The Matchday 3 clash of the FIFA World Cup between Croatia and Belgium in Group F will take place on December 1 at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan. Kick-off is at 18:00 (Moscow time). Croatia vs. Belgium: prediction and betting odds, statistics for the 2022 World Cup.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (England)
Matches – 7 (International matches, 2022/23);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 34;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.9;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 24;
Penalties – 57%.
Predicted lineups for Croatia vs. Belgium
Croatia: Dominik Livakovic, Dejan Lovren, Josko Gvardiol, Borna Sosa, Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic, Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic, Josip Juranovic, Andrej Kramaric, Marko Livaja.
Belgium: Thibaut Courtois, Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Thomas Meunier, Timothy Castagne, Axel Witsel, Kevin De Bruyne, Yannick Carrasco, Leander Dendoncker, Dries Mertens, Leandro Trossard.
Croatia
In the second round, Croatia ended their five-match winless streak in regular time at the World Cup (4 draws, 1 loss) by thrashing Canada 4-1. This comprehensive victory allowed them to take the lead in Group F, now occupying the top spot and surpassing Belgium by one point. Zlatko Dalic's team will secure a place in the playoffs if they avoid defeat in the upcoming match.
Croatia has claimed five wins and one draw in their last six official matches. The team consistently finds the net, failing to score in only 2 of their last 14 official games. Notably, the bet "Both teams to score – yes" has come through in 6 of Croatia's last 7 World Cup matches.
Defender Domagoj Vida has returned to the Croatian squad after recovering from injury.
Belgium
After winning their opening match of the 2022 World Cup against Canada (1-0), Belgium suffered a 0-2 defeat to Morocco. Consequently, Belgium has scored only one goal in their first two World Cup matches, a record worse than any since the 1930 World Cup. After two rounds, Belgium sits third in Group F but still has a chance to advance to the playoffs.
Roberto Martinez's side has clearly struggled with scoring, failing to net more than one goal in 5 of their last 6 official matches. Additionally, Belgium has defensive issues, conceding in 10 of their previous 12 official games. It is also worth noting that none of Belgium's last four World Cup matches have exceeded a total of 2.5 goals.
Midfielder Amadou Onana will miss the match against Croatia due to accumulating yellow cards. However, Romelu Lukaku has fully recovered and is included in the squad for this match.
Croatia vs. Belgium: Match Prediction
Croatia did not expect such a spirited start from Canada and conceded in just the 68th second of the match. Zlatko Dalic's team quickly learned their lesson and allowed Canada only one shot on target for the rest of the game. Croatia, using their experience, took control and led 2-1 by halftime, eventually securing a comprehensive victory to top Group F.
Belgium dominated possession with 67% against Morocco but displayed a lackluster performance. The team made numerous passing errors, frequently restarting their attacks. Belgium lacked creativity in the final third, and Morocco rarely allowed them to find shooting opportunities. Roberto Martinez's side managed only 7 shots on target across two World Cup matches in Qatar, a low number for the bronze medalists of the previous tournament.
To advance to the playoffs, Croatia needs to avoid defeat in the upcoming match. I expect Zlatko Dalic's team to achieve this, especially given the internal disagreements and tense atmosphere within the Belgian squad. Additionally, I anticipate seeing at least two goals in the upcoming encounter. My prediction: "1X + Total Over 1.5"
