NEW ZEALAND can keep it close in Mexico opener

Eleven spots are still up for grabs in Brazil 2014 and the two intercontinental play-offs begin on Wednesday, here is our guide to the best of the bets from these games.

The first game (15:00, EUROSPORT) sees a Jordan side looking to make the finals for the first time against a Uruguay side who reached the semi-finals in 2010.

The South Americans are the strong favourites and are just 1/25 (bet365) to qualify for the finals. If it was just about talent then they would already be in Brazil as this is a star packed squad with the likes of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani in the Uruguay squad. Jordan do not have any big name players but they have a strong team ethos that has seen them progress this far and they are 12/1 (bet365/CORAL) to reach their first World Cup finals.

The Middle-Eastern side are 14/1 (GENERAL) for the first leg victory while the draw is an 11/2 (william hill) chance. Jordan are unbeaten in front of their own fans since August 2012 with Japan, Australia and Nigeria among the sides who have failed to win here. A passionate crowd will roar the home team on and they will give it their all so I can not be backing Uruguay to come out on top at odds of 1/4 (CORAL) despite their obvious superiority in the FIFA World Rankings.

Luis Suarez is a man in great scoring form with eight goals from his last nine games though at a bigger price I like the odds of his teammate Edinson Cavani. The PSG man has netted five in his last seven internationals and has nine goals from 13 games in Ligue 1 for PSG this season. He is 5/4 (bet365) to score at anytime and that looks the way to play this game.

The second of the games takes place 20:30 (PREMIER SPORTS) and sees Mexico play host to New Zealand who sit some fifty-five places below them in the rankings. Mexico are 1/12 (paddy Power) to qualify for Brazil and New Zealand as big as 9/1 (CORAL).

I think despite the gap in the rankings it might be worth taking New Zealand on the Asian Handicap to keep the first leg close. The All Whites showed in the 2010 World Cup they can be stubborn opponents when they battled out three draws from three group games and I expect the same mentality will be in place when they take on Mexico. The pressure will be on the home side to break down this stubborn defence and considering they have struggled to get through qualification all is not right with El Tricolor. You can get 21/20 (WINNER) New Zealand with a 1.75 start on the Asian Handicap which pays out on the New Zealand win, the draw, the one goal loss and as a half loss if they lose by two. You will only lose all your money if Mexico win this game by three full goals.

One final recommendation comes in the anytime scorer market where bet365 have Oribe Peralta at 5/4 to score anytime which looks much too big if you consider the player has scored six time in his last six internationals and is as short as 2/7 with william hill.

BEST OF THE BETS

GOLD: New Zealand +1.75 on Asian Handicap v Mexico, 21/20 (WINNER)
SILVER: Oribe Peralta to score anytime v New Zealand, 5/4 (bet365)
BRONZE: Ahmad Hayel Ibrahim to score anytime v Uruguay, 13/2 (BET365)

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25/11/2013     © Frixo 2026