Poland vs Chile
Chile is bringing a much-changed side to face Poland at the INEA Stadium in Poznan on Friday, but no South American team will roll over, so it’s a bound to be a good workout for the hosts.
With the big FIFA 2018 football extravaganza just around the corner this is another chance to look at one of the outside bets. Adam Nawalka’s team isn’t expected to win the tournament by anyone outside Poland, and very few in it! It’s going to be another great SBOBET World Cup, and this game is a good chance to work out just how far Poland can go. But, alas, for Chile there is no such hope as they won’t be at the finals.
Talking Points
Chile was on target for a place in Russia but was the big side to miss out in the tough South American group after a last match 3-0 defeat to Brazil.
So World Cup 2018 fans will miss the chance to see Manchester United’s Alexis Sanchez in action. It’s not been the best year for Chile’s main striker, missing out on Russia and struggling to make an impact in the Premier League after his January switch from the Emirates to Old Trafford. But his talent and work-rate is undoubted and he’ll be missed for sure.
Chile boss Reinaldo Rueda is taking the opportunity to test out a new set of players, so along with Sanchez, dynamic midfielder Arturo Vidal and keeper Claudio Bravo are taking an extended summer break. Rueda still has the experience of the defensive warhorse Gary Medel to hold his young side together. And they have showed up pretty well with a win over a strong Serbia side, following a 3-2 defeat by Romania.
Defender Guillermo Maripan scored the late winner against Serbia, and the absence of Sanchez gives 24-year-old striker Felipe Mora a chance to shine.
This is Poland’s first game since March when Robert Lewandowski, Kamil Grosicki and Piotr Zielinski scored in a 3-2 win over the Korea Republic. Lewandowski has been in scintillating form for FC Bayern this season, topping the Bundesliga scoring charts with 29, 14 ahead of his nearest rival, and at a rate of a goal every 75 minutes! With over 50 per cent of his registered shots being on target, it could be a busy night for Chile keeper Gabriel Arias.
The Poles have a real chance of getting out of their Group H in Russia, where they are pitted against Colombia, Senegal and Japan. Our World Cup 2018 predictions don’t see Nawalka’s team as a potential semi-finalist, but last 16…why not?
The Poland boss has been brave with his World Cup selections, surprising many by leaving midfielder Krzysztof Maczynski at home, but that gives an opportunity for Napoli’s Zielinski to make his presence felt as an attacking midfielder. His goal against Korea was his fourth in 31 appearances and he could be a key man in Russia. That victory was the first in four for the hosts, but they only conceded twice in the previous three games while drawing blanks up front; a relative rarity with Lewandowski in the side.
History
Poland is welcomed back to the World Cup after missing out on the last two competitions, but they do have a rich heritage in the international game, reaching the semi-finals in 1974 and 1982, and more recently they had a good campaign at the 2016 European Championships, reaching the quarter finals.
While Poland has been away Chile has made the final 16 in the last two World Cups and may have expected to do even better had they qualified this time around. They are current Copa America champions and had back-to-back tournament wins in 2015 and 2016.
This is the first meeting between the two teams, but recent form has been a little patchy for both. Each has won two, lost two and drawn one of the last five, Chile’s most crushing defeat being that World Cup eliminator against Brazil.
What are the Odds?
With two pretty well-matched teams and all three results quite possible, it’s home advantage which leaves Poland at 2.01, Chile at 3.55 and 3.30 the draw.
SBOBET’s handicap betting offer has the hosts at 2.02 with a -0.50 goal handicap and Chile at 1.90 with that advantage.
A tight game with under 2.25 goals is at 1.96 and under 2.25 is at 1.94, and that makes a 1-1 draw the most likely outcome at 5.60.
And take the opportunity of having a close look at Poland; they are at 2.60 to go out of the World Cup in the Round of 16.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
