Brazil Ivory Coast Betting – Samba Kings Pounce On Ivory Coast Mistakes

Online betting players will being playing close attention to Group G, also known as the “Group of Death”, and two more combatants will aim for three points when five-time champion Brazil will face off against the Ivory Coast in what should be an entertaining match. The Ivorians have their star player now, which may make them push forward, which is never that smart when dealing with Brazil.

• What: World Cup Betting
• When: Sunday, June 20th, 2:30 PM ET
• Where: Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg
• Key Stats: This is the first meeting from these two sides

The Storyline

The Samba Kings didn’t have an easy time in their 2-1 win over North Korea, struggling to break down a stubborn defense by their opponents. Les Elephants played a 0-0 stalemate with Portugal in their Group G opener, but they received a boost when captain Didier Drogba came on later in the match.

Who Has The Edge On Offense: Brazil Ivory Coast Betting

Some said the Brazilians had lost their flair under manager Dunga, but they had to use all of their tricks to unlock the North Koreans. Fullback Maicon was the Man of the Match, rampaging down the wings and scoring the first Brazilian goal. Robinho was also in consideration after his through ball to Elano for the second goal, and he was troublesome through. The North Koreans were sometimes double-marking Kaka, so he wasn’t much of a fact, and Luis Fabiano struggled in front of goal.

The Ivory Coast didn’t really have any great chances against Portugal, but it was good to see Drogba come on for the final 20 minutes or so. He didn’t look bothered by the cast on his fractured left arm, and it’s a safe wager for World Cup betting players that Drogba will be on the pitch from the beginning of this match. Gervinho was probably the best attacking threat for the Ivory Coast, but they need their main man back.

Who Has The Edge In Defense: Brazil Ivory Coast Betting

The Brazilians went for three defenders against North Korea, and they were largely untroubled, keeping them outside for 20-yard shots. Lucio was a force, while Gilberto Silva and Felipe Melo covered for the marauding fullbacks. However, the late lapse in concentration to allow North Korea to score late is a bit worrying, and it’ll be interesting to see how they play a team that will attack them back.

Les Elephants did an excellent job at frustrating Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, holding the Real Madrid superstar to a long-distance shot that crashed off the post. Didier Zakora and Kolo Toure were immense, but Toure was cramping badly at the end of the Portugal match, so that’s something to watch for.

Notable Injuries – Brazil Ivory Coast Betting

The Brazilians managed to escape the first match with a clean bill of healthy.

Toure (calf) should be fine to start, but will his cramps stay away against the Samba Kings?

Totals – Brazil Ivory Coast Betting

All signs point to this being an open match, especially if the Ivorians have Drogba in the lineup, and even with all the talk of a decline in goals, we think this match will be end-to-end.

Brazil Ivory Coast Betting Prediction & Outlook

The Brazilians are rated at -145 as the favorites in their first-ever meeting with the Ivory Coast, who are listed at +430, and a draw comes in at +250. The Ivorians’ instinct will be to attack, but that’s going to leave them truly exposed at the back. Kaka should find a little more room to pull the strings in the Brazilian midfield, but he’ll also get a lot of attention from Yaya Toure as the two resume their battles from La Liga (Kaka plays for Real Madrid, Toure for Barcelona). In the end, we think the Ivorians are going to make a mistake at some point, and it’s going to cost them a chance at a sports betting upset.

Bet World Cup: Brazil -145