Croatia vs. Belgium Bet Builder Tips: 11/2 double for cagey Group F contest
Belgium's golden generation enter Thursday's meeting with Croatia knowing that anything besides a win will probably result in a humiliating group stage exit from the World Cup Finals.
With such a tantalising stage already set, we've supplemented the excitement for Group F's big game with this Bet Builder courtesy of BoyleSports' multi betting tool.
Croatia vs Belgium Odds
Croatia vs Belgium Bet Builder Tips
Roberto Martinez has once again underwhelmed with his side's profusion of talent delivering a conservative style of football. Only this time his mismanagement has been royally exposed and the Belgians face being dumped out at the first World Cup hurdle. This precarious position is at least in their own hands, but it could require the Spaniard to orchestrate a radical shift in his team's style.
Croatia know that avoiding defeat pushes them through to the first knockout round, meaning they have to decide how important topping the group is in their plans. A last-16 tie with Spain may await if finishing second, but opening yourself up to a side like Belgium could prove very costly.
Although the emphasis will be on Belgium to take the game to them, Croatia won't just sit back and absorb the pressure that whole time. They'll pick their moments to speed up and slow down the tempo, looking to weave intricate passing moves together to play through the Belgium lines.
A high turnover rate between the pair and the fact that three of their combined four matches at this tournament have contained under 2.5 goals leads us to believe this cagey affair will finish under that mark once again.
The second leg of this double-header proposes Romelu Lukaku to have three or more shots in the game. Big Rom was prematurely called upon to find his country an equaliser inside the final 10 minutes of the Morocco defeat while nursing a muscle injury that has sidelined him since the end of October. But those extra days of training and recovery, coupled with the consequences of a Belgium failure will undoubtedly result in him starting this crucial Group F decider.
Inter Milan's hulking loanee might only have featured four times in Serie A this campaign, but he's met this line in 50% of those games; letting off a total of seven shots from 249 minutes of Italian top flight action.
Let's not forget that he is his country's all-time leading goalscorer after all, flaunting 68 goals in 103 appearances - a tally that sees him averaging 0.66 goals per game.
Kevin De Bruyne will also be licking his lips at the prospect of having Lukaku to provide for. Whether it's playing the ball to feet, in behind the defensive line, from a set-piece or anywhere inside the box from a wide area, he's a tangible threat.
