The top-ranked team in the world will take over the City of Angels on Tuesday night when Argentina square off with Costa Rica in an international friendly at the Coliseum. Our soccer betting odds have La Albiceleste as an overwhelming favorite.
No Lionel Messi? No problem for Argentina as they rolled El Salvador in their friendly on Friday. They opened the scoring after just 16 minutes, cruising to their 10th win in their 11 matches since winning the World Cup odds. Seven of those wins have come by multiple goals.
Costa Rica enjoyed a 3-1 victory in the Nations League on Saturday as they overcame an early goal from Honduras, but this is a step up in weight class and the 54th-ranked team in the world will hope to avoid their 11th defeat in the last 18 outings.
Our free betting picks for Argentina vs Costa Rica on Tuesday, March 26 explain why you should be prepared for plenty of early scoring in what looks to be a one-sided affair.
Argentina vs Costa Rica best odds
 Argentina |
 Costa Rica |
|
|---|---|---|
| -589 | Moneyline | +1,400 |
| +580 | Draw | +580 |
| Over 2.5 (-176) | Total | Under 2.5 (+131) |
Odds courtesy of TonyBet on March 24, 2024.
Argentina vs Costa Rica picks and predictions
Those in attendance Saturday in Dallas only had to wait 10 minutes to see a goal as Honduras took an early lead over Costa Rica in their Nations League promotion final. Those who looked away might have missed the equalizer, scoring again just two minutes later.
A pair of second-half goals would propel Costa Rica to victory and promotion, but it continued a trend for the small Central American country. Six of their last eight matches have seen multiple goals scored before halftime — and they’ve conceded far too many to teams ranked below them.
I fully expect Argentina to not only find the back of the net early on Tuesday, but I’m betting on them to do so multiple times. A price of +185 at TonyBet is far too tempting to pass up — and I’m not going to.
Costa Rica’s conceded eight first-half goals in their last three defeats. Panama put five past them in a pair of wins, while the UAE took a 3-0 halftime lead en route to a 4-1 victory.
So you’ll have to excuse me if I’m anticipating little resistance to the best team in the world. Argentina may not have Messi, but they won’t have problems finding the back of the net here.
They’ve scored in the opening 45 minutes in eight of their last 10 matches. That includes a pair of goals against El Salvador on Friday as Cristian Romero and Enzo Fernandez gave them a 2-0 halftime advantage in Philadelphia.
Argentina outshot El Salvador 24-2 on the night, with 14 of their efforts going on target. That same El Salvador team played out to a 0-0 draw last summer in a Nations League match with Costa Rica, in which El Salvador managed nine shots. Costa Rica beat them last month in a friendly, but their 2-0 win wasn’t all that convincing against an experimental side.
Panama scored those aforementioned five goals on 24 shots. No offense to Panama, but their forwards aren’t exactly world-class. With the likes of Lautaro Martinez, Angel Di Maria, and Alejandro Garnacho at his disposal, Lionel Scaloni has plenty of firepower to work with.
It might be a friendly, but Argentina aren’t taking this lightly. It’s a warm-up for Copa America this summer, so they’re playing in the United States.
I don’t see them struggling with a Costa Rica side that's coming off one less day of rest and played in an actual competitive match on Saturday. Back the reigning world champions to be up multiple goals again at the break against a team that can’t keep good attacks at bay for long.
My best bet: Argentina first-half team total Over 1.5 (+185 at TonyBet)
Bet on soccer at TonyBet
One of Canada’s favourite sportsbooks for soccer, join TonyBet, which offers a 100% deposit match (up to $350) for new bettors!
Not available in Ontario.
Argentina vs Costa Rica same-game parlay
Argentina first-half team total Over 1.5
Argentina to win to nil
Argentina team total Over 2.5
We’re going with a heavily correlated trio of plays for our SGP as we back Argentina to dominate proceedings thoroughly.
Not only will Argentina score multiple goals before halftime, but they’ll tack on a third at some point. Costa Rica might have Keylor Navas in goal, but the defense in front of him is not up to the level of the attack they’ll encounter and his net will be breached consistently.
While Argentina are dealing with some defensive personnel concerns at the other end, I don’t see Costa Rica returning the favor. Since the World Cup, Argentina has given up just two goals, both of which were scored by Uruguay. They’re ranked 11th in the world for a reason and Costa Rica isn’t anywhere close to them.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Argentina vs Costa Rica side and Over/Under analysis
Wanting to bet on Argentina to win outright? You’ll want to look elsewhere unless laying -550 juice is your idea of fun. That’s the best price you’ll get on the 3-way moneyline. However, the draw is paying +580 with a Costa Rican upset providing +1,400 odds.
The Over is quite prohibitive as well, with -175 being the best odds you’ll find. The Under is a decent return at +135. However, you’ve got an Argentine side that will likely have a fullback at center-back. That gives Costa Rica a bit more opportunity to score.
You’ve also got Costa Rica bleeding goals the past two years against decent teams. That's why I’m backing Argentina to go above and beyond that.
If you want to play the Over, go with the Argentina team total Over 2.5 as I don’t see this match reaching three goals without them having at least three of their own.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Covers may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook or betting site.
🏆North Carolina: Sports betting is here!
North Carolina sports betting has officially launched — and available sportsbooks are offering welcome bonuses and sign-up offers exclusively for residents in the Tar Heel State!
See what offers are available from the best North Carolina sports betting apps with our list of best North Carolina sportsbook promos!
21+ and present in NC. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Argentina vs Costa Rica game info
| Location: | Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA |
| Date: | Tuesday, March 26, 2024 |
| Time: | 11:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Fubo |
| Weather: | Calm conditions, 60F. |
Argentina vs Costa Rica key injuries
Argentina: Paulo Dybala F (Out), Marcos Senesi D (Out), Exequiel Palacios M (Out).
Costa Rica: No key injuries to report.
Stay updated with the latest picks, odds, and news! Tap the 
to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
