World Cup Match between Croatia and Mexico has Plenty Options to Bet on

Deciding match for Group A will see Croatia vs Mexico offer great and exciting betting opportunities for punters.

Both teams have solid players in their respective line-ups which will undoubtedly help elevate the game level in tonight’s deciding match. Mexico is currently above Croatia in the group, as they notched a win against Cameroon and a draw against the hosts Brazil.

A win for either team guarantees a second place spot and therefore qualifies them to the next round of the competition. Considering that Croatia has 3 point and Mexico has 4, a draw would send the North American country to the knockout stages. Therefore, Croatia has to secure a win or otherwise they will be packing their bags.

Croatia remains optimistic

Except missing out on the previous World Cup tournament in South Africa, Croatia has generally managed to make a presence at the biggest football tournament in the world. However, besides clinching the bronze medal in 1998 they have not succeeded to proceed from the group stage in subsequent World Cups.

Therefore, Croatia will be looking to let go of the curse that has denied them glory. Armed with a creative and highly talented midfield that boasts the likes of Modric, Rakitic and Kovacic, Croatia will pose a serious threat to opposing players. However, they lack considerable depth in defense which has been regarded as their Achilles’ heel.

The Mediterranean country will rely all hopes in the three midfield maestros and their most potent attacker Mandzukic to deliver a crushing blow to Mexico. Perhaps, one of the safest betting options is to wager money on Mandzukic scoring, considering his great eye for goal.

Online sportsbooks in Croatia are favoring their country for the win, with average odds being 2.65 for the third place winners of the 1998 World Cup. Odds for Mexico are just slightly above that, with several betting shops offering coefficients of around 2.95. As always, draws carry the highest odds with the average being 3.50.

Mexico boasts a disciplined squad

Mexico’s biggest hero is a man that does not run with the ball, but rather waist to save shots. Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa ranks highly due to his natural ability to spot the direction of the ball and save it in time before it passes the goal line. Unlike Croatia that have several obvious handicaps in their team, Mexico maintains a balanced squad.

• International Sportsbooks favor Mexico

• Croatian striker Mandzukic likely to score

• Profitable to bet on first half draw

• Under 2.5 goals seems likely

Overall, the most lucrative betting option is to bet on a draw between the two nations. All Mexico needs is a single point from the game to end Croatia’s hopes. According to Croatian gambling news, Croatia will strive to secure an early lead, while Mexico’s composed and disciplined players will do all in their might to prevent them from achieving that aim.

Coincidentally, Mexico and Croatia faced each other on a previous occasion. At the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, the North Americans sealed a win over Croatia with a single goal. They eventually finished the group first with a remarkable result of seven points. The Europeans finished third unable to progress to the next round.

International bookmakers disagree with Croatian counterparts

Unlike Croatian sportsbooks who are just slightly biased, international mobile betting firms do not favor the Europeans for the win. Bet365 offers a coefficient of 2.80 for Croatia, while Mexico is the favorite with odds of 2.62. BetVictor also believes Mexico has an edge with odds of 2.70, whereas Croatia has been assigned 2.80.

Bet365 also shows assurances that a minimal number of goals will be scored during the game. Odds of 1.66 are offered for less than 2.5 goals scored throughout the match, while over 2.5 the odds increase to 2.15. Taking into account that a draw may be likely and both teams have shown ability to score goals, placing a bet on under 2.5 goals may turn out to be profitable.

Many betting providers offer similar coefficients for a draw, as most indicate an average of 3.50. However, another preferable betting option may be to wager on the outcome of the first half alone. BetVictor offers a deal of 2.00 on a first half draw, something that seem quite likely. Putting a $100 on that bet would double one’s earnings in 45 minutes.