in Soccer Betting Trends

For the soccer betting enthusiast who is neither French, nor Italian,, France vs. Italy, Les Bleus vs. the Azzuri, or to be redundant - the blues against the blues, - could be quite the dilemma. So how does one bet on this match-up without getting all blue about it? (No pun intended!)

Well, despite football being in chaos back home, has not been distracted from its World Cup mission producing arguably their best run since 1982. The Italians are marginally favored on the money line at (+155) and are the outright favorites on the odds to lift the World Cup at (-145). So it would seem that the favorites are the sure bet! Si?

Going 2-0-1 in group play, Italy was hardly impressive. After defeating Ghana 2-0 in their opening game, the Azzuri struggled against the United States to draw 1-1, assisting the US in scoring when the goal bounced off of Zambrotta’s leg into the net. Prior to their final group match-up, Italy could have still been eliminated, but they managed to defeat a defeatist Czech squad 2-0.

In the Round of 16, Italy chanced upon surprise qualifiers Australia. Again, Italy was not impressive. If truth be told, the Socceroos by far were the better team as they dominated the match, outplaying the Italians at every turn. If not for a highly questionable penalty call against Australia in the last ten seconds of stoppage time, the match could have easily gone the way of the Socceroos. Alas, we will never know this for certain for as Francesco Totti stepped up for the penalty kick, there was no doubt that he would deliver the death penalty to Australia’s World Cup sojourn. Italy celebrated their win, albeit an undeserved one.

In the quarter-finals, Italy was to come up with its strongest performance yet. In a convincing 3-0 victory over Ukraine, Italy would advance to a the semi-finals and striker Luca Toni became the first member of his team to score twice in the World Cup finals when he delivered two late goals.

In perhaps the toughest match of their World Cup run, the Italians finally could be said to have impressed. Facing the home team - Germany, was no idyll, but Italy proved their resilience. Defensively they were solid and impenetrable. Captain Fabio Cannavaro, - that rare defender, who never seems to make a mistake, - was crucial in fending-off the German attacking front-line, rendering their key players largely ineffective throughout the match. But, as the over-time ticked away with neither side registering a score, a penalty shootout loomed in the horizon. If history was an indicator, the penalty shoot-out was tantamount to a death penalty for Italy, as they have never won a single World Cup match on the penalty shootout. With two minutes left on the clock, and with an undercurrent of fear for the inevitable penalty shoot-out, Fabio Grosso, inside the box, released a wild shot that came from an absolutely impossible angle to find the net. The score 1-0 and the match in the 119th minute, Alessandro Del Pierro doubled their lead to make it 2-0. Italy got their saving grace and would advance to the final.

Italy has battled valiantly through the World Cup finals to reach its pinnacle. Italy’s defense has been its greatest strength. Gianluigi Buffon has been flawless, save for the own-goal off of Zambrotta’s leg he would have had a perfect shut-out record at the World Cup. As he prepares to take his place between the posts for Italy, he is tied for the lead with Portugal’s goalkeeper at 34 saves in the World Cup. With at least 90 minutes of playing time on July 9th, 2006, he will, at the very least, have the opportunity to break the tie for the lead in saves. However, should the match play to the draw, opening at (+180) in regular time and should it remain tied at the end of the over time, Buffon will have his work cut out for him if he is to prevent Italy from succumbing to their accursed fate in the penalty shootout.

On the other hand, at the onset of their World Cup campaign fared similarly – unimpressively. Not much was expected from their run in Germany, and the scoreless tie with Switzerland in their opening match seemed to give credence to this popular opinion. When their second match resulted in a 1-1 tie against South Korea popular opinion all but completely wrote them off from the World Cup. In the final group match-up against Togo, France had no choice but to win if they were to salvage the remnants of their World Cup campaign. As fortune would have it, they defeated Togo 2-0 and gained the all important three points to advance to the Round of 16.

With group stage play at an unimpressive 1-0-2 record, France was not expected to fare better in the Round of 16 against powerhouse Spain who finished at the top of their group with an impressive 3-0-0 record and was tied in the lead with Argentina with 8 goals against. Sure enough, Spain took the early lead in the match, and France seemed to be doomed for another disappointing World Cup run. But, in what was to become France’s first spectacular performance at the World Cup, France rallied back before the close of the first half with a superb goal by Ribery. Picking up the ball just inside the Spanish half, a one-two passing game between Ribery and Vieira brought the ball towards Spain’s net before Ribery danced around Casillas to slip the ball into the net. With the second half underway and a 1-1 tie, France found life. In the 83rd minute a Zinedine Zidane inspired free-kick found Vieira’s head and without hesitation he blasted the header powerfully down off the leg of Ramos and into the net. Up 2-1 and with the stoppage time underway, Les Bleus delivered the coup de grace of the match when the ball found Zinedine Zidane on the left, and with his graceful skills he cut inside Puyol before setting himself up for a beautiful shot at the near post. It was 3-1 France, exclamation point.

But, as their victory only served to earn them a date with super-favorites, Brazil, the critics continued with their undercurrent of disparagement, penning their obituary's. However, to the chagrin of all naysayer’s, France stunned the world with a quarter-final that had them not only dominating the Brazilians, but upstaging them in ball-control skills, beautiful touches and fluid passing. Controlling the match with seeming ease, France soon tired of teasing the Brazilians and in another Zinedine Zidane inspired free-kick Henry’s right foot blasted the ball into the net. With a resounding 1-0 win over Brazil, Les Bleus were all fired up to conquer the Portuguese.

With the final hurdle in sight, Les Bleus did not even blink as they barreled through the Portuguese. Granted an opportune moment came in the 33rd minute when Carvalho clearly tripped up Thierry Henry in the box, but for once it can be argued that the call was just. In a moment that could not have been scripted better for Zinedine Zidane had he authored it himself, he stepped up to take the penalty kick he delivered the deadly shot past Ricardo into the net. Raising his hands to the heavens, Zinedine Zidane, was destined to see another World Cup final.

Arriving at the finals, France is marginally the underdog on the money line, tipped at (+190) and on the odds to lift the World Cup they are the clearer underdog tipped at (+115). But, if romance is what you are after then France would be the sure bet.

Defensively, Les Bleus have been solid, and as they progressed through the World Cup they have improved. Up-front, no one can dispute the beauty in motion that is Henry Thierry, nor can any one dispute the fact that Zinedine Zidane, the heart and soul of the Les Bleus, plays in a dimension of his own. Seamlessly finding their rhythm, they are reminiscent of the Les Bleus of the 1998 World Cup. Should divine intervention, combined with the grace and talent of Zinedine Zidane have a say in this match, then my pick would be France to win this match. Zinedine Zidane wants to win. At 34 years old, he is playing as if he was 24 years-old, putting himself on the line he is playing with passion for the beautiful game; with pride in representing his country; and with the privilege and honor to retire at the pinnacle of his career on the worlds greatest stage of all. If the stars have anything to say about it, then it should be so!