USA blew the roof off their opening game and have already outscored their entire 2022 World Cup campaign in a single match. USA took down a defensively sound Paraguay side 4-1 in a matchup that saw Folarin Balogun shine picking up two goals, while Captain America beside him picked up an assist. Loads of former USA players have come out and said that’s the best the USA have looked in decades. Manager Mauricio Pochettino is being credited for helping USA put their best attacking foot forward and the team is creating an exciting style of play from the middle upwards

Switzerland dropped points against Qatar in their first match due to lack of urgency and failure to be clinical in the final third. They wasted chance after chance assuming in the end it wouldn't' matter and they were punished for it. This is the kind of match where you look to correct those mistakes and strike aggressively for a full 90 minutes. Bosnia are not a poor side by any means and I believe they'll contribute to the goal sheet, but Switzerland when it's all said and done should be too strong.

South Korea fought back after going down with Hwan In-beom equalizing, and Oh Hyeon-gyu giving them the go-ahead goal inthe 80th minute. The thing that makes this team so scary besides the obvious is their accuracy. This team put up unreal numbers of successful long passes, duels won and aerials. This is a team that frankly, outworked Czechia from start to finish. I rate this team very highly, and expect them to outclass Mexico.

Algeria is not a bad team by any means as they made a pretty solid run in last years AFCON tournament. That being said, come on, this is Argentina. Argentina are the reigning 2022 World Cup champions, and have the vast majority of the same squad that made them so good, while adding new talent like Nico Paz from Como. I'm banking on Argentina to handle the over on this game, and I believe they are more than capable of scoring three goals by themselves against an Algeria backline that will be overwhelmed for 90 minutes.

Before you bet on this match understand that there is a world where Lionel Messi doesn't playin in this match. Even if he does not play, I'm still betting Argentina to win this match in convincing fashion. Yes, Messi is a big deal, but this team has a wildly good attack even if he decides to sit this match out. Look for players like Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez, and Nico Paz to find the back of the net multiple times, as Argentina look to not repeat their first match of the group stage incident of the 2022 World Cup.

This is no longer the same Croatia squad that finished third in the 22' World Cup. While they still have many of the same players, including the legend Luka Modric, their age is really started to show. This is a side that has been legendary for over a decade now, but the same players that made them great 10 years ago, are still the ones doing it now. They looked tired in their friendlies versus Belgium and Brazil. I'm not the biggest England fan, but they should win this first match in convincing fashion with the players at their disposal.

If you LOVE high scoring matchups with fierce attacks, then please, I beg you, stay away from this match. We have a match between two incredible defenses, who prioritize sitting back and parking the bus. Ivory Coast won their group stage without conceding a single goal over 10 matches. Ecuador finished second in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, conceded just five goals over 18 matches. Neither team has a great attack, but both teams are absolute walls on defense. I think this ends 0-0.

Sweden are a bit of a bizzare side in this World Cup. They are famous for qualifying for the World Cup, without winning a single group stage match. It doesn't matter how they got here though, they're here, so how can they win now. They can only win if they score multiple goals because my word their defense is brutal. Sweden have Gyokeres and Isak on attack which is great, but look at their recent games. They've conceded in 11 straight. Expect goals with Tunisia smelling blood in the water.

Germany is a team that has been shrouded with disappointment over the last decade. This is a team full of quality football heritage, but they've struggled against teams they have no business struggling against. This is their chance to put all the nonsense behind them, and have a good World Cup, and they've been given a gift of an opening match. If Germany tries for 90 minutes, they could score 10 goals here. I don't believe they'll go all out, but they should use this game to pick up some confidence before facing harder opponents, so expect them to run it up for at least a half.

FIFA rankings aren't always the most accurate, but what I will say is that they are accurate in the sense that New Zealand is the team that barely scraped in here, and out side of Curacao are probably the team that's the most outclassed. Iran are a solid side, and will be playing with a chip on their shoulder as VISA issues continue to plague this team while they are trying to prep. If anything, that will give Iran even more of a reason to succeed in this competition. New Zealand are happy to be here, and I have no expectations for them as a whole.

This is the kind of match for Spain where you make a statement. Spain are one of the joint favorites to win it all, and a big reason is their ruthlessness. It doesn't matter if they're playing Cape Verde, Germany, or France, they are going to press and they are going to fight for 90 minutes. They have one of the best midfields in the competition only behind Portugal, and their attack rivals any other team in the world. I expect Spain to use this match as a chance to send a warning to every other team as they run up the score. You don't want to mess with Spain.

I would like to apologize to all our Cape Verde fans out there. You are all in for a brutal first match in your World Cup campaign. Spain is the joint favorites to win the World Cup alongside France, and are favored to have the most goals scored in the World Cup. Just look at this squad. They are world-class from front to back. Even if this squad rotates, I have them winning this by 3+ goals. Mike Oyarzabal and Ferran Torres are going to run over this group, and when Lamine Yamal is fit, expect him to run rampant as well. Spain might win this by 5+ goals.

I've already talked about how terrifying this Norway attack is. There's a reason they scored 37 times in their eight qualifying matches. In fact, there's multiple reasons. This front line only plays one style of footy, and that style is press. Norway doesn't care if they're up 1-0, 2-0, 3-0, it doesn't matter. This is a team that is coached to attack no matter what . Look at Erling Haaland to score a brace in this one, as Iraq will just be holding on for dear life and trying to weather the Viking storm.

Norway return to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years. They did so by being the most dominate goal-scoring threat in the entirety of the UEFA qualification stages. Norway won group I in the qualifiers outscoring their opponents 37-5 in just eight matches. They also went 8-0-0. Led by the Viking himself Erling Haaland, this team's front line is terrifying. Haaland is backed by Martin Odegaard, Alexander Sorloth and Antonio Nusa. I wouldn't want to have to try to stop this attack, and I expect them to roll this first match winning by 3+ goals.

If you know me, you know that I have been consistently impressed by the growth of Japan in the football space. This is a team that during the 22' World Cup, beat both Germany and Spain. This is a team that is managed so well it's almost scary, and it's a team that doesn't rely solely on one star to carry the weight of the team. The way Japan flows together is a thing of beauty. That being said, Netherlands is a good attacking side. I'm expecting BTTS to cash, and over 2.5 goals to hit with both teams possessing fantastic finishers.