US men’s national soccer team kicks off World Cup run with big win
Dan Dakich analyzes the U.S. men’s national soccer team’s impressive 4-1 World Cup victory against Paraguay. He emphasizes the team’s speed and confidence, attributing it to many players’ experience at higher levels. This strong start positions the USA team well for their upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 showdown.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
In case you missed it, yesterday was a pretty significant day for America in the World Cup. The Americans clinched their group, which means they will advance. Not only that, but they’ve looked really strong doing it, and they were able to clinch this one without one of their best players. Perhaps there is some hope for the USA to win the World Cup, after all. We also took another win in their game as it ended 2-0, giving us some cash on the under — this was a bet that Geoff Clark and I both liked and shared with all readers. Let’s try to get some money in the Saturday games.
Fans of Sweden celebrate the team’s 5-1 victory in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F match against Tunisia at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, on June 14, 2026. (David Ramos/Getty Images)
Netherlands vs. Sweden
The Netherlands comes into this game behind its opponent in the rankings. They played Japan in their World Cup opener and played the game to a draw. Japan is a fairly strong team, so I suppose there shouldn’t be much frustration there. They were the better team in the game, and a late goal allowed the tie, so perhaps that was the only reason for frustration. Sweden won their opener against Tunisia 5-1. This was not a tough match, and honestly, it probably didn’t do much to prepare them for this game against a stronger opponent. That isn’t to say Sweden is a bad team, but this will be a bigger challenge.
I like the draw again in this one. Sweden would actually probably be happy to grab a draw as it would give them four points and bury the Netherlands a bit. Obviously, they want to win, but I don’t love their chances. I think the Netherlands can play to some of their strengths and give a battle for Sweden. I’ll take a swing on the draw. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Sweden grab a lead and try to just nurse it for most of the game, so it makes me a bit cautious on taking the over, especially how juiced the line is.
USA WORLD CUP TEAM CLINCHES SPOT IN KNOCKOUT STAGE AFTER ANOTHER HISTORIC PERFORMANCE VS AUSTRALIA
Ivory Coast’s Elye Wahi and teammate Nicolas Pepe react after missing a chance to score against Ecuador during a World Cup Group E soccer match in Philadelphia on June 14, 2026. (Matt Slocum/AP)
Germany vs. Ivory Coast
I won’t go too far in depth on this one, as Germany absolutely should dominate this game. In the first World Cup game, Germany rocked Curacao. And, if you haven’t seen it, they were honestly just thrilled to score a goal in the game. That was a 7-1 win for Germany. The Ivory Coast played well in their matchup with Ecuador, but it wasn’t a very dominating performance. They won 1-0, which gives them three points. The goal came in the 90th minute of the game. Outside of that, most of the stats from that game look fairly even.
In this one, we know that Germany is going to be on the offensive. I wouldn’t say that Ecuador did that against the Ivory Coast. I’m not expecting the Germans to put up seven goals, but I would not be surprised to see them score three or more here. I think the Ivory Coast has a decent defensive scheme, but there is a lot of opportunity for a team as good as Germany. Give me their team total over 2.5 goals. It is at +145, so we would get a nice payout.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
One final note: I don’t hate the idea of a Germany/Japan World Cup moneyline parlay today. Both teams should win. I wouldn’t say the payout is phenomenal, but it is a decent option if you’re looking for something additional.
Soccer fans gather at a FIFA World Cup fan zone to watch live tournament action on a giant outdoor screen in a park setting. (Bryan Preston/Fox News Digital)
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024