USATSI
Canada return after a long absence from the sport’s biggest stage, and their 2022 FIFA World Cup kicks off Wednesday against Belgium at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium. The Maple Leafs made their only appearance in the World Cup in 1986, when they lost all three games and failed to score a single goal. They will face a Belgium squad that is nearing the end of their Golden Generation and are the second-ranked team in the world but have failed to live up to the lofty expectations. They lost to Croatia in extra time in the 2018 World Cup semifinals before beating England 2-0 in the anti-climactic third-place match. Now they come in off a quarterfinal loss to Italy at Euro 2020 and a 3-2 loss to France in the Nations League semifinals despite holding a 2-0 lead.
Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. ET in Al Rayyan, Qatar. Belgium are -210 favorites (risk $210 to win $100) in the latest Belgium vs. Canada odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Canada are +575 underdogs, a draw is priced at +325, and the over/under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before locking in any Canada vs. Belgium picks or World Cup 2022 predictions, be sure to check out the best bets and analysis from SportsLine soccer expert Brandt Sutton.
Sutton, a former collegiate soccer player, has been SportsLine’s top soccer editor for more than five years. He has followed soccer closely for much longer and factors in managerial tactics, projected lineups and past performances to make the most informed decisions possible, keeping his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.
Sutton also has been on a roll with his best bets, going 148-112-1 over his last 261 soccer picks in 2022, returning more than $2,000 for $100 bettors.
Now, Sutton has broken down the Belgium vs. Canada matchup from all sides and just locked in his 2022 World Cup picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Canada vs. Belgium:
Belgium vs. Canada spread: Belgium -1.5 (+140)Belgium vs. Canada over/under: 2.5 goalsBelgium vs. Canada money line: Belgium -210, Canada +575, Draw +325BEL: They have scored 19 goals in their past 10 competitive matches.CAN: They have scored multiple goals in eight of their past 11 overall.Belgium vs. Canada picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back Belgium
The Red Devils dominated in qualifying, going 6-2-0 while scoring 25 goals and conceding just six. They haven’t lived up to their billing, but their talent is unquestioned. Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is the engine of the attack, and he is one of the world’s top playmakers. He leads the Premier League with nine assists and also has three goals. He has 25 goals and 40 assists in 85 matches with Belgium. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid also is one of the world’s best, and he has 46 clean sheets in 93 starts for the national team.
Belgium have plenty of firepower up front, even with Romelu Lukaku (thigh) expected to be out on Wednesday. Michy Batshuayi would replace him, and the 29-year-old has eight goals in 13 matches with Fenerbahce in the Turkish Super Lig this season. He has 26 goals in 48 international matches.
Why you should back Canada
The Maple Leafs are excellent on defense and the counter-attack. They had a plus-26 goal differential in four matches against inferior competition in the first stage of World Cup qualifying. They then scored the most goals (23) and conceded the fewest (seven) to finish at the top of the pack. They should be playing with nothing to lose after their 36-year absence, and they should be able to exploit the aging Belgium defense. Alphonso Davies and Tajon Buchanan are key players in transition, and Cyle Larin and Jonathan David both have strong finishing ability.
Davies is dealing with a hamstring injury suffered with Bayern Munich and could miss out. But David has 22 goals in just 35 international matches and is tied for fourth in France’s Ligue 1 with nine this season. Larin has 25 in 55 games with Canada, and he and Buchanon are teammates with Club Brugge in the Belgian First Division, so they shouldn’t need any time to acclimate. The team lacks big-game experience, but FC Porto midfielder Stephen Eustaquio, Larin, David and Davies all play in major leagues abroad and have appeared in the Champions League.
How to make Canada vs. Belgium picks
Sutton has analyzed the Canada vs. Belgium match from all sides, and he has released his confident best bet and has a full breakdown of the match. He’s only sharing those picks here.
So where does all the value lie in Belgium vs. Canada in Wednesday’s Group F World Cup match? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Canada vs. Belgium, all from the soccer expert who is up more than $2,000 on his soccer picks in 2022, and find out.