Following a few early upsets and surprises, the World Cup has been exciting and competitive.

The first round of matches ends today, Friday, December 1, with the knockout rounds starting on Saturday with the Netherlands and the USA kicking things off; then on Sunday, England and Senegal square off.

Event # 1 – W/Cup – Netherlands vs USA – 2:00 pm

After dominating their Group in 2014, the Netherlands only won one of their three knockout matches in regular time and that will be a concern with the current group of players in this World Cup as they have not been convincing in group stage action with 2-0 wins over both Senegal and Qatar and a 1-1 draw with Ecuador. However, the Dutch are now unbeaten in 18 matches in all competitions dating back to their surprising defeat in the last 16 at Euro 2020. They will be confident when facing the USA, having won all four meetings against them between February 1998 and March 2010.

The USA snapped a five-game run without a win by beating Iran in the vital last fixture in the group stage of the Qatar World Cup 2022. USA enter the clash against the Netherlands as underdogs as their form can be best described as patchy in recent times. In their last six matches played, they have scored just three times and have conceded four times during this run. The USA qualified for the knockout stage unbeaten thanks to draws with Wales and England and then a narrow win over Iran — the biggest issue for this young USA team seems to be their lack of a genuine goal scorer and that has been evident in all three matches played so far.

KEY STATS

• The Netherlands — are unbeaten in their last 19 World Cup games against non-European nations (W13 D6) since a 3-2 loss to Brazil in the 1994 quarter-final. However, two of their six draws in this run have seen them eliminated on penalties (vs Brazil in 1998 and Argentina in 2014).

• USA — are winless in their last 11 World Cup games against European nations (D6 L5) since beating Portugal 3-2 in 2002. Overall, the USA have won just three of their 23 World Cup games against European sides (D7 L13), also beating Belgium in 1930 and England in 1950.

• Both sides — all five previous meetings between Netherlands and USA have been in friendlies — Netherlands won the first four between 1998 and 2010, with USA winning the most recent encounter in 2015.

The betting tip. Netherlands win

Event # 2 W/Cup – England vs Senegal – 2:00 pm

England and Senegal meet for the first time ever as both teams square off on Sunday for a place in the quarter-finals of the Qatar World Cup 2022. Both teams made hard work of getting out of their respective groups, but eventually did so in impressive fashion.

Firstly, England toiled long and hard at times against Wales but never looked backed after getting the breakthrough early in the second half, eventually winning 3-0. Indeed, England will put their unbeaten record against African opposition on the line as they seek to get by Senegal, having advanced to the knockout stages as group winners for the first time since 2006.

Since 2002, the African nations playing at the World Cup finals have not been as impressive as they should have been, aside from Ghana reaching the quarter-finals in South Africa in 2010.

Senegal have the opportunity to rectify that scenario as they prepare to face England in the knockout phase with a spot in the quarter-finals the prize if they secure the win. After bouncing back from their opening loss to Netherlands, Senegal have become the fifth team from the continent to reach the last 16 of the World Cup finals since 2002, and they did so by beating Qatar and Ecuador in their final two group matches to finish second in the group. They will provide a stern test for England as they have lost just one of their last five matches and have been scoring goals even without their talisman Sadio Mane, who missed the tournament through injury.

KEY STATS

• England — are looking to reach the quarter-final in consecutive editions of the World Cup for the first time since 2002/2006. The Three Lions, England, have been eliminated from just two of their seven round of 16 ties at the tournament, doing so against Germany in 2010 (1-4) and via penalty shootout against Argentina in 1998.

• Senegal — have reached the knockout stages of the World Cup for the second time, previously doing so in their first appearance in 2002 (quarter-final). Courtesy of beating Qatar and Ecuador in the group stages, Senegal have won consecutive World Cup matches for the first time.

• Both sides — England have never lost in seven previous World Cup matches against African opposition (W4 D3); their only previous such game in the knockout stages came against Cameroon in the 1990 quarter-final, winning 3-2 after extra-time, with their goals coming from David Platt and two Gary Lineker penalties.

The betting tip. Senegal win or draw.

JUSTBET ODDS – Netherlands vs USA

Saturday, December 3, 2022

Prediction Odds on Prediction Odds Calculation

NETHERLANDS TO WIN $1.90 which means a $1000 bet would pay $1,900

USA TO WIN $4.25 which means a $1000 bet would pay $4,250

MATCH TO DRAW $3.30 which means a $1000 bet would pay $3,300

Odds on the Home Team (Netherlands)

winning the game 2-0 at full time $7.75 which means that a $1,000 bet would pay $7,750

Odds on the Away Team (USA)

winning the game 1-2 at full time $15.00 which means that a $1,000 bet would pay $15,000

Odds on the game drawing 1-1 at full time $6.25 which means that a $1,000 bet would pay $6,250.

JUSTBET ODDS – England vs Senegal

Sunday, December 4, 2022

Prediction Odds on Prediction Odds Calculation

ENGLAND TO WIN $1.55 which means a $1000 bet would pay $1,550

SENEGAL TO WIN $7.00 which means a $1000 bet would pay $7,000

MATCH TO DRAW $3.60 which means a $1000 bet would pay $3,600

Odds on the Home Team (England)

winning the game 3-1 at full time $16.00 which means that a $1,000 bet would pay $16,000

Odds on the Away Team (Senegal)

winning the game 2-3 at full time $101.00 which means that a $1,000 bet would pay $101,000

Odds on the game drawing 2-2 at full time $26.00 which means that a $1,000 bet would pay $26,000.