Expert Picks

Uruguay was my dark horse entering the 2022 World Cup and they’ll likely need a victory on Thursday if they want to top Group H, especially with a showdown against Portugal on the horizon. Uruguay’s attack is led by Luis Suarez, who has scored 68 international goals in 134 appearances. Uruguay also features the likes of Darwin Nunez and Fede Valverde, two players who are having stellar seasons with their clubs. Nunez has recorded five goals and two assists for Liverpool, while Valverde has registered six goals and two assists for Real Madrid. In addition to a lethal attack, Uruguay features one of the world’s most disciplined back lines, led by veteran Diego Godín. Uruguay have conceded just one goal in their last seven fixtures in all competitions, which includes shutouts against Canada, USA and Mexico. I’m expecting this match to be a tightly contested bout, but I think Uruguay’s quality will be the difference. (Uruguay -130)

Uruguay has a terrific team featuring José Giménez, Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur, Luis Suárez and Darwin Núñez. Uruguay looks like a dark horse to win this tournament, and it should be capable of qualifying for the knockout stage. However, it may need to beat South Korea to do so, as it then faces tricky games against Portugal and Ghana. The South Koreans will take a risk by starting talismanic forward Son Heung-Min in this game, as he is coming back from injury and he will not be fully fit. This should be a tight game, but Uruguay's firepower could ultimately lead it to victory.