Uruguay are a top priced 4/9 to win their Group D game against Coasta Rica tonight (8pm KO, Live on ITV1) and are expected to do so with the minimum of fuss – with or without star striker Luis Suarez.
The fitness of Suarez is the key concern for coach Oscar Tabarez, and it may well be that the Liverpool man sits out the opening game.
However, that shouldn’t detract from Urguay’s chnaces as they haev two other excellent attackers in the shape of Diego Forlan and Edinson Cavani.
Cavani scored once at the 2010 World Cup, to help Uruguay to fourth place in the tournament, but I am expecting him to better that tally this time round.
The 27-year-old scored 78 goals in 104 appearances when playing for Napoli, and has bagged 16 in 30 games since moving to Paris Saint-German.
That is a supreme strike rate by anyone’s standards, and makes him look well worth a wager at 7/2 with Paddy Power to net the opener.
He can also be backed at 6/5 with bet365 to net anytime, and also looks a decent bet given that he is as as short as 8/11 elswhere.
The other bet that stands out is over 2.5 goals at the 6/5 on offer generally as Costa Rica have lost their last four games at the World Cup, conceding an average of 3.5 goals per game, and also failed to win in three previous meetings in the tournament againt South American sides – conceding nine goals in the process.
