In the final match of Group E of the Club World Cup, Monterrey faces Urawa Reds with only one goal: to win. Only then can the Mexicans hope to advance to the knockout stage.
Urawa Reds face Monterrey in a must-win game for Sergio Ramos’ side if they are to have any hope of advancing in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Monterrey have drawn their two games so far, and a win would mean they have a chance of going through, but it depends on the result of the other game in their group between Inter and River Plate. Ideally, Monterrey are aiming for a win in this game. However, in the event of a draw, the Rayados will need some favorable combinations to hope for qualification. But all that can wait: the priority is to do the right thing, which is to beat Urawa.
Despite a good performance against Inter—scoring first and leading for 67 minutes, despite having just 19.6% possession (the lowest ever recorded in the history of the FIFA Club World Cup)—the Japanese side Urawa Reds lost and remain on zero points. The defeat has already eliminated them from the competition, so this last game will be a matter of pride.
An interesting match awaits us, and we have analyzed the statistics and odds to identify the most promising bets on this match.
Tips for Urawa Reds-Monterrey, Thursday, July 26, at 3:00 a.m.
Monterrey to win and both teams to score – priced at 3.50 on bet365, 3.20 on Sisal, 3.30 on GoldBet
Over 2.5 goals – priced at 1.80 on bet365, 1.90 on Sisal, 1.68 on GoldBet
Ryoma Watanabe to have three shots – odds of 2.75 on bet365
Odds courtesy of bet365, Sisal, and GoldBet. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Monterrey takes all three points
With such an important game at stake, Monterrey has everything it takes to take all three points. In its first two games against Inter and River Plate, it showed character and solidity, bringing home two draws against high-level opponents. Now it can exploit its usual attacking quality against Urawa, fresh from a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Inter.
Given that they have to win, I expect Monterrey to start strongly and come out on top. However, Urawa have shown themselves to be dangerous: they took the lead against Inter and recorded a higher xG than River Plate, despite losing 3-1. In any case, we believe they will score.
An interesting bet is for a Monterrey win with both teams scoring: 3.50 on bet365, 3.20 on Sisal, 3.30 on GoldBet.
Tip: Monterrey to win and both teams to score – 3.50 on bet365, 3.20 on Sisal, 3.30 on GoldBet
Explanation of the bet: this bet wins if both teams score in the match and Monterrey wins.
Goals are a constant feature of Urawa’s matches
The two matches played so far by Urawa Reds in this tournament have both seen at least three goals. In general, six of their last seven matches in all competitions have seen over 2.5 goals, including the last three. Urawa’s games seem to guarantee entertainment, and we expect the same to be true of this one, despite Monterrey’s lack of goals so far in the Club World Cup.
Monterrey are usually a real goal-scoring machine: the 0-0 draw against River Plate was the first time they had failed to score since February, ending a run of 15 games. The two games in the tournament have been played under new coach Domenec Torrent, who has yet to find the right balance in attack. Against a Urawa side that has already been eliminated and conceded five goals, he could finally break the deadlock.
Bet365 offers over 2.5 at 1.80 and under 2.5 at 2.00, Sisal offers over at 2.00 and under at 1.90, while GoldBet offers 2.05 and 1.68 respectively. Both options are defensible, but considering Urawa’s style of play and Monterrey’s potential, we prefer to bet on over.
Tip: Over 2.5 goals – odds 1.80 on bet365, 1.90 on Sisal, 1.68 on GoldBet
Explanation of the bet: this bet wins if there are three or more goals.
A Watanabe likes to shoot
Ryoma Watanabe scored a decisive goal against Inter to give his team a 1-0 lead after 11 minutes. The attacking midfielder entered the box and shot on the half-volley, with the help of a deflection, beating Yann Sommer. In total, Watanabe had three of the team’s five shots, with the other two coming from substitute Takahiro Sekine. Against River Plate, Urawa had nine shots, three of which were taken by Watanabe.
Watanabe is establishing himself as one of Urawa’s key players, as evidenced by his presence in the starting lineup in the last 16 games in all competitions. Against Monterrey, we expect the Japanese midfielder to continue his trend of looking for the goal, with at least three total shots during the game.
This bet is available at 2.75 on bet365, and we believe it offers good value given his recent performances.
Tip: Ryoma Watanabe to have three shots – priced at 2.75 on bet365
Bet explanation: This bet wins if Watanabe has three or more shots.
Urawa Reds-Monterrey odds
Urawa Reds to win – priced at 4.75 on bet365, 5.00 on Sisal, 4.85 on GoldBet
Draw – priced at 3.80 on bet365, 4.00 on Sisal, 3.90 on GoldBet
Monterrey to win – odds of 1.70 on bet365, 1.67 on Sisal, 1.65 on GoldBet
The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.
