Tips of the day

FriendliesWon1:2

FranceIvory Coast

Why this pick: France continue preparing for the World Cup as one of the main favorites, but squad rotation is expected after a long club season. Didier Deschamps is likely to focus more on balance and fitness rather than chasing a dominant scoreline. Ivory Coast arrive with strong defensive confidence after an outstanding qualification campaign without conceding a single goal. The African side have also produced solid results in recent friendly matches against quality opponents. France remain favorites due to their individual talent, but Ivory Coast possess enough structure and discipline to keep the match competitive for long periods.

FriendliesWon1:1

SpainIraq

Why this pick: Spain enter this friendly as the clear stronger side after a very dominant qualification campaign and strong underlying attacking numbers. However, as this is a friendly after a long season, rotation and lower intensity are likely factors. Iraq arrive with confidence after successful qualification through playoff-style matches and will likely focus on defensive organization and discipline. Spain should control possession, but the match tempo may depend on rotation and motivation levels.

FriendliesWon1:0

Northern IrelandGuinea

Why this pick: Northern Ireland enter this friendly as slight favourites thanks to their stronger organization and experience against solid European opponents. Guinea have struggled for consistent results and often find it difficult to break down disciplined teams. Both sides usually play cautious football, with low-scoring matches dominating their recent form. Northern Ireland should look more balanced overall, while Guinea may focus on defensive structure and counterattacks. A tight and low-scoring game is expected.

FriendliesWon1:0

South KoreaEl Salvador

Why this pick: South Korea continue preparing for the World Cup and enter this friendly with a clear advantage in quality and organization. Their recent defensive performances have been impressive, including multiple clean sheets and solid control against weaker opponents. El Salvador, meanwhile, continue to struggle offensively and have frequently failed to score under their current coach. The gap in technical level and defensive discipline between the teams is significant. Korea are expected to dominate possession and limit the visitors to very few chances throughout the match.

Why this pick: In the first game between these teams, I would like to try this bet on the first quarter. The Spurs usually start games very strongly — in the regular season they lost the first quarter only 11 times in 41 games. In the playoffs, they have lost it only once, by a single point against Minnesota. The Knicks are currently in excellent form, having won 11 games in a row. Compared to the regular season, they have also stopped having major issues in the first quarter. However, the Spurs should provide a much tougher level of resistance than Cleveland and Philadelphia did.