2018 FIFA World Cup Day 3 Betting Preview

On Saturday, we have four World Cup group play matches taking place, with Group C and Group D seeing their openers. Group C features France and Australia in the day’s opener, with Peru and Denmark rounding out the group’s day. Group D begins with Argentina and Iceland squaring off in Moscow and then continues with Croatia and Nigeria playing in the last game of the day. Take a look at the television and live stream information for each match, as well as the 2018 FIFA World Cup odds and a brief online betting overview.

2018 FIFA World Cup Day 3 Betting Preview

Group C: France vs Australia (1:00pm local time, 5:00am Eastern time, FS1/fuboTV)

Odds: France -448 / Draw +546 / Australia +1797

France last won a World Cup as the host nation in 1998; since then, their record has been somewhat spotty. In 2002, they did not win a single group game and were eliminated before the knockout round. In 2014, they did make it all the way to the quarterfinals, but now they open against an Australia side that have made four consecutive World Cups but generally are not all that competitive in group play. France has a young, exciting roster, with Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur) in goal and an offense keyed by Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba, Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappe. I don’t see the ageless Tim Cahill and the Socceroos having much of a chance, as France should get off to an easy win to open group play.

Group D: Argentina vs Iceland (4:00pm local time, 8:00am Eastern time, FOX/fuboTV)

Odds: Argentina -300 / Draw +410 / Iceland +1278

Looking for an upset, or at least a value wager draw? Take a close look at this one. Yes, Lionel Messi for Argentina is one of the best players in the world, and now at the age of 30, he is starting to see his World Cup window close. They made it to the finals of the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, but they barely qualified for this one and just took an ugly beating from Spain in a friendly. They face an Iceland team that does not have nearly as much talent as they do, but one could say the same of many of the CONMEBOL teams that almost kept Argentina out of the cup altogether. Iceland has a cohesive team that works hard together, plays solid defense and generates chances out of mistakes. The draw offers plenty of value, and I’m taking it here as I see Iceland getting an early goal and holding on for the point.

Group C: Peru vs Denmark (7:00pm local time, 11:00am Eastern time, FS1/fuboTV)

Odds: Peru +227 / Draw +227 / Denmark -146

Peru is excited to be in a World Cup for the first time since 1982, and their recent run shows it, as they have posted six clean sheets in their last seven matches. In their last friendly prior to Russia, they played to a scoreless draw with Sweden, permitting just a single shot on goal. They have a tight defense and communicate well, making them a difficult team to break down. Denmark also has posted a solid clean sheet streak, with four consecutive shutouts, including a 2-0 win over Mexico in a friendly. They have an advantage over Peru in terms of height and physicality, particularly on the back line, which may not bode well for Peru. Christian Eriksen leads the Danish offense and has a reputation for playmaking, as he showed in the playoff win over Ireland, in which he posted a hat trick. I like Denmark to take three points here.

Group D: Croatia vs Nigeria (9:00pm local time, 2:00pm Eastern time, FS1/fuboTV)

Odds: Croatia -104 / Draw +244 / Nigeria +345

Croatia did not fare well in the 2014 World Cup, beating Cameroon but drawing their other two games in group play and failing to make the round of 16. They finished second in Group I of UEFA qualification, just behind Iceland. They beat Greece in a UEFA playoff to qualify for the World Cup. Mario Mandzukic (Juventus) is the big striker up front, and the midfield is also stout, with Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) and Luka Madrid (Real Madrid). Nigeria won Group B of CAF qualifying, posting a 4-1-1 record. They’ll be looking for solid work from midfielder Victor Moses (Chelsea) and striker Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) as well as striker Alex Iwobi (Arsenal). I like Nigeria’s chances to latch on to the Croatian attack and pull out a draw here.