Will either team make it to the knockout rounds?
The World Cup is entering its all-important phase in the preliminary round. Who will secure the coveted tickets for the knockout round? Group C is also facing this question and with Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico, a tip is possible in virtually every direction. Will the Saudis really pull off the mega-surprise and advance to the round of 16? Or will the Mexicans book their eighth (!) ticket to the last 16 in a row?
Can you make a prediction in favour of Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico with a clear conscience? The opening match and the win against Argentina showed the world that anything is possible in football. But against the actually weaker Poles, the underdogs were brought back down to earth.
Now they stand with three points before the last matchday with all possibilities. If they beat Mexico, their ticket to the last 16 is booked. It would be one of the bigger sensations in recent football history if the Saudis actually made it to the knockout stages.
Predicting the nominal visitors in the clash between Saudi Arabia and Mexico is the first thought that comes to the mind of any football fan. Mexico is a football nation and has achieved a lot in major tournaments.
But at this World Cup, the men from Central America have their backs to the wall. Only a win will help coach Gerardo Martino’s team, and even then they are highly dependent on the result in the parallel match. In any case, the Mexican team’s strategy is clear. They need three points and, in the best case, a big triumph. Kick-off for the “Do or Die” match is on Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. in Lusail.
Saudi Arabia – Statistics & current form
It was the most glorious win ever in the World Cup history of the green hawks. Against one of the World Cup top favourites Argentina, the men from Saudi Arabia won the opener 2-1. They were the worse team, but above all showed heart and brute efficiency in front of goal.
Extremely emotional, they then went into the second World Cup match against Poland and kept up well with the European representatives around superstar Lewandowski, but in the end they were not undeservedly beaten 2-0. The good news is that everything is still possible for the underdogs on the last matchday!
All players from the domestic league
You can’t deny a certain carefree attitude from Coach Renard’s men. On the offensive, they show themselves to be strong on the dribble and courageous in their finishing. However, some technical deficiencies are also visible and are a clear sign that the Saudis simply compete too rarely with the world class. The Asian Champions League has been won by Saudi representatives in succession, but it is nowhere near the level of the European top flight.
Without exception, all Saudi players celebrate their art in the domestic league, partly because they earn relatively well there. A certain degree of familiarity with the game naturally also brings advantages, which the Saudis exploited above all against the Gauchos. They lost against Poland because they didn’t take their chances up front and allowed too much at the back.
Are the odds on Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico interesting for a bet on the nominal home team? In general, little can be ruled out for coach Renard’s team, and if the game had gone more favourably and they had taken better chances, they should have taken something against Poland as well. But despite all the freshness and vitality displayed by the players from the desert state, Saudi Arabia are still the underdogs in their third group match! Those who still want to bet on the Saudis must be clearly aware of this fact.
Predicted line-up of Saudi Arabia:
Al-Owais – Abdulhamid, Al-Amri, Al-Bulaihi, Al-Burayk – Al-Buraikan, Kanno, Al-Malki, S. Al-Dawsari – Al-Shehri, Al-Najei
Last matches played by Saudi Arabia:
World Cup Group C
26/11/2022 – Poland 2 – 0 Saudi Arabia
22/11/2022 – Argentina 1 – 2 Saudi Arabia
Friendlies
16/11/2022 – Saudi Arabia 0 – 1 Croatia
10/11/2022 – Panama 1 – 1 Saudi Arabia
06/11/2022 – Saudi Arabia 1 – 0 Iceland
Mexico – Statistics & current form
Only Mexico and Brazil have ever made it past the preliminary round at recent World Cups. While the players from Sugarloaf will probably continue this streak, the Mexicans have their backs to the wall before their last group match against the Saudis. Only a win will help the Mexicans and even then nothing is certain. In the best case scenario, they outclass the Saudis significantly to make their own contribution. In any case, the strategy is clear: go for the treble!
Performances overall too weak
Despite the starting position Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico does not necessarily provide lucrative odds for a Mexican victory. The Tricolor are in last place in Group C with just one point, and their goal difference is also the worst at minus two. While they were not exactly convincing in their opening game against Poland, but at least took home a point, they were beaten 2-0 by Argentina on Saturday. The Mexicans were compact for a long time until Messi hit them right in the heart.
The fact that El Tri is still without a goal in the tournament will certainly not help the proud Mexicans’ self-confidence. National coach Gerardo Martino has been caught in the crossfire for months and doesn’t really seem to be able to shake his players up either.
The Central Americans need a turnaround in Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico and a prediction on the eleven-time Central American champions now seems anything but clear. Especially since the Mexicans may need a big win and that is not exactly in the air given their offensive situation. But after four goalless World Cup games in a row, the knot could finally burst for the nominal guests, after all, they have nothing left to lose.
Perhaps it is now paying off that coach Martino no longer relies on veteran Chicharito. Especially in such tough games, his experience could be the deciding factor. The former Leverkusen man is still Mexico’s last goal scorer at a World Cup.
Either way, we will see a completely different Mexico on Wednesday than against Argentina. The compact 5-3-2 will probably be broken up. They will have to attack forward and take risks. Even with a win, it will be tight for El Tri as they depend on the result of the other game.
Predicted Mexico line-up:
Ochoa – Araujo, Montes, Moreno – K. Alvarez, Gallardo, Chavez, Herrera, Guardado – Lozano, Vega
Last matches played by Mexico:
World Cup Group C
27/11/2022 – Argentina 2 – 0 Mexico
22/11/2022 – Mexico 0 – 0 Poland
Friendlies
17/11/2022 – Mexico 1 – 2 Sweden
10/11/2022 – Mexico 4 – 0 Iraq
28/09/2022 – Colombia 3 – 2 Mexico
Saudi Arabia – Mexico Direct comparison / H2H balance
These two nations have faced each other directly three times so far. Each time in the prestigious Confederations Cup. Mexico won all three matches with a goal difference of 12:1! However, the last match dates back to the last millennium and the direct comparison is not really meaningful for Wednesday’s clash. In terms of betting odds, Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico tends more towards the Central Americans, because they simply have more quality in their squad.
Saudi Arabia – Mexico Tip
Saudi Arabia vs Mexico provides interesting odds for a win for the Saudis. The first two games have not necessarily shown why this is the case. While Mexico lacked the final bite, the Saudis played big and beat Argentina. Before the last matchday, the players from the desert state have the much better starting position. If they win, they will definitely qualify for the last 16.
So there is clearly the option of the nominal hosts parking the bus after a 1-0 lead. However, coach Renard’s men showed great weaknesses defensively against Poland. It seems extremely unlikely that they will really keep a clean sheet. We rather expect a wild game in which both teams play to win. Therefore, we will go with the goals in our tip.
A draw will not help either team. Saudi Arabia vs Mexico brings promising odds for many goals to the table. We expect a wild game on the final matchday, with both teams really putting everything into it. Since the Saudis have already shown great defensive weaknesses and Mexico will most likely have to go on the offensive, there should be a hail of goals. We are therefore placing our bets on more than 3.5 goals.
