So far big chalks have not been bet the World Cup sure things. Germany was stunned in a loss to Mexico. And Brazil was held to a shocking draw against Switzerland. In fact, nobody comes close to having the big guns of Brazil. Unforgivable was lax defending on a corner that allows the Swiss to tie the game. Meanwhile Costa Rica lost a scrappy 1-0 match to Serbia. Los Ticos are finding that 2018 will be a different story than 2014. Four years ago, they ambushed opponents. But this year the opposition is ready. Brazil is a massive favorite against Costa Rica in fact.
2018 FIFA World Cup Brazil vs. Costa Rica
Date and Time: Friday, June 22, 2018, 8 a.m. ET
Location: Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg
World Cup Betting Online Odds at SBG:
| Team | Spread | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Costa Rica | +2 (-110) | 2½ (-137) |  |
| Brazil | -2 (-105) | 2½ (+122) | |
| |||
2018 FIFA World Cup TV Coverage: FS1
Teams during Game 1
All it took for Serbia was a superb free kick from Aleksandar Kolarov. Costa Rica was threatened from the start with a close call miss by the Serbs. But at the end Los Ticos forced three saves. Meanwhile Brazil was frustrated with a highly organized Swiss team. The Brazilians took a well deserved early lead. And showed why they are a Bet the World Cup favorite. Switzerland had few chances and played with supreme discipline. Brazil was forced to make one save. While forcing the Swiss to make three saves. Phillipe Coutinho scored Brazil’s only goal.
Brazil
Brazil should enter this sportsbook online matchup with determination. To their credit they made a mad dash late effort against the Swiss. And they learned that just one lazy lapse can ruin everything. Neymar hot dogged it with his blonde spaghetti haircut. But was not fully engaged in the opener. Under coach Tite the Brazilians developed into a popular pick to win it all. Now they have a lot to make up for this week.
Tite
Tite is a bold and confident communicator. To his credit he has brought back team swagger. Brazil has been victimized by poor coaching in the past. That is definitely not the case with the revered Tite. Perhaps his biggest challenge will be getting Neymar focused. Neymar thinks he is among the world’s greats. But is yet to fully prove it. And the opening game did his reputation no favors. With talent like Paulinho and Philippe Coutinho, Tite has options. He is particularly favorable to Paulinho. They won a FIFA club title together at Corinthians.
Oscar Ramirez
Meanwhile, Oscar Ramirez has the tough task of replacing Jorge Luis Pinto. Pinto coached Los Ticos to their greatest World Cup level in 2014. Ramirez has maintained Pinto’s successful defensive style across. They will play with five at the back in fact. This is to support star player Keylor Navas who must protect their goal. Navas is star goal keeper for Real Madrid. If Costa Rica pulls off the upset Bryan Oviedo is likely to help. Furthermore, the winger is expected to contribute offense. And that is a lacking element on this team.
Matchup to Watch
Brazil got quite a bet the World Cup wake up call against Switzerland. Expect Tite to have them ready here. To sum up, Costa Rica cannot matchup with mega talented Brazil.
Bet the World Cup: World Cup Betting Odds Picks
Brazil should earn a decisive win as a result.
World Cup Betting Online Pick: Brazil
World Cup Betting Online Score Prediction: Brazil 2, Costa Rica 0