Canada announced themselves to the world in their opening match against Belgium but came away with nothing to show for it after a harsh 1-0 defeat that featured a positive attacking performance but no goals.
Head coach John Herdman passionately claimed after the match that Canada would "eff Croatia" in their next game, and now it's time for Les Rouges to prove themselves.
Canada have yet to score a World Cup goal in four all-time matches. Ending that streak is a tall order against the 2018 runners-up, but it's certainly not out of the question. Croatia didn't exactly impress with a scoreless draw in their opener against Morocco and do appear vulnerable.
While Canada certainly got the attention of World Cup viewers, they still have to earn points if they want to secure a spot in the knockout stage.
Croatia vs Canada odds
It's clear Canada now have the attention of sports books, as they've pushed Croatia into plus territory on the moneyline. Herdman's coaching style is passionate, but it's also tactically astute, and he took the game to Belgium.
Here, books not only can't figure out a clear favorite, they also can't quite sort out whether there will be ample goals or not. The two options on both teams to score are nearly even, while the under is a slight but not overwhelming favorite.
MORE: Follow all 2022 FIFA World Cup daily picks & predictions from The Sporting News here
Odds via BetMGM (USA), Sports Interaction (Canada), SkyBet (UK), and LadBrokes (Australia).
| BetMGM | Sports Interaction | SkyBet | LadBrokes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Croatia win | +110 | 2.09 | 21/20 | 23/20 |
| Draw | +230 | 3.25 | 9/4 | 11/5 |
| Canada win | +250 | 3.40 | 5/2 | 5/2 |
| Both teams to score Y / N | -115 / -120 | 1.81 / 1.80 | 4/5, 10/11 | 5/6, 20/23 |
| Over / Under 2.5 goals | +105 / -145 | 2.06 / 1.71 | 11/10, 4/6 | 11/10, 7/10 |
| Croatia -0.5 | +105 | 2.09 | — | — |
| Canada +0.5 | -145 | 1.72 | — | — |
Croatia vs Canada: 3 things to know
Croatia vs Canada team news
There's a new injury worry for Croatia as winger Nikola Vlasic was hauled off at halftime of the opener against Morocco with a calf injury, and his status for the Canada match is unknown. He was replaced by Mario Pasalic in the match, and he could again see additional time if Vlasic can't prove fit to play. Marcelo Brozovic was a pre-tournament injury worry, but he was available for the opener and will continue to play an important role in the Croatia midfield.
Canada are missing three players who suffered pre-tournament injuries in Maxime Crepeau, Scott Kennedy, and Doneil Henry. Otherwise, this team is fit and ready to play. Star Alphonso Davies was an injury worry before the tournament, but he started against Belgium and was a bright attacking player, although he saw a penalty saved in that game.
MORE: Full injury tracker for all 32 teams at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Croatia vs Canada key stats
- Croatia have just a single loss in their 17 matches since the end of Euro 2020, a 3-0 home defeat to Austria in Nations League play this past summer.
- Canada put up 2.63 expected goals against Belgium, including 0.79 coming on the saved penalty by Alphonso Davies. They out-shot Belgium 22-9 over the course of the match.
- This is the first meeting between Croatia and Canada.
Croatia vs Canada match facts
- Date: Sunday, November 27
- Kickoff Time: 11:00 am ET / 4:00 pm GMT / 3:00 am AEDT (Tue, Nov. 22)
- Location: Khalifa International Stadium
- Official: Nicolas Taran (Uruguay)
Croatia vs Canada prediction
- Moneyline lean: Canada (+250)
- Against the spread lean: Canada +0.5 (145)
- Score prediction: Croatia 1-2 Canada
I'm all aboard the Canada hype train. I picked them to escape this group before the tournament, and while it would have been nice for them to have picked up points in the opener instead of wasting that impressive performance, it still left me impressed with what I saw. Canada should come good in this match against an organized but toothless Croatia side.
MORE: How to watch Croatia vs. Canada in World Cup Group F play
Croatia vs Canada: best bets
- Pick: Canada moneyline
- Odds: +250 (BetMGM)
Under Herdman's coaching, this Canada team has risen to new heights. His man-management skills are off the charts, able to inspire this team to results that betray their relatively low talent level on the whole. Still, his tactical acumen is high, and the players are proceeding as a unit rather than a collection of individuals. They're not a flash in the pan; this team is going to continue to make noise.
- Pick: Both teams to score
- Odds: -120 (BetMGM)
While Croatia don't exactly scream goals, last time out against Morocco was still their first time being shut out since the loss to Austria in the summer, a run of six straight matches finding the back of the net. Canada concede enough chances to let Croatia in once, but they won't get more than that.
