2010 World Cup Betting Predictions - Portugal vs. Ivory Cost

In what could possibly be the best game in the first round, the best player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Portugal take on Ivory Cost Tuesday at 10:00 AM ET in a must- win game that opens the death Group G.

Would Cup Odds:
Ivory Cost +220
Draw +310
Portugal +125

Soccer betting fans should expect to see the best soccer in this zone, as two of the last three Golden Ball winners are here (Kaka and Ronaldo) joined also by the best African team, Ivory Cost.
Portugal has been criticized lately for their form and playing style which has left more doubts than anything else.

Cristiano Ronaldo hasn´t scored with his national team since the European championship in 2008, as he ended the World Cup qualifying series scoreless.

However, Ronaldo proved in the past season that he can carry any team on his shoulders, as he did with Real Madrid. So whenever Portugal is in trouble, he will step up.
Ivory Coast, on the other side, is a well-known team despite having a full talented roster.  Consider that their head coach Sven Goran Eriksson is new on the job, as he started training the team barely two months ago.

Eriksson was a successful coach with the Italian club SS Lazio when he won the Serie A title but he failed to take England further than the quarterfinals in any international tournaments.
The Africans probably won´t count on their forward and playmaker Didier Drogba, who had elbow surgery last week after a friendly game with Japan.  Whether Drogba will play or not is a game-time decision.

Aruna Dindane will replace Drogba on attack, who is smaller than the Chelsea FC player and less aggressive.
Despite all this, it should be a very close game.  The difference will be Cristiano Ronaldo, a true playmaker for Portugal.

Simmons’ pick:  Take Portugal +125