Will the Netherlands dominate Panama in the WBC as they did last spring (3:1)? This is the key question around which our prediction revolves. Neither one nor the other can boast of extraordinary strength. The duel may have some surprises.
Netherlands
The Netherlands will enter the competition process after the holiday, but that is not a reason to get them down. The team is very well positioned, which in itself is a big advantage. Last fall, the Europeans finished third in the European Championship after suffering a painful loss to Spain in the play-offs (6-7). A few months earlier, the boys did not give a chance to the Thais in a friendly match (4:0), thus partially redeeming themselves for the previous defeats against the Americans (1:2) and Japan (1:5).
Panama
Panama looks less impressive in all aspects, which has a negative impact on its near-term prospects. There are also top players in the team squad, but that is not enough to enter the elite. A year later, the “Tricolors” were not very impressive at the Pan American Games (fourth place), marked by an unsuccessful series of three games. This time the South Americans will also struggle, especially given the fact that a bad draw does not allow them to learn the ropes as the game progresses.
Editor’s guess
This match is likely to happen according to the scenario prepared by the Netherlands. The European representatives of each side are more prepared for the meeting and we expect that they will once again effectively exploit the obvious weaknesses of their moderate opponents. A win for the nominal hosts is a reliable bet for the game.