Getty Images
Argentina continue their quest for a third championship when they take on Croatia in the 2022 FIFA World Cup semifinals on Tuesday. The Argentinians won the title in both 1978 and 1986 but were denied in their last two trips to the final, losing to West Germany in 1990 and Germany eight years ago. In the 2018 tournament, Croatia cruised to a 3-0 victory against Argentina in the group stage and topped England in their first semifinal appearance but were defeated 4-2 by France in the championship game.
Kickoff at Lusail Iconic Stadium in Lusail, Qatar is set for 2 p.m. ET. The Argentinians are -128 favorites (risk $128 to win $100) in the latest Argentina vs. Croatia odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the Croatians are +375 underdogs. A 90-minute draw is priced at +245 and the over/under for total goals is set at 2.5. Before making any Croatia vs. Argentina picks or 2022 FIFA World Cup predictions, make sure you check out the best bets and analysis from SportsLine soccer insider Jon Eimer.
Eimer is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, Eimer has covered the English Premier League, Serie A, the FA Cup and much more. He is an impressive 48-25-1 on his Premier League picks for SportsLine in 2022, for a profit of almost $1,800 for $100 bettors. He also went 20-12 on his World Cup qualifying picks for a return of almost $600.
Now, Eimer has broken down Croatia vs. Argentina from all sides and just locked in his 2022 World Cup picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Argentina vs. Croatia:
Argentina vs. Croatia spread: Argentina -0.5 (-125)Argentina vs. Croatia over/under: 2.5 goalsArgentina vs. Croatia money line: Argentina -128, Croatia +375, Draw +245ARG: The Argentinians have scored only three first-half goals in the tournamentCRO: Two of the three goals the Croatians have allowed in the competition came in the opening halfArgentina vs. Croatia picks: See picks here
Why you should back Argentina
The Argentinians have provided their share of drama in the tournament thus far, losing to Saudi Arabia in their group opener and squandering a late 2-0 lead versus the Netherlands in the quarterfinals before winning on penalties. They’ve been consistent offensively since the setback against the Saudis, scoring twice in four consecutive matches. No one on the team has been steadier than Lionel Messi, who is tied for second among all players in the tournament with four goals.
The 35-year-old, who scored a team-leading four goals during Argentina’s run to the final in 2014, has found the back of the net in four of the five contests this year. Messi was a huge factor against the Dutch in the quarterfinals, scoring one goal and assisting on the other before converting Argentina’s first penalty kick. Julian Alvarez has not faltered on the biggest stage in the sport as the 22-year-old forward is second on the club in scoring with a pair of goals.
Why you should back Croatia
With the exception of a 4-1 triumph over Canada in the group stage, the Croatians have been involved in tight, low-scoring contests. They battled Morocco and Belgium to scoreless draws during group play before defeating Japan and Brazil on penalty kicks after 1-1 results in the Round of 16 and quarterfinals, respectively. The Croatians topped Japan 3-1 on penalties and converted all four of their attempts versus the Brazilians to reach the semifinals for the third time in six World Cup appearances.
Midfielder Nikola Vlasic set the tone for Croatia, scoring on their first attempt in both contests. Forward Andrej Kramaric leads the club in non-penalty goals as he scored twice in the group stage victory against Canada. Veteran Ivan Perisic has recorded a goal and two assists in the tournament, giving him six goals and four assists in 15 matches across three World Cup appearances.
How to make Argentina vs. Croatia picks
Eimer has scrutinized Croatia vs. Argentina semifinal from every angle, and he is leaning Under on the goal total. He also has locked in three confident best bets while offering a full breakdown of the 2022 World Cup match. He’s only sharing his World Cup picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Croatia vs. Argentina on Tuesday? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Argentina vs. Croatia, all from the expert who has crushed his soccer picks in 2022, and find out.