FIFA 2022 World Cup: Group C Odds, Analysis and Tips
Though the moving of the 2022 World Cup from its traditional summer spot on the footballing calendar, there’s no denying that the build-up for the finals, now taking place in November and December, is still something that sets all football fans’ hearts fluttering.
The butterflies that take root in your stomach as your chosen nation kicks off its opening group game are still something you can heartily expect to work its magic in Qatar.
The World Cup betting scene is a joy to behold for those of us who are sports betting enthusiasts. A never-ending rollercoaster of options to back from the first kick-off as hosts Qatar take on Ecuador on November 20th at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor all the way to the final whistle at the Lusail Iconic Stadium on the 18th of December when the winners are crowned.
Today we focus on Group C, a mixed bag of nations that could throw up a number of interesting permutations, though one has to imagine that Lionel Messi’s Argentina will emerge from the other side sitting pretty at the top of the table.
Group C
Argentina
Saudi Arabia
Mexico
Poland
22nd November
22nd November
26th November
26th November
30th November
30th November
Argentina vs Saudi Arabia
Mexico vs Poland
Poland vs Saudi Arabia
Argentina vs Mexico
Poland vs Argentina
Saudi Arabia vs Mexico
10 am
4 pm
10 am
1 pm
7 pm
7 pm
Team Guides
Argentina
West Ham fans may remember Lionel Scaloni from his brief time at the club back in 2006, but it would be fair to say that he’s earning a better reputation as a national team coach than he did from his playing days.
He helped Argentina to make it safely to the finals with relative ease and without losing a game, albeit behind arch-rivals Brazil in the standings. They conceded just eight goals in their 17 games, and defensively they are strong.
The likes of Nicolas Otamendi and Cristian Romero offer the sort of no-nonsense approach that will hold Argentina in good stead for what should, in theory, be a fairly straightforward route to the knock-out stages.
Lionel Messi will once again look to secure a World Cup triumph, the one major honour that has eluded the PSG man, and he’ll be ably supported in the final third by Lautaro Martinez and Paulo Dybala while experienced campaigner Angel Di Maria still has a lot to offer in terms of creative invention.
Saudi Arabia
The Green Falcons of Saudi Arabia are World Cup veterans, having qualified for the finals of the prestigious tournament on four of the past six occasions. They are coached by experienced eccentric Herve Renard (who, as well as previously leading Morocco, Ivory Coast, Angola, and Zambia, spent a brief stint at Cambridge United).
None of the Saudi Arabia squad is based outside the country, and their record outside their World Cup qualification region is patchy, to say the least. Renard would have done very well to secure even a single point from this group, and it may prove a tricky tournament that may well start with a thumping at the hands of Argentina.
Mexico
Gerardo Martino’s El Tri booked their passage to Qatar by finishing second in the CONCACAF group, joint on points with Canada, but only three points clear of Costa Rica (who subsequently qualified through the play-offs), and goals were hard to come by.
The Mexicans managed just 17 goals from their 14 games, and their top-scorer, with just three, was Wolves hero Raul Jimenez. At the back, Martino’s men are very solid, and that will be the basis of their efforts in Group C.
It will be interesting to see how Mexico fare against Argentina, with recent World Cups ending in heartache for Mexicans at the hands of their South American opponents. In 2010 Argentina defeated Mexico 3-1 in the Round of 16.
In 2006 the same fate awaited (with a 2-1 loss), and the Round of 16 is where Mexico fell in each of their past seven World Cups.
Poland
The Poles edged into the finals after sneaking through the play-offs, but they could still provide stern opposition to anyone they take on. Czesław Michniewicz’s side is well drilled, and they gave England a tough test when they faced them in qualification action (where they narrowly lost at Wembley and drew in Warsaw).
Clearly, the biggest factor in their arsenal comes in the form of Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski (who is a decent bet for the 2022 World Cup Golden Boot), and there are plenty of familiar faces who will be in action in Group C.
As far as Premier League talents in Michniewicz’s squad, the likes of Aston Villa’s Matty Cash, Southampton’s Jan Bednarek, Leeds United midfielder Mateusz Klich and Brighton’s Jakub Moder should be in Poland’s Qatar squad. We’d back them to push Mexico for the second spot in this group.
Who Will Qualify
Argentina should make it out of this group with nine or perhaps seven points, and then we’d expect Poland and Mexico to fight it out for the second-place berth in Group C, and that makes their opening encounter very crucial to either nation’s hopes. We’d punt for Poland to sneak it.
Group A Winner Odds
Argentina 2/5
Poland 5/1
Mexico 5/1
Saudi Arabia 33/1
