New Zealand vs Peru
It might sound cliché, but with the 122nd-ranked New Zealand playing the 10th-ranked Peru, this game is undoubtedly another David-against-Goliath matchup.
Indeed, beating a talented and ludicrously quality-laden team like Peru seems an impossible task. Betting websites have the visitors winning this game by a large margin, with Peru tipped at 1X2 @ 1.78 while New Zealand are at 4.10.
The Kiwis, however, won’t go down without a fight, and they will surely look to make their home-court advantage count to pull off the impossible and surprise the online gambling community.
NZ coach Anthony Hudson has named the best possible players for this World Cup intercontinental playoff, and there’s no doubt he’s fielding a more than competent team capable of holding ground against Peru.
The All Whites have a core of players who saw action during the 2010 World Cup. Winston Reid is set to captain New Zealand and bring a much-needed experience on the big stage, along with Wellington midfielder Michael McGlinchey and Burnley striker Chris Wood.
Veteran forwards Shane Smeltz and Jeremy Brockie, together with Monty Patterson and Kosta Barbarouses, are also back to help counter Peru’s attacking unit.
Moreover, it should help New Zealand that Paolo Guerrero is out for Peru. The 33-year-old skipper—who received a 30-day suspension for a doping violation—is not only the team’s top-scorer but also their undisputed star; and his absence is a massive boost for the Kiwis, who no longer have to deal with his potent scoring ability.
Peru, though, remain difficult to beat with Edison Flores, Jefferson Farfan and Yordy Reyna heading the frontline.
If New Zealand can avoid getting caught up by the pace of the Blanquirroja attack, I think they have a legitimate chance of making this a competitive tie. It should also give them a slight edge if they can pile more pressure on Peru, who are carrying huge expectations on their young shoulders as well as the burden of bringing a nation to the World Cup for the first time in 36 years.
I predict this to be a tightly-contested affair which could end up in a draw, but I believe New Zealand will look to get a hot start at home and exploit the pressure on Peru. That being said, the best move to make is New Zealand First Half 1X2 @ 4.80.
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
