Join us for our latest 2022 FIFA World Cup betting picks and expert analysis to assist you with Tuesday’s Round of 16 fixtures.
Morocco finished atop Group F, surprising Croatia and Belgium, and will fancy their chances as a dark horse against Spain. At the same time, Portugal is faced with a stubborn Switzerland squad that can play the spoiler card against Cristiano Ronaldo and co.
Read on for the final World Cup Round of 16 fixtures, soccer analysis, and Bonus Betting preview for a schedule involving Morocco vs. Spain and Portugal vs. Switzerland.
Don’t forget to stay up to date on any player injuries that may affect the performance of your favorite teams during the World Cup.
Morocco vs. Spain
Tuesday, December 6, 2022 – 10:00 AM EST at Education City Stadium
Moroccan Dark Horses Showing Value
Morocco began their Qatar tenure by holding the 2018 finalists Croatia to a tie game. More impressively, they defeated Belgium and Canada as Walid Regragui’s men surprised pundits by finishing in first place in Group F.
Since Senegal’s elimination at the hands of England, Morocco is now the lone squad representing Africa in the World Cup knockout phase, and they’re already proud to reach this stage undefeated. However, with a historical nation like Spain lying in wait, we can expect the Atlas Lions to put everything on the line to keep their eight-game unbeaten streak intact.
It’s important to note the defensive record Morocco has boasted recently. They’ve produced a clean sheet in 7 of their last 8 outings in all competitions, winning six of those meetings while allowing a mere two goals.
Blessing in Disguise for La Roja
Spain couldn’t stop the Blue Samurai in their final Group E matchday, but this could be considered a blessing in disguise as they avoided Croatia in a Round of 16 clash. With that said, Morocco shouldn’t be underestimated, and we’re positive Luis Enrique won’t allow his team to be under the illusion that this meeting will be a routine 90 minutes.
Despite losing to Japan, it was Spain’s second loss from 12 games in 2022, proving their undeniable presence as a World Cup favorite.
These sides met at the 2018 World Cup, and this meeting finished 2-2, and a similar result on Tuesday wouldn’t be a surprising scoreline when considering Spain’s mishaps and Morocco’s fortunes thus far.
Pick and Prediction
The current World Cup odds show Spain as the moneyline favorite, which is expected.
However, priced at +600 to win the game, we’ve discovered excellent Moroccan betting value elsewhere.
With a price tag of +140, expecting both teams to score is a betting opportunity we cannot neglect. Spain is a proven goal-scoring threat after netting at least one goal in their previous 21 games in all competitions. Still, their defensive frailties were displayed against Japan, and Morocco could take advantage.
Score Prediction: Morocco 1 – Spain 1
World Cup Pick: Both Teams to Score (+140) at PointsBet
Portugal vs. Switzerland
Monday, December 6, 2022 – 02.00 PM EST at Lusail Stadium
Portugal Hunting Round of 16 Success
Despite falling victim to a relentless South Korea comeback in their final Group H matchday, Portugal remained in first position and now seeks a quarter-final placement in a World Cup for the first time since 2006.
Portugal’s World Cup history hasn’t met the standards of their European counterparts, such as Spain, France, and Germany. The Iberian nation has never reached a World Cup final; their best effort (third) was achieved in 1966.
Fernando Santos is tasked with deliberating the form and fitness of the goal-scoring icon Cristiano Ronaldo. Still, the Portuguese manager will need to make the right decision as they’ll be faced with a familiar foe that boasts a proven track record in major competitions.
Contrasting Head-to-Head
Switzerland and Portugal met twice during the summer’s UEFA Nations League competition, and the results were quite the opposite of each other. From a 4-0 win in Lisbon, Portugal then suffered a 1-0 defeat in Geneva.
The Swiss then continued with their European domination following that 1-0 success over Portugal, as they went on to defeat the Czech Republic and Spain.
Fortunes have continued in Qatar, and Switzerland recorded two wins from their three group-stage encounters. And despite failing to reach the quarter-finals of a World Cup since 1954, sending France home in last year’s Euro quarter-finals displayed a well-connected group that will be confident in repeating another upset defeat.
Pick and Prediction
The current World Cup odds at the best sportsbooks naturally favor Portugal as the outright winner, but I don’t expect a straightforward 90 minutes as these odds suggest.
The betting value is all over Switzerland, and given their success against European heavyweights in recent years, backing them to win or draw in 90 minutes feels like an excellent wagering position to be in versus a Portugal side that struggle to protect their goal-scoring efforts.
Score Prediction: Portugal 1 – Switzerland 1
Soccer Pick: Switzerland/Double Chance (-115) at FanDuel
