Can Lionel Messi save Argentina from oblivion or will the fifth time be a charm for Nigeria?
The teams will face off at 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday in their 2018 FIFA World Cup Group D finale. Nigeria can secure passage to the Round of 16 with a win, while Argentina must win and also needs Croatia to beat or draw Iceland in order to improbably advance to the knockout phase of the tournament.
Argentina and Nigeria have played in four previous World Cups, with the South Americans winning each contest.
Let’s look at the Nigeria vs. Argentina betting lines:
Current betting line (via OddsShark.com):
Nigeria win: +550
Argentina win: -200
Draw: +330
Total goals: 2.5
OVER: -145
Under: +120
NESN.com’s picks: Draw, over
The oddsmakers like Argentina, but we don’t. The players reportedly lobbied Argentina’s federation to fire coach Jorge Sampaoli or strip him of lineup- and tactic-selecting powers last week following their heavy loss to Croatia. No team can overcome that level of disunity and win against an ebullient young side like Nigeria. Bet on the draw, and it will be dramatic.
We expect Argentina to continue misfiring against Nigeria as it has done so far at World Cup 2018. However, Argentina’s defense likely will be more solid than before and thus will contain Nigeria. We predict one goal apiece, and bettors should take the under.
