- What: Argentina vs. Croatia, 2022 FIFA World Cup - Semifinals
- When: Tuesday, December 13, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. EST
- Where: Lusail Iconic Stadium in Qatar
- How to watch: Peacock (ESP), Fox Sports (EN), Telemundo
Only four teams remain in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, as the stage for the semifinals is set. Argentina is set to take on Croatia on Tuesday, December 13 in a bid to reach the World Cup Final. Lionel Messi and Co. advanced by the skin of their teeth after a nervy shootout victory over the Netherlands, while Croatia stunned Brazil in its own penalty shootout in order to earn its place in the final four. We're set to make some Argentina vs. Croatia picks for the World Cup semifinals.
Before we dive into the Argentina vs. Croatia World Cup picks, make sure to take a look at our soccer betting guide in order to get all the tips and tricks you need. Additionally, check out our World Cup betting guide which has plenty of useful information.
Argentina vs. Croatia Odds
 | Spread | Money Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | -0.5 (-122) | -125 | O 2.0 (-120) |
| Croatia | +0.5 (+102) | +400 | U 2.0 (+100) |
| Draw | +235 |
Heading into the matchup, Argentina is the favorite against Croatia with a World Cup Final bid on the line. Argentina (-125) is expected to take care of business against Croatia (+400) during the first 90 minutes of regulation. A draw comes in at (+235). The spread is set for Argentina -0.5 (-122), indicating the books anticipate Argentina to end the 90 minutes of regulation ahead of Croatia. The total is set at 2.0 goals, leaning towards the over (O 2.0 -122).
Argentina Best Bets
Argentina's run to the World Cup Final continues after they escaped with a win over the Netherlands in what was a feisty matchup. Lionel Messi, who has never won a World Cup, has the chance to lead Argentina to the final if they can get the job done against Croatia. Argentina is expected to deliver a win, and there's plenty of reason to believe they can do just that, especially with Messi in outstanding form.
During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi leads Argentina in both goals scored and assists provided. The 35-year-old has scored four goals in five games while providing two assists. He's going to be a big problem for Croatia, as he has been for every one of Argentina's opponents in Qatar. While the Croatian defense has been one of the best at the tournament, containing Lionel Messi is going to require a team effort.
But it's not just Messi pulling the strings for Argentina. Alexis Mac Allister has played phenomenally in the midfield while Manchester City youngster Julian Alvarez has made a name for himself on the international stage with two goals at the tournament. In fact, Argentina has scored 2+ goals at every single game during the 2022 World Cup. Despite Croatia's excellent defense, I expect Argentina to apply enough pressure to score a pair of goals in this one and continue that trend. The first bet for this game is Argentina Total Goals Over 1.5 (+122).
In addition to Argentina's team total, I'm also expecting Lionel Messi to play the creator on one of their goals. With two assists under his belt, most people will be looking out for Messi to score a fifth goal, but I believe he will be more than willing to sacrifice a goal if he has an open teammate with a better look on net. With that in mind, the second bet I'll be taking is Lionel Messi to record an assist (+200).
Croatia Best Bets
Once again, Croatia finds itself in the midst of a deep World Cup run while being one of the biggest underdogs left in the competition. After putting a shocking end to Brazil's run at the World Cup, Croatia will now look to stun another one of the tournament favorites in Argentina. Despite entering the game as major underdogs, there's plenty of reason to believe Croatia has what it takes for an upset victory.
Croatia made it as far as the final of last year's World Cup, where they were defeated by France. This is a team that plays the full 90 minutes or 120 minutes of every game, never giving up hope until the final whistle sounds. That was evident against Brazil when they managed to score a late equalizer courtesy of Bruno Petkovic in the 117th minute. While other teams may begin to hang their heads when the going gets tough, Croatia rallies together.
Argentina themselves just surrendered a last-minute equalizer against the Netherlands, so when the pressure mounts, they've proven to be mistake-prone. That could play into the hands of Croatia, who will likely be aiming to take this game into extra time and even a penalty shootout, an avenue in which they've had plenty of past success. If Croatia is able to take this game beyond the 90 minutes, it may actually be in their favor.
Because of that, I'm going to take a gamble on Croatia to stun Argentina and reach the World Cup Final. While I'm not willing to go all out and say they'll get it done in regulation, Croatia to qualify at (+210) is still excellent value for the reigning runners-up.
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