The Dutch can clinch Group F on Thursday.
They enter Matchday 3 of the World Cup tied with Japan atop Group F both owning four points and a goal difference of four.
A win against an eliminated Tunisia squad could secure the group if Japan loses, draws or wins by a smaller margin than the Dutch in their match against Sweden.
Oranje are riding high after a 5-1 bludgeoning of Sweden. They overwhelmed the Swedes by taking their chances ruthlessly as Brian Brobbey gave the Dutch two goals in the opening 17 minutes — both via low crosses into the box. Cody Gakpo followed with a brace within the first 10 minutes of the second half.
That effort boosted the Dutch up to averaging the second-most goals in the tournament, tied with Norway at 3.5.
On the other end of the spectrum, this tournament can’t end soon enough for Tunisia.
Firing their manager after their opening drubbing by Sweden made no difference. They failed to register one shot on target against Japan.
They’ve now lost their two previous games by a combined score of 9-1 and have sunk to dead last in expected goals at 0.3.
And if that’s not enough, Tunisia is only the fourth team in World Cup history to lose two matches in a single tournament by four or more goals.
The books are expecting another spanking by the Dutch, setting the Dutch at -1000 on the three-way moneyline with the Eagles of Carthage available for 20/1 at DraftKings.
All that Tunisia can really do against a rampant Dutch attack is sit deep in a defensive shape and attempt to limit damage.
The Netherlands possess elite midfield control through Frenkie de Jong, Ryan Gravenberch and Tijjani Reijnders. Their ability to dominate possession should pin Tunisia back for long stretches, while Gakpo, Memphis Depay and Donyell Malen wield the creativity to exploit.
It feels like a heavy spread, but from incentives to sheer skill and tactical advantages, a three-goal win is in the cards.
THE PLAY: Netherlands -2.5 (-110, DraftKings)
Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.
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