The Belgian national soccer team improved to 21 straight games without a loss last Thursday when they moved to 16-5-0 over their last 21 games with a 1-0 win over England. That win secured Belgium a 3-0 record in the group stage, making them only one of three teams to secure all nine available points in group play.
World Cup 2018 odds: Monday contests feature Belgium, Brazil as the big betting favorites
Brazil is a big betting favorite against Mexico and Belgium is an even bigger favorite against Japan on Monday as the sportsbooks have their odds set for the two matchups.
Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images
Belgium is the biggest favorite on the World Cup odds in the Round of 16 going off at -250 to beat Japan in regulation time on Monday at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. The team is a perfect 8-0 over its last eight competitive matches and racked up nine goals in the group stage.
Romelu Lukaku missed Thursday’s game against England but is expected to be back in action against Japan.
When: Monday, July 2, 10 a.m. ET
Where: Cosmos Arena, Samara, Russia
Betting Line / Total: Brazil -215 / 2.5 Goals
Brazil vs. Mexico OddsShark Matchup Report
Belgium vs. Japan
When: Monday, July 2, 2 p.m. ET
Where: Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don, Russia
Betting Line / Total: Belgium -250 / 2.5 Goals
Japan (+800 to win, +360 to push the game into extra time) took advantage of an early handball and red card in the box by Colombia in its World Cup opener to secure three points with a 2-1 victory. The team managed to earn only one more point in the group with a 2-2 draw against Senegal and a 1-0 loss to Poland. Japan plays a solid structural game but figures to be outmatched against this extremely talented Belgium side.
Mexico hopes that it is not outmatched in the early game on Monday going off at +650 to win and +330 to force extra time against Brazil (-215). The total in both matches on Monday is set at 2.5 goals.
The Mexicans kicked off the 2018 World Cup with a brilliant 1-0 upset over Germany. That upset has lost some of its luster on the heels of Germany sputtering out of the World Cup with an inexplicable 2-0 loss to South Korea and with Mexico losing to Sweden, 3-0, last Wednesday. Still, it serves as a reminder that Mexico is capable of showing flashes of brilliance.
Brazil had its best game of the tournament on Wednesday in a sound 2-0 win over Serbia. With that victory, Brazil extended its undefeated streak to 19 games with a brilliant 16-3-0 record.
For more odds information, betting picks, and a breakdown of this week’s top World Cup betting news check out the OddsShark FC podcast with Andrew Avery, Rob Trites, and Craig Cormier. Subscribe on iTunes or listen to it at OddsSharkFC.libsyn.com.
