The Netherlands vs USMNT odds and predictions: Who is the favorite in the World Cup 2022 game?

The knockout rounds begin as soon as the groups finish and the Netherlands will take on the USA in the first of the Round of 16 fixtures at the Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday. The Netherlands topped Group A with 7 points while the USA came second in Group B with 5 points. Both sides had ups and downs during the first round, with neither squad fully convincing despite having bright moments, which should make for an interesting contest.

Team news

For the Netherlands, Louis van Gaal has admitted that his team have been suffering from flu symptoms, but chose not to reveal the players or the specific symptoms in question. As such, the state of the star-studded squad is unknown, which may may Berhalter’s job of preparing for the game a little bit more difficult.

As for the USA, Berhalter has the well-timed return of Captain America, Christian Pulisic, after it was confirmed on Friday evening that the Chelsea forward will be fit to feature in the knockout game. That means that the USMNT has a full squad to play the match, something that their rivals definitely do not possess.

What are the odds?

The odds are quite heavily stacked in the favour of the Netherlands, with a win for the Oranje at 19/20 (-110). A draw is 11/5 (+220); a win for USA is quietly a decent option at 7/2 (+350). From my point of view, this game is more in the balance than the odds would suggest, as the Netherlands come into the game with an unknown number of available players.