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Argentina and Mexico are both in a critical spot on Saturday when they square off in a Group C match at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Argentina come off one of the most stunning upsets in World Cup history, a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia. Lionel Messi set them up with a 1-0 lead on a penalty, but the Saudis cashed in twice in the second half. Mexico settled for a 0-0 draw against Poland when star goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa saved a penalty from world-class striker Robert Lewandowski in the second half. La Albiceleste have reached every World Cup since 1970 and have failed to advance just once, winning titles in 1978 and 1986. El Tri have advanced in seven straight World Cups and were knocked out in the Round of 16 each time.
Kickoff at Lusail Stadium is set for 2 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists Argentina as -180 favorites (risk $180 to win $100) on the money line in the latest Argentina vs. Mexico odds. Mexico are +490 underdogs, a draw is priced at +300, and the over/under for total match goals is 2.5. Before making any Mexico vs. Argentina picks, make sure you check out the 2022 FIFA World Cup predictions, best bets and analysis from 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 Argentina vs Mexico from every angle and just revealed 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 Mexico vs. Argentina:
Argentina vs Mexico spread: Argentina -0.5 (-165)Argentina vs Mexico over/under: 2.5 goalsArgentina vs Mexico money line: Argentina -180, Mexico +490, Draw +300ARG: They outscored opponents 27-8 in qualifying (17 matches)MEX: They had a 17-8 goal advantage in qualifying (14 matches)Argentina vs. Mexico picks: See picks here
Why you should back Argentina
La Albiceleste will be highly motivated to rebound from the shocking loss that snapped their 36-match unbeaten run, one shy of the all-time record. They held the ball for 70% of Tuesday’s match and outshot the Saudis 15-3 but couldn’t finish it off. Messi is a seven-time winner of the Ballon D’or as the world’s best player and has 767 goals in his career for club and country. That is second only to Cristiano Ronaldo in the sport’s history. Yet, he has just one major trophy with Argentina. That triumph came just last year, when the Argentines beat Brazil to claim the Copa America.
Messi has as much talent around him as he has ever had, with 25-year-old Lautaro Martinez able to pick up some of the scoring load. He has 21 goals in 41 matches for Argentina, five of those in the past nine games. He also has scored 45 goals in his past 72 starts for Inter Milan.
Why you should back Mexico
El Tri played well in Tuesday’s opener, holding the ball for 61% of the match and outshooting the Poles 11-6. Ochoa proved his worth to the team again with his save on the penalty, and the 37-year-old’s leadership has been invaluable for years. Hirving Lozano also distinguished himself with his agility and ball movement, and the Napoli winger will be a key to Mexico’s success Saturday. He has 23 goals in four seasons in Italy’s Serie A and 16 in 61 matches with Mexico. Lozano made himself a household name with the winning goal in a 1-0 upset of Germany at the 2018 World Cup.
Liga MX stars Alexis Vega and Henry Martin also could trouble a defense that broke down against the Saudis. Martin has 51 goals in six seasons with Club America, and Vega has 21 goals and 20 assists in five with Chivas. Mexico has posted six straight clean sheets in competitive matches, so they are likely to frustrate Messi and Co.
How to make Argentina vs. Mexico picks
Eimer has taken an in-depth look at Mexico vs. Argentina. He is leaning Over on the goal total and has two other confident best bets and a full breakdown of this Group C match. He’s only sharing those picks at SportsLine.
So where does all the betting value lie for Mexico vs. Argentina in Saturday’s 2022 FIFA World Cup matchup? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Argentina vs. Mexico, all from the soccer expert who went 20-12 on his World Cup qualifying picks, and find out.