Football Betting Tips: Women World cup predictions and correct score tips
Correct Score: New Zealand 0-3 Norway (Sky Bet odds: 7/1)
- BBC One: Thursday, 08:00 BST
- Group A
The World Cup co-hosts and debutants raise the Group A curtain against the former champions - what better way to start? Pretty much any other way if you're a Kiwi, as it goes.
The Football Ferns face their toughest task in game one and with goal difference the main tiebreaker in this tournament, not the more forgiving head-to-head record, an inflated scoreline will really harm Jitka Klimkova's side's already slim chances of making the knockouts for the first time.
Norway's star has waned in recent years but they have the likes of all-time leading Champions League goalscorer Ada Hegerberg, Barcelona's double-winning winger Caroline Graham Hansen and Chelsea stars Guro Reiten and Maren Mjelde in their ranks.
Partisan support from the 39,000 Eden Park crowd won't hurt them, but I expect New Zealand to be outgunned by the Norwegian's attacking talents.
Correct Score: Australia 4-0 Republic of Ireland (Sky Bet odds: 12/1)
- ITV1: Thursday, 11:00 BST
- Group B
While one co-host looks set to struggle, the other could well thrive. Australia proved their mettle in becoming the first team to beat Sarina Wiegman's England with a 2-0 win in April and Sam Kerr, who scored the opener at Brentford that night, has shown fearsome effectiveness with 29 goals across all competitions for Chelsea.
Kerr and co. will go into their Group B opener against first-timers the Republic of Ireland with confidence, but that said, the Matildas aren't without their vulnerabilities. They passed up a host of chances in a 1-0 defeat to Scotland just three days before they snapped England's 30-game unbeaten run.
Still, it's Ireland, typically defending deep with a back five, who will need to be clinical in what will surely be a backs-to-the-wall job.
The romantics would love a dogged point for the debutants, but the realists are saying a hefty win for Australia.
Odds correct at 1820 (18/07/23)
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