BIGGEST talking point of the tournament so far has been the participation of Tahiti. The Oceania champions lost 6-1 to Nigeria then crashed 10-0 to Spain.
To be fair they performed better than most expected but you have to imagine Uruguay will be looking to net at least six and many more if possible on Sunday.
There was talk of Spain beating the world record of 31-0 but that was never going to happen and although Tahiti lack quality they have plenty of spirit so I'd back the South Americans to net seven or eight.
Bookies of course aren't giving too much away and Uruguay no bigger than 1-100 to win and 4-5 with Paddy Power minus seven goals.
I tipped Fernando Torres to net a hat-trick on the website but that price was just 12-5. He hit four and missed a penalty and the likes of Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani and Diego Forlan can do similar damage if starting.
Liverpool star Suarez scored a cracker against Spain and Forlan hit a beauty versus Nigeria to celebrate his 100th cap – but the Napoli ace has looked out of sorts.
So Suarez is the one who could fill his boots and he is 21-10 to bag a treble and just 9-5 at Paddy Power to hit the opener.
In the other game Spain need a draw against Nigeria to seal top spot and a semi-final meeting against Italy – but they should get all three.
The world champions have eased to opening wins against Uruguay and Tahiti and managed to rest most of their first-choice men against Tahiti.
So the big guns such Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, Xavi and Pedro will be back and that will make it so tough for a young an inexperienced Nigeria outfit.
They gave it their all against Uruguay but came up short and I expect Spain to win by at least three unless as they don't start looking ahead to the last four too early.
Spain are a best 3-10 at Paddy Power and William Hill to win but minus two pays 9-5 at bet365 and Coral.
It might be better waiting to see teams before having a first-scorer bet but if he starts I'll be on Roberto Soldado at 9-2 with Ladbrokes. Fernando Torres and David Villa are the same price but may start on the bench.
For an anytime scorer try Andres Iniesta at 10-3 with Coral and William Hill as he tries to make his mark on the tournament.
Recommended Bets
Uruguay -7
(4-5, Paddy Power)
Suarez to score a hat-trick
(21-10, Paddy Power)
Spain -2
(9-5, bet365, Coral)
Iniesta to score
(10-3, Coral, William Hill)
Resident football tipster at Scotland's most read newspaper, the Daily Record, for over 20 years and proud host of one the best betting communities on the web with daily betting tips.
21/10 is not bad considering William hill are offering 6/5 for Suarez hatrick which is a joke. 8/1 for both Suarez and cavani to net hatricks with William hill
That Torres penalty miss turned out to be a sore one as I took the Paddy special of any Spanish player to score 5 or more at 5/1. If they offer the same special tomorrow I will be on it again. If Suarez plays I think he can go one better. And if he doesn’t play there is always the chance Cavani or Forlan could do it.
I wouldn’t take that special if they offer it!! I havn’t done my research but i dont think any Spaniards will be playing in that game!! Ha ha!! Know what u mean!! Just being perdantic!! As much as I hate the little rat, I think il be on a Suarez hatrick!!! Asuming he starts?
Iniesta to score,A/T, spain to win, 11/4 @skybet
spain -2,15/8 @skybet
spain, +2.5 match goals, 9/5 @skybet
Iniesta 1st goal, 9/1 @skybet
Confed.Cup,,,What a great tournament this has been so far,,Neymar looking like a value buy….Neymar/Messi=Frightening
Don’t get me wrong, Tahiti are absolutely rubbish – at least in this company. But I’m going to be on them on the handicap against Uruguay. This game is too tough to call for the margin of Uruguay’s victory, and if it wasn’t on TV, I doubt I’d have a punt, but since I’ll be watching it, I’m looking for value. I can’t find it in any bet that has Uruguay to win as such. But that’s because I don’t see Uruguay going all-out to score a barrel-load.
How I see it, Tahiti are going to fight for their pride in this game big-time. Tahiti have spirit. They MIGHT sneak a goal… They had periods against Spain when they looked OK. For example, just before kick-off. It’s possible Suarez or Cavani or Forlan, or – fingers crossed – all three, MIGHT get rested… (Why play them – Uruguay are through!) And playing openly against Nigeria and Spain has maybe proved to Tahiti that parking the bus might be something they’re better at… So, I think Tahiti could well put on a highly frustrating, tigerish rearguard action that keeps the goal tally down.
I’m thinking Zaire in 1974. They started with a decent performance against Scotland (when we were good, though, if memory serves, we weren’t that day, though it was no Peru or Iran, but let’s not go there) 2-0 defeat; then an absolute thrashing against rampant Yugoslavia 9-0; followed by a creditable, pride-salvaging third performance against Brazil: 3-0 defeat. (Brazil, incidentally, doing the bare minimum of what they had to do to get through – and seeing no reason to push themselves to do what Yugoslavia did.)
I’m sure Tahiti would lose to that Zaire side if they played tomorrow – even though they’ll all now be in their sixties – but my point is, an absolute tonking like Tahiti took from Spain can focus a side. Even one as rubbish as Tahiti. As I type this, I’m so glad I’m putting my money on them.
Meanwhile, Uruguay have got no reason to push themselves. If this had been their first game in the group, I’d have said 10-0, hat-tricks, Suarez, Cavani, all that. Definitely. But they’re already through. They’ll want to win, and they will win, but they also don’t want to break sweat for no reason – they are, after all, highly paid professional footballers. It’s worth noting that Uruguay looked seriously knackered against Nigeria until Forlan put them 2-1 up. This is their third game in serious heat/humidity in a week. Once they get to 3-0, which might take longer than expected, what’s the incentive? Equally, with games to come and the games already played in mind, they may well make changes to the key danger men both from the outset and during the game – that seems highly likely.
That’s all good news for those of us on Tahiti +6 @ 23/10 (Paddy Power)
Mind you, if Tahiti also made lots of changes, that would be even better. ;-)
Im thinking the same uht,goin for under 8.5 at 8/11.
price not as good i know,doing that with spain -1 in a double.
Newells old boys at 8/13 anybody…yes i know s american or any football is not a cert,but surely? Also helsingborg 11/10 single?
Old boys 7/10 skybet…8/13 ladbrokes coupon,dont know of any price change,havent been on website,im going to bed,good morning all B-)
I read that the top two go thru on goal difference, Uruaguay are +0 at the moment and Nigeria +4 so Uruguay will be going for goals right just to make sure? I can’t see Nigeria getting anything from Spain. Looking at the table just now Nigeria are sitting second
Madi, Nigeria are only second because they’ve played Tahiti. They’ll lose to Spain so a Uruguay draw will put them through. But Uruguay will win by at least five anyway.
spain 8 nigeria 0…watchout from prophet TB joshua
Madi – Nigeria lost to Uruguay, so, currently have 3 points for beating Tahiti. Uruguay will have 6 when they beat Tahiti. The only way goal difference comes into it is if Nigeria beat Spain. Like you say, that’s fairly unlikely. Uruguay pretty much only have to turn up and win today. They’ll keep an eye on what’s happening in the other game, though, so, Nigeria leading early would be bad news for me and geeman!
I slept on my post, and I do want to say that I’m not disagreeing with Mr Fixit or the general consensus for the sake of it. This site is brilliant, and his tips are always great. I don’t often disagree with them. I’m just posting in a thread created for discussion of tonight’s two matches, and I don’t disagree about Spain, but I think there is a fair alternative view on the other game.
I’m keeping stakes small on the Uruguay game because it is so tough to call. It’s about whether Uruguay will win 4, 5 or 6 – or whether they’ll beat the markets where the bookies will start paying out decent money. I’m just trying to explain as emphatically as I can why I tend to think it may not be the goalfest expected, so, go easy! It’s just an opinion, and I could just as easily be wrong as right, but the 23/10 on the +6 is the right price for the gamble.
The UHT, can see where your coming from but I think I recall you saying something similar in terms of Spain taking their foot off the gas and how double figures was unlikely… Would it not be fair to say that Uruguay will approach the game presuming that Nigeria will get something from Spain? You say…They’ll keep an eye on what’s happening in the other game though…meaning what? That Uruguay will stroll around and only go for it when their bench signals that Nigeria are doing the business?? Wouldnt be very professional in my opinion. Dont envisage double figures but 7 or 8 goal deficit could EASILY happen.
Hank, pretty sure Spain will beat Nigeria and as far as Uruguay goes they should score six or seven without trying too hard. Tahiti have plenty of spirit but can’t defend and don’t even seem to have tried too hard to put men behind the ball.
I agree Mr F, Spain should give Nigeria a tanking and Uruguay WILL give Tahiti a tanking. I was responding to the UHTS argument that uruguay wont go for it. Spain didnt go for it and they hit 10 and missed a penalty. I dont think Tahiti are capable of ‘parking the bus’ against anyone. They dont have the discipline, technical ability or tactical savvy.
Hank – you are right. I thought Spain would beat what Nigeria did and then ease off, but they didn’t. I was wrong. Maybe Uruguay will be the same. Uruguay will go out to win, no question, but will be aware what’s happening in the other game. If Spain are 2-0 up at half-time and Uruguay are winning fairly easily, I just can’t see them pushing on goal after goal. But it is hard to call. They might. I agree with you that Uruguay could easily win 8, 9, 10+. It’s just seeing the incentive to do so. I think there are decent reasons they may not. Everybody feared for Zaire against Brazil after Yugoslavia beat them 9-0 in 1974, fearing cricket scores, but Brazil were more concerned with what they might do later in the tournament.
The UHT, 3-0 Brazil put them through ahead of Scotland by one goal and I don’t think we’ve ever recovered.
Personally i think Uruguay will score more than Spain did as Spain weren’t really going for the jugular. I think suarez and cavani will really go for it. Over 8.5, 9.5 goals for me
Good news from the BBC! Tahiti are playing their third choice keeper. And it’s his debut, too.
“Tahiti coach Eddy Etaeta has promised to give all three of his goalkeepers a game in Brazil meaning Gilbert Meriel will make his Toa Aito debut against Uruguay.”
What are the chances of him being better than the other two? I can confirm he does have two arms.
The UHT, he can’t be any worse than the other two can he?
Mr F – I’m praying they’ve been holding back their ‘secret weapon’! ;-)
I’ve found a picture of him! ;-)
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.seriouswheels.com%2Fabc%2FAEC-Routemaster-Double-Decker-Bus-restored-by-Bentley-Side-1920×1440.htm&h=0&w=0&sz=1&tbnid=RQIvyypHk1zS0M&tbnh=194&tbnw=259&prev=%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Ddouble%2Bdecker%2Bbus%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=double%20decker%20bus&docid=SiTgt__NEslGlM&hl=en&ei=Ht7GUZLjA4msPN_ZgdAM&ved=0CAEQsCU#imgdii=RQIvyypHk1zS0M%3A%3BIF8YHLGsTLHEXM%3BRQIvyypHk1zS0M%3A
Daddy power only offering up to over 5.5 pointless
Think Uruguay will be wanting to score as many as they can. Chance to break records and also for the likes of Suarez, cavani, and Forlan it will be a great chance to boost their international goal tally
David Villa To Score and Spain to win,
Englan u20
@3.56 Double
is that worth a go?
Uruguay u 20s are killing me here ahhhhhhh