The first game on Friday for the quarterfinals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia features Uruguay and France playing at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.
France is the favorite to advance to the semifinals where they would face the winner of the Brazil-Belgium game later in the day. According to oddsmakers, France has the second-best odds to win the World Cup with its odds at +350, while Uruguay’s odds are at +1050. For the game the linemakers see France winning with its odds at -120, Uruguay is +310, while the draw (at the end of 90 minutes) is also at +190.
The Uruguayans are a better team defensively than Argentina, whom France defeated 4-3 in the round of 16. Argentina’s defense struggled the entire tournament and against France, this was no exception. They left too many open spaces in the back and striker Kylian Mbappe and the rest of France’s attackers simply took advantage to cash in.
France will have to respect the toughness, better positioning, and chemistry of the Uruguayan defenders. They have one of the best defenses of the world cup as they have allowed just one goal in the entire tournament and were the only team of the group stage that conceded no goals.
Uruguay’s best weapons are strikers Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani; midfielders Matias Vecino and Rodrigo Betancur; and in the back the stern defenders Diego Godin, Martin Caceres and Jose Gimenez protecting keeper Fabian Muslera.
Unfortunately for Uruguay Cavani is most likely to miss the game due to a calf injury. This would be a huge setback because with Cavani and Suarez on the pitch the Charruas have enough offensive firepower to battle against anyone as long as their tough defenders do their usual job locking on opposing attackers.
If one of them is missing, their attack is baldly hampered as they have no one who comes even close to owning Cavani’s offensive talents and owns his vision of the game.
France’s best players are attackers Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann, midfielders Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante; and in the back defenders Samuel Umtiti and Rafael Varane protecting keeper Hugo Lloris.
This should in any case by a very tight and even match, don’t expect a rout from any of the two sides as they own two of the best defenses of the world cup.
Look to Uruguay being a tad less offensive and start applying pressure closer to the middle of the field to limit the ball movement of the French players and make this a low-scoring affair. They will look to Suarez putting the team on his shoulders and providing enough offense to compete with France goal-wise.
Uruguay’s Road to the Quarterfinals
Group Stage
Egypt 0 – 1 Uruguay
Uruguay 1 – 0 Saudi Arabia
Uruguay 3 – 0 Russia
Round of 16
Uruguay 2 – 1 Portugal
France’s Road to the Quarterfinals
Group Stage
France 2 – 1 Australia
France 1 – 1 Peru
Denmark 0 – 0 France
Round of 16
France 4 – 3 Argentina
