Women’s World Cup picks, odds
Not only has South Africa been one of the surprise teams of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, but the group nicknamed Banyana Banyana have arguably been the most entertaining to watch in the entire field.
South Africa went 1-1-1 in the group stage, but every match they played featured at least three goals.
They advanced to the Round of 16 thanks to a dramatic 92nd-minute winner against Italy on Wednesday morning.
Just getting to the knockout stage of this tournament is a massive deal, but South Africa will set its sights on pulling off another stunner against the Netherlands in a game that kicks off at 10 p.m. ET Saturday.
Despite the form and offensive firepower of the Netherlands, there is reason to believe South Africa can make life pretty on the Oranje.
South Africa not only has scored in every match of the World Cup, but Banyana Banyana are creating chances at an impressive clip.
South Africa generated 4.4 expected goals during the round robin, putting it on par with Germany, Canada and Denmark.
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The South Africans give up plenty of looks going the other way — which is not ideal against a team like the Netherlands — but they bet on themselves to come out on top amidst the chaos.
It’s worked so far.
With two attack-minded teams on the pitch, this tilt between South Africa and the Netherlands should be box office.
The pick: South Africa vs. Netherlands over 3.5 (+120, Caesars Sportsbook)