S.P. Read Esq: Russia v Saudi Arabia

Our daily columnist and pundit S.P. Read Esq. looks ahead to the World Cup opener RUSSIA v SAUDI ARABIA and finds the best opportunities available on Star Spreads, the home of sports spread betting.

At last, World Cup 2018 is here and this afternoon sees host nation Russia take on Saudi Arabia in Moscow – the first time the two teams have clashed competitively.

The stats and odds point towards a home win but this looks as tough as a self-assembly chest of drawers from IKEA without the instructions with so many imponderables.

Will the history book repeat itself? The host nation have played the opening match in nine previous World Cups and NEVER lost. However, England (1966), Mexico (1970) and South Africa (2010) all drew their respective openers.

Russia will also bid to become the seventh host nation to win the World Cup after Uruguay (1930), Italy (1934), England (1966), Germany (1974), Argentina (1978) and France (1998).

The problem with the Russian side though is the Russian side. They simply come into the tournament in lacklustre form. It it was a horse you’d say they were running down their handicap mark for the big race but any backers today at circa 4/9 fixed odds would surely want to see them showing a sparkle of better form? Russia have slipped to 70th in Fifa’s rankings, three places lower than Saudi Arabia.

The opening games are traditionaly low scoring affairs but I think there’s an interesting angle in on bookings.

As the first match of the tournament it will be interesting to see how lenient the referees are or whether there has been a edict to come down tough on discipline and set a precedent. The latter seems more likely.

Argentina’s Nestor Pitana is the man with the whistle this afternoon and he, domestically at least, is keen to brandish the cards with an average of 4.8 yellows and 0.33 reds in 15 games this season. That’s a theoretical average of 56 points and whilst dangerous to make assumptions on a World Cup opener, on that basis alone, it does leave quite a lot of fat against market expectations.

My other reason for cards is that there will be a host of expectation about Russia to win a game that (the betting says) they should win easily. I don’t reckon it WILL be that easy and frustration could well creep in.

Russia v Saudi Arabia
FIFA World Cup 2018 Group Stage
16:00 ITV

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD
(Maximum 10 matches)
NEVER PLAYED COMPETITIVELY
Saudi Arabia won 4-2 at home in a friendly in October 1993.

For the opener I’m a BOOKINGS BUYER at 40 with Star Spreads and there’s a special to boot below too !

CLICK FOR RUSSIA v SAUDI ARABIA MARKETS ON STAR SPREADS

RECOMMENDED BETS (scale 1-100 points)

BUY BOOKINGS 20 points at 40 with Star Spreads

• Any spread prices quoted are indicative and as always prices are subject to fluctuation.
• Please note the opinion, views and forecasts above are of the author and not of Star Spreads.