Information ahead of the second semi-final.
Now that we’ve all got up and realised that last night’s German thrashing of Brazil wasn’t a dream, it’s onto the second World Cup 2014 semi-final.
Both the Netherlands and Argentina have scraped their way through to the last four, but with the final now in sight, a big step-up is required.
From a neutral perspective, all we’re hoping for is another thriller to sink our teeth into, and 6 or more goals in Sao Paulo stands at 22/1 with SkyBet.
However, both of these sides have been incredibly stable at the back of late, conceding just one goal between them in the knockout stage so far.
More of the same is expected (although, let’s hope it doesn’t happen) and a 1-0 win for the Netherlands is priced at 4/1 with SkyBet, while Argentina winning by the same scoreline is 100/30.
With some of the best forwards in world football on show, though, how can this semi-final possibly be a single-goal affair?
Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie, Sergio Aguero and, of course, Lionel Messi all have the ability to find the net and you can get the latter to score anytime at 11/10 with SkyBet.
Messi’s four group-stage goals were nothing short of exemplary, but he’s now going through a bit of a drought having failed to find the net in the last two matches – well, a drought for him.
The Barcelona man is two goals away from joining James Rodriguez at the top of the World Cup scoring charts, and is 6/1 with SkyBet to get there against the Dutch with a brace.
The Netherlands have shown in Brazil that they can tactically outwit any nation, though, and with Louis van Gaal determined to go out with a bang before joining Manchester United, you may just fancy the Dutch.
At 11/5 to win the match and quality for the final with SkyBet, the Netherlands are good value, but the draw markets may once again be the place to go.
A 1-1 draw stands at 5/1 with SkyBet, while 2-2 and 3-3 are 18/1 and 100/1 respectively. The scorecast of Lionel Messi to score first in a 1-1 draw is also pretty tempting at 28/1.
Down the years, these two great footballing nations have served up some World Cup ties to remember – from the Netherlands’ Johan Cruyff-inspired 4-0 thrashing of Argentina in 1974, to Dennis Bergkamp’s moment of brilliance in 1998.
Though following Germany’s performance last night is a near-impossible task, let’s hope we’re treated to more drama of the highest order at the Arena de Sao Paulo. If this incredible tournament is anything to go by, we’re not going to come away disappointed.