Survive and advance: that’s the motto of the Women’s World Cup, and the U.S. team did just that in the group stage.
Next, it faces a showdown with a red-hot Sweden team Sunday morning.
2023 Women’s World Cup: US vs Sweden odds, picks, and props
- U.S. (+110) vs. Sweden (+260) - Draw (+210)
- Date: Sunday, August 6, 2023
- Time: 5 a.m. ET
- Where: Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, Australia
- Broadcast: FOX
- Stream: Peacock
USA vs. Sweden picks: Draw at regular time (+210 or better)
The USA was the clear-cut favorite to win the World Cup entering the tournament. They have won the past two and four of the eight overall that have been held since the inaugural cup in 1991, so that was far from a surprise.
But, what has been more unexpected is the women's performances Down Under.
They didn’t look great in a 3-0 win over Vietnam, needed a set-piece equalizer to draw with the Netherlands, and were outplayed in a 0-0 draw against Portugal that nearly sent them home.
Sweden has been a much different story. They are the third-ranked nation in the world and are yet to taste defeat at the Women’s World Cup, winning all three group matches by a combined score of 9-1.
The USA’s biggest problem has been creating and taking advantage of opportunities in the final third. Their defense has been formidable, but we believe the problems in attack will lead to a tie after the 90 minutes.
Women's World Cup props: USA to advance past Sweden (-180 or better)
Call it championship pedigree, a return to form, or blind optimism, but this USA team is still the best at the tournament when it is playing its game.
Granted, it’s been far from that level so far, but the Stars and Stripes have the best players and are our pick to get through.
The difference between the draw and the “to advance” bets is that the draw is for the final score after 90 minutes. If it is tied as we expect, then they will play 30 minutes of extra time, and, if needed, a penalty shootout.
According to the world rankings (and since No. 2 Germany has already been eliminated), these are the two best teams left in the tournament.
Look for players such as Sophia Smith and Alex Morgan to make the difference in the dying moments.
USA vs. Sweden odds: Under 2.5 total goals (-175 or better)
Although the U.S. has struggled to find the breakthrough in its tougher matches at the World Cup, it has mostly done a nice job denying opponents of opportunities. We don’t expect to see anyone running free on goal.
Odds for under 1.5 goals are at +187 or better, but we’re leaving the extra cushion since either team will throw everything they have into the attack if they are down entering the final minutes of the match.
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Grant is a Virginia-based writer for Catena Media who graduated from Virginia Tech in 2021 with a degree in sports media & analytics. He has contributed to well-known publications such as Forbes, appeared on the VSiN TV network. You can keep up with Grant's work here or by checking out his YouTube channel "The Sitch With Grant Mitchell.”
