Ladbrokes shoot-out concession extended for World Cup semi-final

Costa Rica backers had some help picking themselves up after Holland sub Tim Krul’s penalty shoot-out heroics in Salvador, as all who placed first goalscorer, correct score or scorecast bets on Los Ticos got their money back, thanks to Ladbrokes.com’s spot-kicks concession.

With Brazil taking on Germany and Argentina’s clash with Holland to come in the semi-finals, the offer has been extended to cover the fixtures that’ll determine who will face off at the Maracana and replace Spain as the planet’s top dogs.

Here are three qualifying wagers for the perusal of last-four punters…

Brazil v Germany – Willian to score the first goal @ 12/1

With the hosts’ former one-man-show Neymar out of the tournament with a broken back, Luiz Felipe Scolari will be forced to rejig his forward four considerably.

Bringing in Willian as a right-forward, with his Chelsea teammate Oscar moving inside in place of Neymar, seems the most logical course of action.

Neither Oscar, Hulk nor Fred can boast of a first goal thus far, so the former Shakhtar man gets our nod to shake up the Selecao.

Germany to beat Brazil 2-1 @ 10/1

The hosts will be eager to get off to a fast start for their 200 million fans against Joachim Low’s boys, but Germany have proved stout opposition so far in this tournament.

Five of the six goals they’ve notched since seeing off Portugal 4-0 in their opening Group G fixture have come after half-time, so getting behind Die Mannschaft to come-from-behind could prove profitable.

Lionel Messi to score first and Argentina to win 1-0 against Holland @ 20/1

Three of La Albiceletse’s five games so far have logged this scoreline, although they needed extra-time against Switzerland, while the other two have seen Messi and co win by a different one-goal margin.

Gonzalo Higuain may have roared back to form with the only strike last time out against Belgium, but four-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi, who was responsible for landing this scorecast in Argentina’s Group F fixture with Iran, gets our nod here.

Louis van Gaal’s Dutch defence has been markedly more porous than Marc Wilmots’ vanquished Red Devils in Brazil, and Belgium needed Marouane Fellaini’s dark arts to stifle Messi in the quarters.

He won’t be kept out for much longer.

*As a free bet

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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