Argentina vs Australia Predictions: World Cup Round of 16 Odds & Best Bets

With the group stage officially finished, Australia, against all odds, will face Argentina in the Round of 16. The match will take place Saturday, Dec. 3, at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium.

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Argentina has seemingly bounced back after a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia to start the tournament. After back-to-back 2-0 victories to close out the group stage, Lionel Messi and Argentina found themselves atop Group C with five goals in three games.

With Argentina still ranking among the top teams with a realistic chance of winning it all, Australia will certainly have its hands full come Saturday.

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With a mediocre showing during World Cup qualifiers, it was hard to see Australia playing in the tournament, let alone the Round of 16. After squeaking by Peru in a penalty shootout and securing a spot in the World Cup, many were quick to write off the Aussies as a serious threat to make any noise.

Despite the overall dull narrative surrounding the Socceroos, they have silenced all the critics. And while they may be looking at their final match of the tournament, it’s been a successful World Cup for them.

Argentina vs Australia Odds

• 3-way handicap: Argentina (-550) | Draw (+600) | Australia (-1500)
• Draw No Bet: Argentina (-3000) |Australia (+1100)
• Over/Under Goals: Over 2.5 ( -145) | Under 2.5 (+105)
• Both Teams to Score: Yes (-175) | No (-250)

Argentina vs Australia odds are current as of December 1, at 7 a.m., on BetMGM Sportsbook.

Oddsmakers are backing Messi and co. by a sizable margin in this one. While you won’t find much value in the 3-way handicap or Draw No Bet categories, there are still several avenues you can find to bet this game.

While Australia is currently the only team to qualify with a negative goal differential and has had its fair share of struggles scoring, Argentina appears to finally be finding its form and should hit the Over by themselves.

Argentina vs Australia Betting Tips

• Australia has qualified for the Round of 16 for the first time since 2006.
• While Australia has struggled with creativity on the offensive side, timely goals in games they have been dominated in led to two wins in the group stage.
• Australia is averaging just 38% possession and eight shots per game. Matthew Leckie’s two goals lead the team.
• Argentina has generated a tournament-best 22 shots on target, but has only managed to score five goals.
• After allowing two goals in the opener, Argentina has back-to-back clean sheets.
• Argentina controls the tempo of the game with 67% average possession per game in the tournament.

Argentina vs Australia Prediction

Argentina 4-0 Australia

Australia’s Cinderella story – from doubtful World Cup appearance to playing in a knockout game – has been entertaining, but it all ends here.

Argentina is undoubtedly one of the top teams in the world, and up to this point, they haven’t even played up to their full potential. From missed penalties to disallowed goals, one can argue Lionel Scaloni’s squad should be leading the tournament in goals scored. You can expect them to make up for lost ground here against Australia, a squad that allowed four goals to Messi’s club teammate Kylian Mbappé and France. Argentina’s attack has been relentless, and they should be able to dominate in possession, creating many chances in the process.

Australia has given its country plenty to be proud of during their unexpected run, but their attack has been a major point of concern. With Argentina’s defense playing at top form, it is hard to see the Australian side finding a goal here. Head coach Graham Arnold can construct the greatest game plan possible for this match, but at the end of the day, the talent that Argentina employs is simply in a different league when you compare the two.

Argentina vs Australia Best Bet

➕ 1st Team to Score in 1st Half: Argentina (-185) at BetMGM Sportsbook

WAGER: 3 Units

While Argentina has done the bulk of its scoring in the final 45 minutes of their World Cup games, Ángel Di María and the rest of the Argentine attack will look to get out to a quick lead to avoid a repeat of the Saudi Arabia upset.

Argentina’s squad is well polished with experience, and they understand the stakes of the matches they will now be playing in. You can expect them to try and take care of business quickly to avoid any chance of an upset.

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