Tips Hub

Japan have been really impressive at the World Cup so far and are on an incredible unbeaten run spanning nine matches which stretches all the way back to September 2025.

Japan are a very efficient side, they’ve won seven of these nine matches - notably keeping clean sheets in six of them. They put Tunisia to the sword last time out, putting four past the African side with five shots on target, and now face a Sweden side who were hammered 5-1 by Netherlands last time out and have failed to keep a clean sheet across their last 13 international matches.

One of the main concerns I had about Sweden heading into the tournament was their backline. They were 2-0 down after just 17 minutes against Ronald Koeman’s side last time out - eventually conceding seven shots on target and an xG of 2.61 to the Dutch outfit. 

This is something Sweden have struggled with consistently over the last year, they conceded 5.13 shots on target per game during qualifying and finished bottom of the group despite the other nations being Switzerland, Kosovo and Slovenia - Graham Potter’s side only reached the World Cup due to their performance in the Nations League. 

Japan averaged 6.87 shots on target per game during their qualifying campaign, registering at least three shots on target in 87% of their matches. Even if we look at the games Sweden have contested in friendlies this year, their backline looks vulnerable to an organised Japanese attack. 

They conceded four shots on target and lost the first half in a 2-2 draw with Greece, and allowed Norway to have seven shots on target in a 3-1 victory where all three goals also came in the first half for Erling Haaland’s side. 

Sweden are very fortunate to even be at the World Cup, and their games under Graham Potter show that they aren’t really at the level to overcome opponents like Japan given their shortcomings during qualifying, and against Netherlands last time out. 

Germany have taken maximum points from their World Cup games so far, and they have looked in fine form going forward, with nine goals scored in two matches.

Julian Nagelsmann’s men snatched the three points against Ivory Coast last time out with a 94th-minute winner, so the feeling around camp will be positive heading into this fixture. 

With that being said, Germany are yet to keep a clean sheet - they even conceded against Curacao. The Germans have looked vulnerable on the break at times, which Ecuador will be looking to exploit.

With this being a must-win game for the South American side, they will have to be front-footed from the start.

The South American side are still yet to score in the tournament, but they have been somewhat unlucky.

Ecuador hit the woodwork twice against Ecuador in round one, before forcing 15 saves from Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room last time out. They will have to throw everything at Germany in search of the three points, which means this could become quite an open contest with chances available at both ends of the field. 

Germany have seen corner counts of 11 and nine in their two World Cup matches so far, while there have also been at least eight corners in both of Ecuador's games.

With Ecuador having to be attack-minded here, John Yeboah is a player to target.

The winger managed three shots against Ivory Coast in round one and three shots against Curacao last time out - he has landed this selection in each of his last eight starts for Ecuador across all competitions. 

Yeboah has been heavily involved for Ecuador in the final third, and that has even been the case domestically. The 26-year-old plays for Venezia in Italian Serie B, and his average of 4.0 shots per 90 this season was one of the highest in the squad.

Even though this is a tough matchup against Germany, Ecuador will be relying on Yeboah to contribute in the final third.

Germany are not short of elite talent in their starting eleven, and Felix Nmecha has been one of the standout performers under Nagelsmann so far.

He provided the assist for Deniz Undav to score the winner against Ivory Coast last time out, after finding the back of the net himself against Curacao to get Germany underway. 

Nmecha has shown a desire to push forward from midfield with Alexander Pavlovic sitting deeper as cover. Nmecha has regularly been able to get into the opposition box to create overloads or look to get on the end of second balls.

He has already racked up six shots across his two World Cup appearances - including four against Curacao in round one, of which three hit the target, and one found the back of the net. 

Jamal Musiala has drawn more fouls than any other German player at the World Cup so far, landing this selection against Curacao and Ivory Coast.

He has looked back to his very best after having an injury-hit campaign for Bayern Munich, and Ecuador looks set for a tough time trying to contain the 23-year-old. Musiala is so effective when it comes to beating his marker on the dribble, and that makes him a frustrating player to come up against. 

Musiala will be directly up against Moises Caicedo in midfield, and that is a matchup to keep an eye on. With Ecuador needing a win, they should be aggressive and intense in their press right from the outset, which is exactly what makes Musiala a target here.

Joshua Kimmich provided two assists against Curacao in Germany’s opening World Cup fixture, sliding one through for Musiala to score before then laying it on a plate for Undav.

Kimmich was unfortunate not to add to that tally against Ivory Coast last time out, as he recorded three key passes, including two big chances created for teammates which were ultimately not converted. 

The 31-year-old registered 12 assists for Bayern Munich this season across all competitions, meaning he has hit double figures for assists in eight of his last nine seasons at the club.

He is the primary set-piece taker for the Germans and is involved in so much for them in the final third, despite being listed as a right back on paper.

Caicedo might not wear the captain's armband, but he is the leader of this Ecuador side, and the Chelsea man will need to play a massive role against Germany if Ecuador are to stand a chance of picking up the three points. 

Caicedo had one shot against Curacao in round two, which forced a save from the goalkeeper, and before that, he had one effort against Ivory Coast that went narrowly wide of the target. He has shown a willingness to get forward and support attacks, and when the space opens up for him on the edge of the box, he tends to pull the trigger.

Ecuador might be limited in clear-cut chances against Ecuador, which means they could be reliant on efforts from range. 

Despite winning 7-1 against Curacao in round one, Germany still racked up 18 fouls, and Pavlovic accounted for exactly a third of those with six infringements.

The referee was incredibly lenient with his cards given the lack of competitiveness in that fixture, allowing Pavlovic to escape without a booking. 

Ecuador have drawn eight yellow cards in the World Cup so far, and a lot of those have been concentrated in midfield. Seko Fofana and Franck Kessie were both booked against Ecuador in round one, while three of the four Curacao midfielders also picked up a caution last time out.

With Pavlovic now occupying that position in midfield, and given the larger defensive responsibility, this price stands out. 

Enner Valencia had a frustrating game against Curacao in round two, and he was responsible for missing Ecuador's best chances.

He had seven shots in total, with five on target, but was unable to find the back of the net. The Ecuador skipper will be desperate to atone for those mistakes here against Germany, in what could be his final World Cup game if Ecuador fail to win. 

Valencia blanked on fouls against Curacao, but that was in a game where Ecuador dominated with 75% possession, and they managed just seven total fouls as a team.

Before that, Valencia had recorded multiple fouls in each of his last four appearances for Ecuador, and he had an average of 1.65 fouls per 90 for Pachuca in Liga MX this season.

Norway have seen 4+ goals in each of their opening two World Cup games, and I think we’re in for another exciting clash here between the two best sides in this group.

There’s still top spot in the group up for grabs, which would be the difference between facing the Ivory Coast or one of the best third-placed sides in the Round of 32.

France have only kept one clean sheet across their last seven international matches, which is a record to suggest that Norway can find a way to get on the scoresheet in this clash - especially as they have Erling Haaland within their ranks, who has scored twice in both of his World Cup matches so far.

Erling Haaland has a ridiculous record at international level, which is superior to any other player at the tournament if you go by goal-to-game ratio. Making him the best goalscorer at the World Cup, and I think he’ll get enough chances to get on the scoresheet again in this clash.

France’s clean sheet against Iraq last time out was the first shutout that they’ve kept across their last seven international matches. I concede that not all of these games were competitive, so France may have been a bit more relaxed than they are at a World Cup - but Norway still have enough quality in forward areas to generate chances.

Haaland scored 16 goals across eight matches during qualifying and has scored 59 goals across his 52 caps, which is an immense standard to maintain at international level. His goals against Senegal and Iraq show that he’s not stat padding either; he can perform at the very highest level for his country, and I think he can have success in front of goal again here.

Michael Olise has registered the joint-most assists of any player at the World Cup (3), setting up two of France’s three goals against Iraq last time out. He created 22 chances during qualifying (4.64 per game) and is a massive creative asset to this French side.

Didier Deschamps is a really intriguing manager and has tweaked Olise’s role slightly from his instructions at Bayern Munich. Deschamps wants Olise to come inside earlier and more often, whereas he’ll often hug the touchline and look to cut in close to goal when playing for Bayern Munich.

He’s deploying Olise in this way for balance. Every player in France’s front four could easily be a superstar, but that would negatively affect the overall balance and performance of the side, so using Olise in this way allows France to be effective with all their talent in the final third.

Olise has already created seven chances across his two matches. Importantly, he has a frontline that can put away these chances with Olise likely to set up one of Mbappe, Dembele, or Barcola for a goal in the fixture.

I really like Antonio Nusa; he hasn’t quite had the chance to show his best level yet, but I think this could be an ideal game for him to shine, as France’s main weakness lies in the fullback areas.

France are obviously a very complete side, but Jules Kounde and Theo Hernandez/Lucas Digne are the players I would be looking to target if I were an opposition manager. France like pushing their fullbacks forward to support the attack, so there is often space for speedy wingers like Nusa to exploit.

Nusa had two shots against Senegal last time out and impressed for Norway during qualifying, registering five goal contributions across six starts and getting 21 shots away (3.96 per 90). His shot accuracy does need some work; only four of these efforts found the target, but if he improves that side of his game, he will be a real threat to any side.

This should be a really entertaining watch, both sides have scored 3+ goals in both of their matches at the World Cup so far, and Norway have also failed to keep a clean sheet in either of their opening fixtures against Iraq and Senegal.

France have seen 3+ goals in each of their last 11 international fixtures. Both sides have already qualified for the next round, but this is still a crucial game as it will decide who will top the group. France would finish top with a point due to their superior goal difference, while Erling Haaland’s side would need all three points to emerge as group winners.

France have the capacity to cover this line on their own, given the attacking talent in the squad. That may sound a little harsh on Norway, who have been very impressive so far, but I’m not convinced about the security of their backline, having conceded two goals against Senegal last time out and also allowing Iraq to get on the scoresheet in the opening game.

Kylian Mbappe always comes alive at the World Cup, and this tournament is no different, with the French forward matching Haaland in netting a brace in each of his two matches so far.

Mbappe has taken 12 shots across these games, seeing seven of them find the target. He’s scored two of his four goals from outside the box, so he’s not afraid to aim from distance, and this shot volume gives Mbappe a really strong chance of finding the target on at least two occasions.

Mbappe scored five goals across four starts for France during qualifying and averaged 7.39 shots per 90 and 3.06 shots on target per 90 across these four games.

Erling Haaland has performed really well at his first-ever World Cup so far, netting a brace against both Senegal and Iraq to secure Norway’s progression into the knockout phases of the competition.

This Norway side is built around providing service to the best striker in the world, and you can see this through how many shots he manages to get away for his national side. Haaland has taken 10 shots across just two starts, seeing seven of these efforts find the target.

Haaland was just as devastating for Norway during qualifying, scoring more goals than any other player (16) across just eight matches. He maintained a ridiculous average of 3.57 shots on target per 90 across those qualifying matches and is well placed to get at least two shots on target away again in this clash.

Norway have been quite aggressive in their opening few games at the World Cup, committing 13 fouls against both Iraq and Senegal.

David Moller Wolfe has committed multiple fouls in both of these games and will have a tough personal assignment against Michael Olise here.

Moller Wolfe featured sparingly for Wolves during the 25/26 campaign, committing 10 fouls across 11 starts in the Premier League (0.86 per 90).

This record rises significantly when looking at his performances for Norway during qualifying, he committed 11 fouls across eight starts (1.45 per 90) and is often caught high up the pitch as a fullback that likes to get forward.

His direct opponent, Michael Olise, has been fouled in both of his World Cup matches so far, drawing 2+ fouls from Senegal in France’s opening fixture. I think he gets the better of Moller Wolfe pretty regularly here, leading to the fullback committing at least one foul, if not more.

Adrien Rabiot’s inclusion in this ultra-talented French side always raises a few eyebrows, but he is a favourite of Didier Deschamps and provides France with a balance in the middle of the park - even if he isn’t as talented as his teammates around him.

As the player sitting just behind France’s talented attacking quartet, Rabiot’s main role is to break up play as often as possible and to shield France from any counter-attacks. This often leads to him committing fouls, which has materialised across the first few games with Rabiot committing two fouls against Iraq last time out after making one foul against Senegal in France’s opener.

Rabiot didn’t feature that often during qualifying, but did commit 35 fouls across his 28 starts in Serie A for AC Milan during the 25/26 campaign (1.24 per 90).

Given both nations can approach their final Group D assignment with a relaxed attitude, I’m keen to back both teams to score.

The USA did manage a clean sheet in their 2-0 win over Australia, but before that, BTTS had been a recurring theme in their fixtures. Indeed, seven of the Stars and Stripes’ eight friendly matches leading into the World Cup saw both sides find the net. That trend also carried into their opening game against Paraguay, a 4-1 victory.

Turkey, meanwhile, have failed to score in each of their opening two matches, but they may find goalscoring opportunities easier to come by against the USA, who are unlikely to sit deep and adopt the same cautious approach shown by both Australia and Paraguay against the Crescent Stars.

It is also worth noting that both teams scored in four of Turkey’s six World Cup qualifiers during the group stage of their campaign. The same was true of their final warm-up fixture before the tournament, a 2-1 win over Venezuela.

There’s no denying that Turkey have endured a hugely disappointing World Cup campaign, but I think they can salvage a bit of pride by avoiding defeat against the USA in their final group game.

Vincenzo Montella will be demanding a response and performance from his players before they head home. Coming up against what is likely to be an understrength USA side represents a good opportunity to do so.

Moreover, Turkey were in good shape coming into the World Cup, having lost just one of their 10 matches ahead of the tournament. Notably, their only defeat during that period came at home against Spain. However, the Crescent Stars did earn a credible 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture.

It should also be noted that Turkey beat the USA in a friendly fixture last June.

As mentioned, USA boss Mauricio Pochettino is highly likely to make changes for this game, with the likes of Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards, Folarin Balogun and Tyler Adams all expected to drop out of the side to avoid the risk of suspension. Key forward Christian Pulisic could also be rested, all of which strengthens the case for keeping Turkey onside.

I’m also turning towards Hakan Calhanoglu in the shots market, with 2+ attempts the selection.

One notable takeaway from Turkey’s two matches at this year’s World Cup is the number of shots their captain has been firing away. In fact, Calhanoglu attempted five shots against Australia before going one better with six against Paraguay last time out.

He was also reliable on the shots front during World Cup qualification, pulling the trigger at least twice in four of his seven outings, including a home game against Spain. Calhanoglu's numbers at club level tell a similar story from last season, as he averaged 2.73 efforts per 90 for Inter Milan in Serie A.

Another reason I’m keen to side with this selection is that the Turkey playmaker is typically on penalty duty and is a set-piece specialist, which only adds to the appeal for him to register two or more shots in this contest.

I’m keen to back Hakan Calhanoglu to commit at least one foul during this contest. The Turkish captain is unlikely to let standards slip within the Turkey camp as they look to save a bit of face by putting in a performance against the USA.

Moreover, Calhanoglu is a player who consistently catches the referee's attention. Across Turkey's opening two Group D assignments, Calhanoglu committed a foul in each of those contests, while he averaged 0.97 fouls per game during the World Cup qualifying campaign, picking up two yellow cards in the process.

His domestic numbers last season only add further weight to the case, as he averaged 1.53 fouls per game in Serie A, with his Champions League figure standing at 1.07 per game. Calhanoglu is likely to be operating in similar areas of the pitch to Sebastian Berhalter.

The USA midfielder was fouled when coming off the bench against Paraguay on matchday one, and was fouled five times across his five appearances prior to that.

This is a bold prediction, but Ecuador need a win here and the only way that the South American side can win games is by making the most of their stubborn backline.

They should be aided by Julian Naglesmann rotating his side slightly, with Germany already confirmed as group winners due to their superior head-to-head record over Ivory Coast.

Enner Valencia was Ecuador’s top scorer during qualifying with six goals, and should really have opened his account at the World Cup against Curacao last time out with a personal xG of 1.50 from seven shots overall.

Ecuador beat the likes of Argentina and Colombia 1-0 during qualifying, so they are capable of this kind of upset against the elite nations, and with the South American side needing all three points here, I think we could see a surprise narrow victory.

Curaçao have only scored once at the World Cup so far and only generated an xG of 0.50 against Ecuador in a game they really should have lost with the American side registering an xG of 2.84 from 27 shots.

Ivory Coast have competed well against Ecuador and Germany so far, registering an xG in excess of 1.0 in both games. Those two nations were the tougher sides in their group, so this is a nice way for their fixtures to land.

Yan Diomande has been a real threat for Ivory Coast in both games so far. He’s yet to get on the scoresheet, but this is the perfect opportunity for him to do so with this likely to be Ivory Coast’s highest scoring game.

Diamonde scored two goals across just 141 minutes of action during qualifying, and netted 12 goals across 28 starts for RB Leipzig during the 25/26 campaign.

Back this boost by clicking the link

Back this boost by clicking the link.

ANNANDALE (7.8) is an eight-year-old who is getting his career back on track after returning to turf last month. Producing a winless nine-race spell on the all weather over the winter, Annandale clearly produces his best on turf and is looking to follow up on his win earlier this month.

Prior to his all weather spell, Annandale’s previous win came on good to firm ground at Ayr, where he won well off a mark of 62, leaving plenty of scope for today’s affair. Scoring last time out off a mark of 55, the eight-year-old stayed on strongly in the latter stages and given he is stepping up in trip to 1m5f, this is likely to suit, given last week’s performance.

Shouldering a 4lb penalty on his return today, this is unlikely to halt his progress, considering he has won off higher in the past, and he holds leading claims to land a quick-fire double for Jim Goldie. 

It’s tough to ignore IRIS DANCER (7.8) when racing at Hamilton, considering she is a 10-time course and distance winner and is coming into a solid patch of form of late. 

A course she knows extremely well, Iris Dancer landed her 10th course and distance victory here earlier this month, when getting up in the final strides to beat Ingleby Archie, who has since gone on to win next time out at Nottingham. Form that stacks up well, and although she did finish 2nd here last week, she was only beaten by a neck, and a bold follow-up performance looks on the cards.

Racing off the same mark of 60 again today, she is a multiple winner off higher marks in the past and considering her mark is due to be going up in future races, today presents a real opportunity to enhance her already impressive Hamilton form.

Curacao managed just 35% possession against Germany, but they were able to cause problems on the break, finishing the game with eight shots. Leandro Bacuna accounted for two of those efforts, showing how he often looks to push forward from midfield and join the attacks. He had one effort from distance, and another from a set piece. Leandro Bacuna then had two shots against Ecuador in round two, despite Curacao seeing just 25% of the ball. 

The 34-year-old is a key player in midfield for Curacao - he is the designated penalty taker, and also on free kicks. Leandro Bacuna has shown a tendency to shoot from range, which could be useful against Ivory Coast here if chances are limited. 

Defensively, Tunisia have been woeful, and the Netherlands should be licking their lips at the prospect of this matchup, especially considering they are just coming off a 5-1 win against Sweden. Confidence around camp should be higher than ever. 

With that being said, Ronald Koeman’s men have looked a bit vulnerable at times at the back, and Sweden were unfortunate to only score once. Bart Verbruggen was a standout performer, and he finished the match with seven saves to his name.

Tunisia might not have much hope of qualifying for the knockouts, but they will hope to give their fans something to cheer by finding the back of the net.

Ecuador were dealt a damaging blow to their World Cup knockout hopes after Curacao earned a 0-0 draw against them in round two. Eloy Room produced one of the most impressive performances from a goalkeeper in World Cup history. His tally of 15 saves put him just one behind Tim Howard, who recorded 16 saves against Belgium in 2014, which is the all-time record for total saves in a World Cup game. 

Ivory Coast come into this round of games with confidence, and they will be determined to finish their group stage campaign on a high. They beat Ecuador in round one, before losing to Germany in injury time. Ivory Coast are not short of talent in the final third, and they look well set to capitalise on this leaky Curacao backline. 

After being held to a 2-2 draw in their opening World Cup fixture, the Netherlands bounced back in imperious style, as they put Sweden to the sword in a 5-1 win last time out.

The Dutch were clinical when chances fell to them, and they will hope to finish their group stage campaign on a high to secure top spot. They have a favourable matchup to do so against Tunisia, who have lost both matches so far, with nine goals conceded. 

Their opening fixture finished 5-1 against Sweden, as Tunisia were guilty of several individual errors, which were punished. Japan also found no issue carving through Tunisia’s defences in round two, and it was another four-goal margin of defeat for the African side. 

Jesper Karlstrom has committed three fouls across his two World Cup starts for Sweden, which is the joint-most of anyone in the squad, but he has so far escaped a caution. The midfielder picked up two yellow cards in four qualifying appearances for Sweden, with an average of 3.15 fouls per 90 in that time, which shows how he usually carries a large defensive burden for his national side.

Given the context of Group F, this is a massive game for Sweden. A victory against Japan will guarantee their progression to the knockouts, while a draw means they can only finish as high as 3rd. Karlstrom will have a huge role in midfield here, having to deal with this Japan front line, who just beat Tunisia 4-0. The Blue Samurai play fluid football, and they commit bodies forward when they attack, so Karlstrom should have his hands full.

Another side with massive pressure on their shoulders to perform here is Ecuador - they are yet to find the back of the net in the World Cup, and their 0-0 draw against Curacao last time out was a massive disappointment. This upcoming clash against Germany is their toughest matchup in Group E, but they need a win to keep their World Cup hopes alive. Moises Caicedo will have a massive responsibility here, as one of the senior players for Ecuador. 

The Chelsea man committed three fouls against Ivory Coast in round one and was lucky to escape without a booking. He didn’t record a single foul against Curacao last time out, but Ecuador dominated possession, and that won’t be the case against Germany here. Caicedo will have to deal primarily with Jamal Musiala, who looks back to his best operating in an advanced midfield position.

Defensively, Tunisia have been woeful, and the Netherlands should be licking their lips at the prospect of this matchup, especially considering they are just coming off a 5-1 win against Sweden. Confidence around camp should be higher than ever. 

With that being said, Ronald Koeman’s men have looked a bit vulnerable at times at the back, and Sweden were unfortunate to only score once. Bart Verbruggen was a standout performer, and he finished the match with seven saves to his name.

Tunisia might not have much hope of qualifying for the knockouts, but they will hope to give their fans something to cheer by finding the back of the net.

After being held to a 2-2 draw in their opening World Cup fixture, the Netherlands bounced back in imperious style, as they put Sweden to the sword in a 5-1 win last time out.

The Dutch were clinical when chances fell to them, and they will hope to finish their group stage campaign on a high to secure top spot. They have a favourable matchup to do so against Tunisia, who have lost both matches so far, with nine goals conceded. 

Their opening fixture finished 5-1 against Sweden, as Tunisia were guilty of several individual errors, which were punished. Japan also found no issue carving through Tunisia’s defences in round two, and it was another four-goal margin of defeat for the African side. 

It has been a dismal run for Tunisia, but perhaps the one positive is the performances of Hannibal Mejbri. He has been the one player constantly looking to get on the ball and make things happen in the final third. Sweden committed eight fouls against Tunisia in round one, and Mejbri was responsible for three of those. Even against Japan, he was fouled seven times, as Japan committed 15 infringements altogether.

Hannibal had an average of 3.4 fouls drawn per 90 for Burnley this season across all competitions, and he has landed this selection in each of his last four starts for his national side. The 23-year-old is great at buying soft free kicks, and he sees plenty of the ball for Tunisia. 

Crysencio Summerville scored in Netherlands’ opening World Cup fixture against Japan, helping his nation earn a point, so it was a surprise to see him benched against Sweden last time out. However, the 24-year-old still had a pivotal impact off the bench - he provided an assist for Cody Gakpo, before then finding the back of the net himself in the 89th minute. 

Summerville has been in excellent form to kick off the World Cup, and he looks set to keep his starting position on the right wing against Tunisia here. Summerville had a similar purple patch for West Ham this season, as he scored in five successive matches, so he will hope to repeat that feat for his national side.

Micky van de Ven has landed this selection in both of his World Cup appearances so far, as he committed one foul against Sweden last time out. Prior to that, he was called for two infringements against Japan, and was booked for the second one. The Tottenham defender has looked slightly uncomfortable at times in his left back role, as he is asked to cover a lot more ground compared to when he plays at centre back. 

Netherlands will expect to dominate this match, but Tunisia were fouled 15 times against Japan last time out, despite losing 4-0. Elias Saad is likely to feature on the right wing, and he has been fouled three times at the World Cup already.

Ecuador were dealt a damaging blow to their World Cup knockout hopes after Curacao earned a 0-0 draw against them in round two. Eloy Room produced one of the most impressive performances from a goalkeeper in World Cup history. His tally of 15 saves put him just one behind Tim Howard, who recorded 16 saves against Belgium in 2014, which is the all-time record for total saves in a World Cup game. 

Ivory Coast come into this round of games with confidence, and they will be determined to finish their group stage campaign on a high. They beat Ecuador in round one, before losing to Germany in injury time. Ivory Coast are not short of talent in the final third, and they look well set to capitalise on this leaky Curacao backline. 

Ivory Coast had an average of 7.2 corners per game during their AFCON matches, hitting this mark in four out of five matches overall. So far, they have only had six corners at the World Cup, with three against both Ecuador and Germany, respectively, but it is worth noting that those were two difficult matchups in Group E. Ivory Coast are heavy favourites here against Curacao, and they should dominate.

Curacao have conceded a total of 17 corners in the World Cup so far, as Germany racked up eight, while Ecuador managed nine. Once again, they should sit deep, which will invite Ivory Coast forward.

With Ivory Coast expected to rack up the corners, Emmanuel Agbadou should have plenty of opportunities to get into the box. Curacao have conceded 53 shots in their two World Cup matches, and they have really struggled to defend set piece scenarios. In round one, Nico Schlotterbeck was dominant in the air, and even managed to get on the scoresheet from a corner. Piero Hincapie also managed two shots last time out, and went close to scoring. 

Standing at 6ft 4in, Agbadou is one of the biggest aerial threats for Ivory Coast, and he should be able to utilise that physical advantage against Curacao. With Wilfried Singo out with a hamstring injury, Agbadou will have a big role for his national side for the rest of the competition.

Agbadou is also a target for fouls here - Curacao have been adept when it comes to drawing free kicks from opposing centre backs, and Agbadou will have to deal with Jurgen Locadia, who has been fouled four times in his two appearances at the World Cup so far. The striker looks to use his physicality to pin opposing defenders, meaning he can be quite a handful to deal with.

Ecuador recorded just seven fouls against Curacao last time out, but Piero Hincapie, William Pacho and Alan Franco all contributed to that tally. Even in round one, Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck both registered two fouls.

Curacao managed just 35% possession against Germany, but they were able to cause problems on the break, finishing the game with eight shots. Leandro Bacuna accounted for two of those efforts, showing how he often looks to push forward from midfield and join the attacks. He had one effort from distance, and another from a set piece. Leandro Bacuna then had two shots against Ecuador in round two, despite Curacao seeing just 25% of the ball. 

The 34-year-old is a key player in midfield for Curacao - he is the designated penalty taker, and also on free kicks. Leandro Bacuna has shown a tendency to shoot from range, which could be useful against Ivory Coast here if chances are limited.