Sports Blog 16/06/2017: Football Preview – FIFA Confederations Cup, Saturday 17th June to Sunday 2nd July 2017

Who will triumph in Russia’s World Cup dress rehearsal, the 2017 Confederations Cup?

The tournament opens with the Russians taking on New Zealand, who qualified after beating Papua New Guinea in the final of the OFC Nations Cup last year. Neither side is expected to go too far. The former sit at a middling Outright Index spread of 23-26; the latter are at a competition-worst 0.5-2. Given the gulf between those spreads it comes as no surprise that the hosts are looking at a heavy win on Saturday, at a Russia/New Zealand Goal Supremacy spread of 1.5-1.7.



That leaves Portugal and Mexico to duke it out for Group A’s top spot. The current European champions are at an Outright Index spread of 41-45, the second best of the 8 teams competing, while the inaugural CONCACAF Cup winners look set to become beaten semi-finalists at 26-29. Cristiano Ronaldo has had a remarkable 12 months, a period that has seen the Portuguese captain pick up Euros, La Liga and Champions League medals – victory at the Confederations Cup would be the cherry on top, so expect him to lead from the front, with Spreadex offering a Portugal/Mexico Goal Supremacy spread of 0.3-0.5.

Group B is far tougher than A, with reigning World Cup title holders Germany joined by 2015 and 2016 Copa America winners Chile, African Cup of Nations champs Cameroon and, admittedly less dauntingly, 2015 AFC Asian Cup victors Australia. Joachim Low’s side are favourites to win their first Confederation Cup, at an Outright Index spread of 44-48, though Chile aren’t too far behind at 39-43; Cameroon and Australia, meanwhile, may just try and avoid a battering, at 12=15 and 5-8 respectively.

On Sunday evening Alexis Sanchez, who sits at a Super Mega PGM of 35-41, and co. take on their African counterparts, with Spreadex offering a Chile/Cameroon (h) Goal Supremacy spread of 0.9-1.1 alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.4-2.6. Monday afternoon then sees the Aussies try and hold off the world champions, at a Germany/Australia (h) Goal Supremacy spread of 1.25-1.45 with a Total Goals spread of 2.9-3.1.