Published Jul 1, 4:20am ET by
Alex Dudley - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Jul 1, 4:20am ET
Credit: Shutterstock
Updated Jul 1, 4:20am ET
All eyes will be on the U.S. as July 4th celebrations are set for this weekend. However, there is also exciting FIFA World Cup action set for the big day, with tournament favorites France aiming to secure their spot in the last eight against Paraguay.
The European nation will be heavy favorites to book their spot in the next round, but being outsiders is unlikely to faze Paraguay following a shock win over Germany in the round of 32.
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|
|---|---|
| Paraguay | +1600 |
| DRAW | +635 |
| France | -525 |
It has been a summer to remember for Gustavo Alfaro’s Paraguay, as they have reached the round of 16 for just the fifth time in their history. The White and Red delivered their best performance of the competition in the previous round, with their win over Germany in the round of 32 coming as a huge shock after stumbling to third in Group D.
Paraguay opened the scoring through the influential Julio Enciso before they were forced to defend excellently in the second period after conceding an equalizer.
Orlando Gill was the hero from the penalty spot, while the goalkeeper also excelled in regulation time, making five important saves. He is expected to be extremely busy once again in the round of 16.
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Didier Deschamps is looking to become just the second manager in history to win the World Cup on two occasions, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to overlook the claims for France to achieve that feat.
Les Bleus have won all four of their matches at the World Cup this summer, with their staggering offensive record seeing them register 13 goals. Kylian Mbappe was once again the star of the show in the previous round, scoring twice to move within one of Lionel Messi as the all-time leading scorer at the World Cup. It was pure domination by France against Sweden, ending the night with a staggering 25 shots, including 13 on target.
Few could argue against the fact that the team boasts the best forward line in world soccer, with Bradley Barcola also scoring in midweek, with Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele ending the night against the Swedes with assists.
Paraguay have done exceptionally well to reach this stage of the competition, but their journey is likely to come to an end on Saturday. France have been exceptional to this point, and the only value in the betting could come in the form of Les Bleus covering the spread.
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Pick
France (-2) (-101)
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