World Cup
2010-06-23 - USA vs Algeria
A Sports Betting Pick by Caged
Football : FIFA World Cup 2010 : Group Stage C
Venue : Tshwane, Pretoria
Wednesday 23rd June 2010 - Kickoff 16.00 Local time
USA (FIFA Rank 14)
The USA don’t half make it hard for themselves. They went a goal down to England and needed Rob Green’s goalkeeping howler to earn them a draw. And they went two down to the Slovenians with some Sunday league defending, but fought back again to claim another draw.
The United States are now sitting nicely in second place in the group on goals scored, they go into the final game against what is supposedly the weakest team in the group needing to win or match England’s result to qualify for the knockout stages.
The goal shy Algerians are unlikely to provide as stiff a test for the shoddy American defence as England and Slovenia, but the US will still need to improve in this department if they are to give themselves any chance of progressing. They can’t keep coming back from losing positions; they will luck out eventually.
Last year in the Confederations Cup Group Stages the USA lost their first two group games heavily against Brazil and Italy. Then the USA then faced Algeria’s North African rivals Egypt in Rustenburg in the deciding game. This was a game that not many expected USA to win against a very strong Egyptian side The US rampaged to a 3-0 win and went on to compete in the final.
Algeria (FIFA Rank 30)
Algeria will be delighted with the goalless draw with England. Much has been made of the constipated England performance, and this of course has to be the main reason why England failed to win.
But some respect has to be proffered to the Desert Foxes, who on the night were the better side. In the 1-0 defeat to Slovenia they also had the better of the possession and the chances, a goalkeeping error and sending off doing for them in the end. This Algerian side are no mugs and are capable of shocking anyone on their day.
However the big problem for the Algerians is a lack of goals. They probably have their best chance of getting one against a poor USA defence, but it is still difficult to see where it will come from.
FIFA World Cup 2010 - Group C Standings
Group C W D L F A GD Pts
Slovenia 1-1-0 3:2 +1 4
United States 0-2-0 3:3 0 2
England 0-2-0 1:1 0 2
Algeria 0-1-1 0:1 -1 1
The Betting Verdict
The Algerians are capable of springing a result, and the offensive Americans are patently untrustworthy in defence. But I can’t help but draw comparisons with that final USA 3-0 Egypt group game in the Confederations Cup last year in South Africa.
Results and rankings show Egypt to be a better side than Algeria, albeit Algeria beat Egypt to get here.
It’s no banker bet, but the even money for the American’s to repeat the trick against Egypt’s North African rivals is a price that looks worth taking. I’d have them a touch shorter.
The Pick :
USA 3-1 Algeria
Gooner’s Statistical Value Bet
