Argentina vs Australia Odds & Recap
Socceroos Back in Knockout Stage for First Time Since 2006
⚽Argentina vs Australia: Game Recap⚽
Results: Argentina 2-1 Australia
Lionel Messi scored in his landmark 1,000th game, as Argentina survived a late scare to beat Australia 2-1 and book a quarter-final date with the Netherlands.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward netted a 789th senior goal in the first half at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium to keep alive his chances of winning the major trophy that has so far eluded him in his likely-final World Cup.
That 35th-minute opener broke Australia’s promising resistance, but Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez struck what proved the decisive goal after an own-goal halved the deficit late on as Australia threatened an unlikely comeback.
Socceroos boss Graham Arnold had vowed his players would be “in Argentina’s faces,” and they made a high-pressing start before settling into a defensive shape that left Messi struggling to get on the ball. But the milestone man made a rare touch count when he latched onto a give-and-go in the area and curled into the bottom corner.
Australia struggled to make an impact higher up the pitch and was then punished for trying to play out from the back. Mat Ryan was caught out under Rodrigo De Paul’s pressure, and Alvarez rolled into an empty net.
Argentina looked on course for a routine victory, but Australia improbably rallied, with Craig Goodwin’s snapshot taking a hefty deflection off Enzo Fernandez before Lisandro Martinez made a crucial late tackle to thwart Aziz Behich after a thrilling mazy run.
A tournament of late drama might have provided another final twist, Garang Kuol firing straight at Emi Martinez from close range, but Lionel Scaloni’s side held on to reach the last eight.
 Argentina | – |  Australia |
|---|---|---|
| 61% | Possession | 39% |
| 14 | Total Shots | 5 |
| 5 | Shots on Target | 1 |
| 7 | Shots Wide | 2 |
| 2 | Shots Blocked | 2 |
| 1 | Saves | 3 |
| 1 | Corners | 3 |
| 0 | Yellow Cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 8 | Fouls | 15 |
| 3 | Offsides | 0 |
| 88% | Pass Accuracy | 82% |
| 3 | Dribbles | 4 |
| 5 | Crosses | 16 |
| 14 | Tackles | 12 |
Did We Get It Right?
Below you will find all the predictions we made before the matchup, on November 29, 2022.
Argentina Among Favorites to Win World Cup
With a 2-1 comeback win, Saudi Arabia stunned Lionel Messi and Argentina in their first match of the 2022 World Cup. Since then, Argentina have bounced back with impressive wins over Mexico and Poland to advance as Group C winners. Rounding into form, Argentina look like a team who can make a deep run. In the round of 16 they’ll take on an Australia side who are making their first knockout stage appearance since 2006. Without the weight of expectation on them, the Socceroos have absolutely nothing to lose here. Let’s review the Argentina vs Australia odds and preview an intriguing round of 16 match.
Argentina vs Australia
Date, time (TV):
Location: Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al-Rayyan, Qatar
Streaming: FOX, Telemundo, Peacock
Team Standings and Odds:
| Team | FIFA World Ranking | World Cup Qualifying Record | Group Stage Standings | Odds to Win World Cup |
| Argentina | 3 | 11-6-0, 2nd CONMEBOL | 2-1, 1st Group C | +600 |
| Australia | 38 | 5-4-3, 3rd AFC Group B | 2-1, 2nd Group D | +20000 |
| All Meetings: | Teams |
|---|---|
| Sep 2007: | Australia 0-1 Argentina |
| Jun 2005: | Australia 2-4 Argentina |
| Jun 1995: | Argentina 2-0 Australia |
| Nov 1993: | Argentina 1-0 Australia |
| Oct 1993: | Australia 1-1 Argentina |
Argentina and Australia haven’t met for over 15 years. La Albiceleste lead the all-time series with five wins, one draw and one loss. Argentina have won the last four meetings and knocked out Australia in an intercontinental playoff for the 1994 World Cup. This is the first opportunity to bet on the Argentina vs Australia odds in the World Cup.
Argentina: Dominant in Bounce Back Wins
Previous Match: 2-0 W vs. Poland
Injuries and Suspensions: F Paulo Dybala (Day-to-Day)
Argentina’s opening 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia was baffling. To be fair, La Albiceleste did have three goals called back for offside, but they let the Green Falcons hang around for far too long. With their backs against the wall, Argentina managed to pull off a gutsy 2-0 win over Mexico in which they were clearly the better team. In the group stage finale, Argentina confidently cruised past Poland, 2-0 to finish first in the World Cup standings FIFA Group C.
La Albiceleste’s goals vs. Poland came from Brighton midfielder Alexis MacAlister and Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez. Enzo Fernandez’s meteoric rise has also continued as he supplied the pass for Alvarez’s impressive strike in his first World Cup start. Benfica’s Fernandez only made his Argentina debut this year and the midfielder scored a beautiful goal vs. Mexico. Lionel Messi also had a penalty saved by Wojciech Szczesny on Wednesday but he was excellent throughout the group stage.
Argentina’s resilience is a key reason they’re priced at relatively short +600 odds to win the World Cup. Entering the knockout stage, only Brazil and France have shorter odds to take home the trophy. In what’s likely to be Messi’s World Cup curtain call, Argentina certainly have a path to the final. However, their path likely runs through Brazil or Spain in the semifinals.
Australia: Made History in Group Stage
Previous Match: 1-0 W vs. Denmark
Injuries and Suspensions: D Nathaniel Atkinson (Day-to-Day)
Australia entered Qatar 2022 with just one knockout stage berth in five World Cup appearances. The Socceroos had also won just two of their 16 total World Cup matches. When Australia scored the first goal in their opening match vs. France it seemed like they’d be the latest team to pull off a shock upset. However, France roared back with four unanswered goals and Australia’s knockout stage outlook seemed bleak. Then, a first half Mitchell Duke header powered the Socceroos to a 1-0 win over Tunisia.
The win was Australia’s first in the World Cup since 2010 and it vaulted them right back into the knockout stage picture. The Socceroos came into their group stage closer vs. Denmark as +625 underdogs. They were a great pick for FIFA World Cup betting in the match as Matthew Leckie’s 60th minute strike sealed an incredible upset win for Australia. The Socceroos finished level on points with France in Group D but came in second place on goal difference.
The win vs. Denmark was historic because it marked the first time ever Australia managed two wins in a single World Cup, It also sent the Socceroos back to the knockout stage for the first time since 2006. This certainly isn’t a team short on belief as they’ve had a circuitous route just to qualify for the tournament. Australia have one of the better keepers in the tournament, in Mat Ryan, who they’ll need to come up big vs. Argentina. Their defense has also kept two straight shutouts and the midfield duo of Aaron Mooy and Jackson Irvine is solid. If Australia can hang around vs. Argentina, they’ll be thinking about pulling off another upset.
Match Analysis and Odds:
No one is denying that Argentina are favorites vs. Australia. The Argentina vs Australia odds price La Albiceleste at -500 to win heading into Saturday’s match. Argentina also come into the match as two-goal favorites, the same as their opening match vs. Saudi Arabia. Australia sit at -130 odds to cover the spread, while Argentina show a +110 price.
Socceroos are priced at +1300 moneyline odds, so a $100 bet would mean a $1300 payout if they win
Australia are coming off a big upset win over Denmark and Argentina were on the losing end of the biggest upset of the tournament so far. So, it’d be foolish to completely dismiss the chance of an Australia victory here. The Socceroos are priced at +1300 moneyline odds, so a $100 bet would mean a $1300 payout if they win. It should be noted that if the match ends in a draw, it will go into extra time and penalties, if necessary. So, if either team manages to win in extra time, a draw, at +600 odds, would be the winning bet.
While there’s certainly upset potential here, Argentina have just comfortably beaten two teams ranked higher than Australia in the FIFA World Rankings. They’ll certainly be focused and it’s title or bust for Lionel Scaloni’s men. That could add a lot of pressure for Argentina to perform. On the other hand, Australia have never won a round of 16 match and certainly weren’t expected to be here.
Two of three of both Argentina and Australia’s matches have gone under 2½ goals but that shows +115 odds here. The over comes in at -135 in what’s expected to be a high-octane round of 16 match. The winner of this match will take on the winner of the Netherlands vs. USA in the quarterfinals on December 9th.
