FOOTBALL TRADER BEN CLEMINSON TAKES A LOOK AT TODAY’S FINAL ROUND OF MATCHES IN GROUP A
FRANCE are in absolute disarray. Nicolas Anelka has been sent home, Raymond Domenech has lost the support of practically everyone in his country and they are yet to score a goal. The resemblances between this side and the one that also failed to find the net in 2002 are striking and they are likely to be on the plane home tomorrow evening.
Bafana Bafana have certainly added some spice to this tournament, but they were comprehensively turned over by Uruguay last time and know that even a win against France is unlikely to be enough for them to qualify. Their heads dropped slightly last time and it all may have been different if they had managed to hold on to their 1-0 lead in the opener against Mexico.
William Hill are a best-priced 13/10 about France in this game, but that doesn’t appeal one bit to me. There are serious problems in the camp and although their players are superior to South Africa’s, they’re not playing for each other, or their coach, at the moment. I actually wouldn’t be surprised if, secretively, some of their players wanted to lose this game to heap even more pressure on Domenech’s shoulders.
South Africa could count the cost of letting in those two late goals against Uruguay. It
may well go down to goal difference if they manage to beat the French and they’d need to turn around a five or six goal margin. However, Bafana Bafana will surely want to end their tournament on a high and give their fans something to cheer about. I’ve been opposing France all tournament and I’m not going to change now – back South Africa at 13/10 with William Hill and sell French supremacy at 0.3 with Sporting Index.
The conspiracy theorists will be out in force for the other game in Group A where both Mexico and Uruguay will qualify if they draw. That outcome is priced up as short as 4/6, but there could be some value in looking at a Mexico win at 3/1 on Betdaq. Whoever finishes runners-up in this group will surely play Argentina and if these sides draw, Uruguay would top the table.
I was impressed with Mexico against France last time and there seems to be little downside in them going all out for the win and trying to avoid Diego Maradona’s side. Even if they end up losing they will probably still go through in second place, so might as well try to win the group.
POINTERS…
South Africa to win at 13/10 with William Hill
Sell French supremacy at 0.3 with Sporting Index
Mexico to win at 3/1 on Betdaq