France vs Belgium Free World Cup Picks and Semi-Finals Odds

by Tony Sink - 7/6/2018

World Cup Semi-Finals

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Saint Petersburg Stadium

France will play at Saint Petersburg Stadium when they take on Belgium in a World Cup semi-finals matchup. The opening line for this game has France at +140 and Belgium at +205. The total has been set at 2.

In a match that could end up being one of the most entertaining spectacles of this World Cup, France will be taking on Belgium in the semifinals on Tuesday. France was able to dominate Uruguay on both ends of the pitch in their 2-0 quarterfinals win, while Belgium put together a very impressive counterattacking performance to defeat Brazil 2-1. France comes into the game as slight favorites, but this is a very tough game to predict considering how well both teams have been playing in this tournament.

France

One of the keys to France's run so far has been the fact that its stars have played like stars. They do have a bit more talent than Belgium, so they will need to get their attacking stars the ball early and often to take it to Belgium's defense. Their speed could play a huge role since Belgium uses three slower defenders who might have a problem keeping up with that top-end speed. It'll be interesting to see if France sits back and works their own counterattack or if they instead play a more possession-style and try to find holes to run through.

Antoine Griezmann

Griezmann has been at the center of so many of France's top attacking moves throughout the World Cup. He's scoring goals, he's creating goals, and, possibly most importantly, he's been composed under pressure. Expect the 27-year-old attacking midfielder to once again see a lot of the ball in this game against Belgium.

Raphael Varane

Varane is France's most assured defender, and it will be up to him to make sure Belgium's attackers don't get a clear sight on goal. He has size and pace, which is exactly what France needs if they're going to be able to stop Belgium's top-rated counterattack. Varane will also once again be a threat on free kicks for France after scoring a fantastic header against Uruguay last round.

Belgium

If Belgium can play the exact same way that they did against Brazil in this game, they have a real chance of making it to the finals. That means that need to be able to absorb France's pressure with good team defense, and then break out on the counterattack with three or four players and try to outnumber their opponents. Of course, France will know that will be their plan, so it'll be up to head coach Roberto Martinez to come up with some creative ways to beat the very talented French defense.

Eden Hazard

Hazard hasn't been showing up on the scoresheet recently, but you can be sure that he has made an impact on all of Belgium's recent games. He's part of the team's feared counterattack and he will track far back to receive the ball when his defenders need him.

Romelu Lukaku

The 25-year-old striker didn't score a goal against Brazil in the quarterfinals, but it was one of the best performances he's had for his national team. He was often the lone man up front, but he did a fantastic job of holding up the ball and even running past multiple defenders at times. He's going to need to put in another five-star performance in this game against France.

Key France Injuries

No key injuries to report

Key Belgium Injuries

No key injuries to report

Who will win tonight's France/Belgium World Cup game against the spread?

Tony's Pick: Take France +140

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Pick:	KANSAS CITY CHIEFS -5.5
Start:	December 15, 2024 @ 1:00 PM
Expert:	Doc's Sports

Analysis:

Free Play from Doc’s Sports. Take #465 Kansas City Chiefs -5.5 over Cleveland Browns (1p.m., Sunday, December 15 CBS) The Chiefs keep winning games and sooner or later one of those wins will come by a comfortable margin. I look for that to be this Sunday against a Browns team that is just playing out the string. Cleveland currently sits at 3- 10 and will enter this game having lost 4 of their last 5 games. Their only win came against Pittsburgh in a snow game on a short week. All 4 of those losses by the Browns have come over the posted number for this game. Kansas City is better on both sides of the football, and I just do not see the Browns offense keeping pace. Do not miss out on Doc’s Sports Weekend card featuring top plays in basketball, football, and hockey. We will feature our World-Famous Nonconference Game of the Year in College Basketball on Saturday. This game has won 13 of the 15 years it has been in existence and it is a must have for any big game hunter. Read More Read Less

France vs Belgium World Cup Picks and Predictions 7/10/2018

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