France vs Belgium World Cup Picks and Predictions 7/10/2018
World Cup Semi-Finals
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Saint Petersburg Stadium
France will play at Saint Petersburg Stadium when they take on Belgium in a World Cup semi-finals matchup. The opening line for this game has France at +140 and Belgium at +205. The total has been set at 2.
In a match that could end up being one of the most entertaining spectacles of this World Cup, France will be taking on Belgium in the semifinals on Tuesday. France was able to dominate Uruguay on both ends of the pitch in their 2-0 quarterfinals win, while Belgium put together a very impressive counterattacking performance to defeat Brazil 2-1. France comes into the game as slight favorites, but this is a very tough game to predict considering how well both teams have been playing in this tournament.
France
One of the keys to France's run so far has been the fact that its stars have played like stars. They do have a bit more talent than Belgium, so they will need to get their attacking stars the ball early and often to take it to Belgium's defense. Their speed could play a huge role since Belgium uses three slower defenders who might have a problem keeping up with that top-end speed. It'll be interesting to see if France sits back and works their own counterattack or if they instead play a more possession-style and try to find holes to run through.
Antoine Griezmann
Griezmann has been at the center of so many of France's top attacking moves throughout the World Cup. He's scoring goals, he's creating goals, and, possibly most importantly, he's been composed under pressure. Expect the 27-year-old attacking midfielder to once again see a lot of the ball in this game against Belgium.
Raphael Varane
Varane is France's most assured defender, and it will be up to him to make sure Belgium's attackers don't get a clear sight on goal. He has size and pace, which is exactly what France needs if they're going to be able to stop Belgium's top-rated counterattack. Varane will also once again be a threat on free kicks for France after scoring a fantastic header against Uruguay last round.
Belgium
If Belgium can play the exact same way that they did against Brazil in this game, they have a real chance of making it to the finals. That means that need to be able to absorb France's pressure with good team defense, and then break out on the counterattack with three or four players and try to outnumber their opponents. Of course, France will know that will be their plan, so it'll be up to head coach Roberto Martinez to come up with some creative ways to beat the very talented French defense.
Eden Hazard
Hazard hasn't been showing up on the scoresheet recently, but you can be sure that he has made an impact on all of Belgium's recent games. He's part of the team's feared counterattack and he will track far back to receive the ball when his defenders need him.
Romelu Lukaku
The 25-year-old striker didn't score a goal against Brazil in the quarterfinals, but it was one of the best performances he's had for his national team. He was often the lone man up front, but he did a fantastic job of holding up the ball and even running past multiple defenders at times. He's going to need to put in another five-star performance in this game against France.
Key France Injuries
No key injuries to report
Key Belgium Injuries
No key injuries to report
Who will win tonight's France/Belgium World Cup game against the spread?
Tony's Pick: Take France +140
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