World Cup Group Stage preview: World Cup favourites Brazil bid to begin their campaign in style

Group G and H take centre stage on Thursday with four more fascinating clashes from the 2022 Qatar World Cup, including tournament favourites Brazil as they take on Serbia.

We preview the pick of those ties below.

Uruguay v South Korea – 13:00 GMT

Uruguay and South Korea have met eight times in the past, including twice at past World Cups, and the South Americans hold a commanding head-to-head advantage, with six wins to South Korea’s one.

That’s likely to inform the betting in this tie, which sees Uruguay begin as the 3/4 favourites, while South Korea are priced at 4/1 to provide an upset.

While still quite reliant on their aging stars in Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, Uruguay are full of quality, with Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde and Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur key talents of the next generation. However, it’s still Cavani and Suarez who will be relied upon to score the goals this tournament, and they are both 15/8 to find the net at any time here. Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez could also be a key player for the Uruguayans and is also priced at 15/8 to grab a goal.

South Korea will be hoping to qualify for the knockout stages for only the third time in their history and may need a positive result here to do so. They have their own talisman up-front in Heung-min Son and he is likely to be their main goal threat at 19/5 to score anytime.

Portugal v Ghana – 16:00 GMT

These sides have only met once before, at the 2014 World Cup, where Portugal secured a narrow 2-1 victory. Over 50 places separate them in the FIFA world rankings, so perhaps that’s why ninth ranked Portugal come in here as the overwhelming 1/3 favourites.

Despite a continued reliance on 37-year-old captain Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal have a strong squad and will be looking to make the knockout stages for the fourth time in the last six World Cups. Ronaldo is searching for his 118th international goal and is priced at EVS to notch it in this encounter, while he is 14/5 to open the scoring.

Portugal have a surprisingly strong defence, that has conceded only five times in their last 10 games, so backing them at 7/10 to keep a clean sheet against Ghana might be worthwhile.

Ghana look to have their work cut out to achieve a positive result at 17/2 to win and 19/5 to secure a point. Athletic Bilbao striker, Inaki Williams, is their most likely source of goals and is priced at 5/1 to score at any time.

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Brazil v Serbia – 19:00 GMT

World Cup favourites (3/1) Brazil begin their campaign in search of a first World Cup in 20 years. They face a Serbia side that hasn’t reached the knockout stages since 1998. These sides were also drawn in the same group at the last World Cup, where Brazil emerged as comfortable 2-0 winners. In their only other meeting in 2014, the South Americans were also triumphant, winning by a goal to nil.

Brazil are 4/9 to make it three wins from three meetings against Serbia. This Brazil team has more of a balance and depth to it than their sides of recent years, with a wealth of attacking options including – Neymar, Jesus, Vinicius Junior, Richarlison and Antony – as well as defensive stalwarts Casemiro, Dani Alves and Thiago Silva. In goal they probably have the best keeper around in Liverpool’s Alisson.

For those looking for value value, Neymar to score first is available at enhanced odds of 9/2, while Neymar to score, Brazil to win and there to be over three goals in the match is a boosted 9/2 from 15/4.

Serbia will be no pushovers (13/2), as a strong, physical side that will be especially dangerous from set plays. Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic leads the line and given the form he has been in in the Premier League – nine goals in 12 games – it’s entirely possible that he could get on the scoresheet at 11/4.

Watch out too for Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who has the quality to cause the top sides problems, and the midfielder is 9/1 to pop up with a goal in this.

There could be plenty of goals in this one, so 7/10 about there being over 2.5 goals makes some appeal.

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