Welcome to the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup.
The four games over Friday and Saturday will determine Tuesday and Wednesday’s semifinals. We’re favored to have semifinal matchups between Brazil and Argentina and Portugal and France, though you shouldn’t discount the chances of the Netherlands and England or even Morocco and Croatia.
Here’s what you need to know for the quarterfinals.
10 a.m. ET Friday, Fox
This has to be where Croatia’s run ends, right? This is a team that deservedly made the quarterfinals but also looks thoroughly vulnerable against a top-flight side. Croatia has been well-equipped to successfully play the way it has against teams like Belgium, Morocco and Japan but we simply can’t see how they can muck it up for 90 minutes against the Brazilians.
2 p.m. ET Friday, Fox
The Dutch could easily give Argentina some problems, especially down the flanks. Cody Gakpo could work the Argentina defense and the three-man central defense for the Netherlands won’t give Lionel Messi much space to operate. Argentina at +125 feels like solid value though, but it’s worth pointing out how much oddsmakers aren’t confident in a bunch of goals. Under 2.5 is at -190.