are the odds?
The SBOBET odds for this match is interesting. While Croatia are stronger on paper, Russia’s unbelievable performance in front of their home crowd should make things a lot more interesting for the fans and the punters.
I’d like to think that Croatia’s attacking football will be able to break through Cherchesov’s likely 5-4-1 formation, so putting your money on Croatia -0.50 @ 2.26 at the Asian Handicap market is a pretty sweet deal.
However, there is also a great chance that this game will reach penalties and Russia will be able to go through. If you believe in the power of the Sbornaya, Russia have 1X2 odds of 3.35.
This game will also likely be a low-scoring affair as Russia have been a tough wall to crack. Under 2.25 goals is a safe option at 1.60, but it’s the better punt to make in my opinion.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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