World Cup 2022 Tipsheet: Will there be goals galore in Portugal's opener?

This year’s World Cup has already produced shock results and plenty of drama - and football expert Joe Crann believes there could be some more juicy winners in Thursday’s early fixtures. 

Switzerland v Cameroon

Kick-off: 10am Thursday

The Swiss seem to have almost mastered group stage football at World Cups - they have reached the knockouts in four of the last five tournaments, but have generally struggled thereafter. 

On the other hand, Cameroon boasts a horrible recent World Cup record. They have lost seven on the bounce since the 2002 group stages, while only scoring three goals in that period. So, at this stage of the competition, it is no surprise to see the market prefers Switzerland to take three points over a less-established nation.

Switzerland have had a pretty good build-up to the tournament with wins over Portugal, Spain and the Czech Republic in the UEFA Nations League. However, a 2-0 defeat to Ghana earlier this month will give the Indomitable Lions reason to be hopeful.

Rigobert Song’s side drew 1-1 with Panama and Jamaica in their preparation for Qatar and have struggled for goals. Just to add to their issues, star player Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa is nursing a bit of a knock. Expect them to keep it tight, but eventually fall short. 

Prediction: Switzerland to win and under 2.5 goals @ 3.65 

Uruguay v Korea Republic

Kick-off: 1pm Thursday 

Uruguay, a team with an impressive World Cup history, very nearly didn’t make the tournament at all. However, the decision to fire Oscar Tabarez after 15 years in charge and replace him with Diego Alonso proved to be inspiring. And, after a five-game winless streak, they won four on the spin to qualify.

Edinson Cavani: Valencia's striker might play a backseat role this tournament

In Diego Godin and Luis Suarez, Uruguay possesses a wealth of international experience, while Federico Valverde and Darwin Nunez provide exciting youth. All four have serious quality, and could be the difference in tight games. 

This tournament is always going to be tough for the Koreans, especially now that star man Son Heung-Min is possibly not at full tilt due to a fractured eye socket. There are wide-spread doubts over how far they can go. 

Prediction: Uruguay to win and over 1.5 goals @ 2.32

Portugal v Ghana

Kick-off: 4pm Thursday 

The Lionel Messi Show didn’t go to plan, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who was released by Manchester United on Tuesday, will be desperate to make sure he doesn’t face the same fate.

Portugal were hit-and-miss in preparation for this tournament, but they smashed four past Ghana last week without their captain. More importantly, their defensive structure has worked a treat in 2022, which is no shock really given they have Manchester City stars Ruben Dias and João Cancelo. 

Meanwhile, there is plenty of confusion about how the Ghanaians will line up, both in terms of the actual starting squad and the formation that they will adopt for their first game against the Portuguese.

They have got plenty of talent, which is headlined by the Ayew brothers and upcoming star Mohammed Kudus. Iñaki Williams, who was previously eligible for Spain, has recently been brought into the setup and led his team to an impressive 2-0 win over Switzerland in their final warm-up game this month. Expect goals in this game. 

Prediction: Both teams to score @ 2.36

Thursday World Cup 2022 Predictions

Switzerland v Cameroon: Switzerland to win and under 2.5 goals @ 3.65
Uruguay v Korea Republic: Uruguay to win and over 1.5 goals @ 2.32
Portugal v Ghana: Both teams to score @ 2.36