Colombia vs. Ghana World Cup prediction: Odds, picks, best bet for Round of 32 Friday
The final World Cup Round of 32 match sees Group K winner Colombia dueling against the Black Stars of Ghana on Friday night in Kansas City. This is the first-ever encounter between these two teams. La Tricolor arrives with a 2-0-1 record, having defeated Uzbekistan and a spirited DR Congo team, then drawing with Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal to conclude the group stage. Luis Diaz and Daniel Munoz highlight a speedy Colombian attack that, when in open space, can make you pay.Their defense has also conceded only one goal throughout the tournament, an impressive feat, especially when grouped with Ronaldo and Co. Ghana brings plenty of physicality, having finished third in Group L behind England and Croatia.
After a 1-0 win over Panama, Ghana played England extremely well, with that match ending in a nil-nil draw.In their group finale, in which they rested key starters, they fell to the Croatians 2-1. Colombia sits as a heavy -425 favorite to move on to the Round of 16 and a -190 moneyline choice to secure a victory within 90 minutes. Meanwhile, Ghana’s Black Stars face long odds on BetMGM Sportsbook, listed at +310 to advance and as significant +575 dogs on the moneyline.The Ghanaians possess more than enough defensive potential to transform this matchup into a grueling, physical battle, just as they did against England. Colombia, though, was able to navigate troubled waters opposite DR Congo in group play and can also excel in gritty conditions. Their seasoned front three of Diaz, former Golden Boot winner James Rodriguez, and Luis Suarez is responsible for maintaining possession and managing their attacking play. La Tricolor has recorded 19 shots on goal across three matches, and their 6.3 per match is the seventh-best rate in the tournament.
Carlos Queiroz must keep this in mind as he finalizes the starting goalkeeper between Lawrence Ati Zigi, who went down with an injury against Panama, and replacement Benjamin Asare, who conceded two goals to Croati...