Friday's World Cup schedule kicked off with a fair bit to chew on, from a VAR-soaked Portugal win to a fitness scare over one of the tournament's biggest names. Here's where things stand for fans and bettors heading into the weekend.
Portugal edge through, Spain await
Portugal have booked their place in the next round and will face Spain, though not without the video assistant referee playing a starring role. The Guardian's live coverage flagged the "VAR drama" around the result, setting up an Iberian clash that's about as heavyweight as knockout football gets.
For anyone watching the markets, a Portugal–Spain tie is the kind of fixture that tends to draw big interest across match-result and goalscorer books. No firm prices to quote from the source here, but it's a matchup that'll be all over the boards.
Salah fit, but Australia say they're ready either way
The first game of Friday sees the Socceroos take on Egypt, and the headline question is Mohamed Salah's fitness. Word is he's good to go, but Australia coach Tony Popovic made clear his side has planned for both outcomes.
"We have prepared for Salah playing, we've seen when he's not on the pitch the players in those positions where he may play," Popovic said. "So we've prepared for both scenarios and we'll see tomorrow."
That's a sensible line from a coach who knows Salah's presence swings a game. If you're eyeing Egypt markets, whether or not Salah starts is the detail worth checking before anything else.
A record-breaking US TV audience
The other big story isn't on the pitch at all — it's in the ratings. Fox reported an average of 24.429 million viewers, making it the most-watched English-language soccer broadcast in US history, according to the broadcaster.
The telecast peaked at 31.883 million, and on the Spanish-language side, Telemundo reported 9.1 million viewers over the total game window. Those are the kinds of numbers that tell you soccer's foothold in the US has moved well beyond niche territory, and with the tournament being co-hosted on home soil, the interest isn't slowing down.
Bigger audiences usually mean bigger betting volume too, so expect plenty of action across the American market as the knockouts roll on.
Sources:
Worth keeping an eye on how this lands - there's an ongoing discussion of US online casinos on the forum.
Portugal edge through, Spain await
Portugal have booked their place in the next round and will face Spain, though not without the video assistant referee playing a starring role. The Guardian's live coverage flagged the "VAR drama" around the result, setting up an Iberian clash that's about as heavyweight as knockout football gets.
For anyone watching the markets, a Portugal–Spain tie is the kind of fixture that tends to draw big interest across match-result and goalscorer books. No firm prices to quote from the source here, but it's a matchup that'll be all over the boards.
Salah fit, but Australia say they're ready either way
The first game of Friday sees the Socceroos take on Egypt, and the headline question is Mohamed Salah's fitness. Word is he's good to go, but Australia coach Tony Popovic made clear his side has planned for both outcomes.
"We have prepared for Salah playing, we've seen when he's not on the pitch the players in those positions where he may play," Popovic said. "So we've prepared for both scenarios and we'll see tomorrow."
That's a sensible line from a coach who knows Salah's presence swings a game. If you're eyeing Egypt markets, whether or not Salah starts is the detail worth checking before anything else.
A record-breaking US TV audience
The other big story isn't on the pitch at all — it's in the ratings. Fox reported an average of 24.429 million viewers, making it the most-watched English-language soccer broadcast in US history, according to the broadcaster.
The telecast peaked at 31.883 million, and on the Spanish-language side, Telemundo reported 9.1 million viewers over the total game window. Those are the kinds of numbers that tell you soccer's foothold in the US has moved well beyond niche territory, and with the tournament being co-hosted on home soil, the interest isn't slowing down.
Bigger audiences usually mean bigger betting volume too, so expect plenty of action across the American market as the knockouts roll on.
Sources:
Worth keeping an eye on how this lands - there's an ongoing discussion of US online casinos on the forum.