There’s a reason why Turkey is always a hipster pick when it comes to international soccer tournaments. The Crescent Eagles always have a couple of star players in their ranks, and they have a clear identity that is forged in one of the world’s great soccer cultures.
Just how far Turkey goes at the World Cup will largely rest on the shoulders of a pair of 21-year-old superstars, Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz, but it’ll be up to the rest of the squad to do the dirty work to provide Guler and Yildiz a platform to be difference-makers.
Turkey will open its World Cup campaign as favorites to beat Australia at midnight ET on Sunday in Vancouver.
Australia’s reputation in soccer is not too different from how the world views the country as a whole. A rugged, hard-working team that thrives playing the role of an underdog. What the Socceroos lack in talent, they try to make up for with spirit. It’s the Aussie way.
However, this iteration of the Australian Men’s National Team has a bit more pizazz than we’re used to seeing from the Land Down Under. They still have their trademark size and tenacity, but they’re bringing a couple of flashy players with them to North America.
Nestory Irankunda and Mohamed Toure are not all-world talents like Guler and Yildiz, but their flash and dash allow Australia to offer something more than just physicality and doggedness as opponents. They have the potential to spread defenses and spring counters, which means that opponents can be punished for getting too aggressive against the Aussies.
Turkey isn’t the type of team that will throw caution to the wind, and they could be even more passive knowing that Australia’s best path to an upset is to absorb pressure and hit the Crescent Eagles on the counterattack.
Perhaps Guler and Yildiz can create enough scoring opportunities to open things up, but it seems likely that this will be a low-event match. That puts value on the draw.
The Play: Draw (+270, FanDuel)
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
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