Just four games to go for the 2022 Qatar World Cup and four teams remaining for a shot at footballing glory, and to make sense of it all here are our 2022 World Cup Semi Finals Predictions & Stats.
Anyone picking the Croatia-Argentina-France-Morocco semi finalist multi will have gotten odds with more zeroes in it than Morocco’s against column this World Cup.
OK, a Messi-led Argentina looked reasonably obvious for a semi final berth before the World Cup kicked off, although most would have expected them to only be half of the South American contingent.
France were a 50-50 chance before the tournament if results went a certain way, with the England v France clash was always key, and France got the luck this time.
So, if France were a 50-50, why wouldn’t Croatia be too. They were the finalists in 2018 after all. But they were kind of dismissed as a little too old, and surely they couldn’t get this far again. But here we are.
Which leaves Morocco. Who have been lucky to be tipped for a win of any game they have played in the 2022 World Cup, but they continue to hassle the big teams, and continue to triumph with their own brand of football. And now they are carrying the hopes of Africa and Arab nations, who cares how you play to get to a semi final.
But surely this is where the World Cup says enough is enough and the favourites seal victory and the tournament goes into predicable mode.
That would be boring, and this World Cup has been anything but.
Our 2022 World Cup Semi Finals Predictions & Stats has both games covered with some key stats, and our thoughts ahead of each game. And stay tuned to the website for the full match report after each game.
READ THE QUARTER FINAL MATCH REPORTS
CROATIA 1 BRAZIL 1
NETHERLANDS 2 ARGENTINA 2
PORTUGAL 0 MOROCCO 1
ENGLAND 1 FRANCE 2
2022 World Cup Quarter Finals Predictions
ARGENTINA v CROATIA
KICKOFF – TUESDAY 13TH DEC – 19:00 (QATAR) 16:00 (UK) 03:00 (AEDT)
- Croatia have played a team from every footballing continent in their five game run.
- Technically within the regular 90/120 mins of their games this World Cup, Croatia have won one of their five games to make the semi finals.
- H2H record between these sides is 2-2, with a similar balance of 1-1 for the two World Cup fixtures.
- Croatia have conceded the first goal in the three games where they have conceded a goal.
- Argentina have scored the first goal in all five of their games this World Cup.
- Argentina’s knockout record at the World Cup stands at W11 D6 L9. Croatia’s is W4 D4 L2.
- Croatia have progressed in their only knockout game v South American sides. Their last game v Brazil.
- Argentina have won just four of 19 knockout matches v European side in regular/extra time.
- Despite being already knocked out of the World Cup, Spain still have more touches of the football than the next best Argentina.
PREDICTION
Argentina 1 Croatia 1 – Argentina win 5-4 on penalties
What an arm wrestle this will be. We predict fireworks and some nice heavy tackles coming in the second half of this game. Argentina will take the lead early as they do, and similar to other games they will forget how to play with a lead and give up a late-ish goal to Croatia. There will be no shots on target in extra time, which Argentina will sneak though on.
Winner plays next – France or Morocco
FRANCE v MOROCCO
KICKOFF – WEDNESDAY 14TH DEC – 19:00 (QATAR) 16:00 (UK) 03:00 (AEDT)
- France have conceded exactly one goal in every match so far this World Cup. Morocco have conceded exactly one goal this tournament. Their only goal conceded came in their only game not against a European country.
- This will be France’s seventh Semi Final appearance, and their record is W3 L2 D1.
- France have an underwhelming W3 L3 record v African sides at the World Cup, and they already lost to Tunisia in this World Cup.
- Prior to this World Cup Morocco’s record v European sides was W2 D5 L5. This World Cup they have played four of their five games v European sides for a record of W2 D2.
- Four France players feature in the top five for Key Passes of the four teams remaining in the World Cup.
- France have conceded the fewest fouls of any side that made the knockout stage.
PREDICTION
France 1 Morocco 1 – France win 4-2 on penalties
With France conceding in every game thus far, of course we can see them giving up a goal here. For all the heroic defensive quality of Morocco, they still have some decent attackers. We predict a Hakim Ziyech inspired free kick or corner will take the lead for Morocco. And despite Morocco’s outstanding record of four clean sheets, you’d have to say that France has the best attack they’ve faced thus far. Or maybe not, Portugal had plenty. But we still think France will get at least one goal, but that’s it. Then every time will be a cagey, dull affair until the inevitable penalty shootout which France will probably win.
Winner plays next – Argentina or Croatia
2022 World Cup Semi Finals Stats so Far – Teams
Here’s the quickest comparison of the choicest cuts of stats for all four semi finalists so far in the 2022 World Cup.
2022 World Cup Semi Finals Stats so Far – Teams
And help yourself to this buffet of stats for the players from all four semi finalists so far in the 2022 World Cup.
