Saibari officially out - today's match becomes a knockout

Well this game just went from somewhat competitive to not so much any more

There will be some excitement but no value on Morocco Double chance or even a 1H/FG draw

Squares will continue with BTTS=yes but maybe take a strong look at NO @ -118

With France's dominance and the injury confirmation, this is more of a knockout round matchup instead of a QF, from a betting perspective

BOL 

IMHO

I would imagine it was known/built in the odds already, no distinct/unexpected line movements after the official news

I wouldn't say that any team at this stage is dead in the water, especially Morocco. I do however think France wins, I just don't think that they are going to get routed like the USA did. They did put up three goals without him in the Canada match, yes I am aware that Canada is not France by any means, but they still have offense. I still think they score one goal at minimum. This news has been out for about 10 hours and the lines have not moved.

Canada was the better side in the first half of that game too, fwiw

Statistically they were almost equal, Morocco actually had the slight Edge if you look at the numbers.

I have no idea what you’re talking about when it comes to the word knockout by definition this match regardless of who’s injured and who’s playing is a knockout for the losing team unless of course you’re saying that Morocco is already knocked out because of one injury, then that makes a little bit more sense however, the way that you worded, it makes it sound as if the match itself is a knockout match and by definition it already is a knockout match being in the round of 16

I read that and thought it was always a knockout lol but now understand your context 

Morocco hates france historically and even now with french as a language over arabic in alot of places so even without salibari this will be a tough physical brawl today. They will die bloody on that pitch. Morocco would like nothing more then to beat france.  

I'm a QF Draw or Double chance on the dog bettor

R16 matches (1994-2022) end in draw or only 1 goal diff 57.8% (Ties are 28.1%)

QF 84.4% (31.1% tie, 53.1% 1 goal diff)

So now I am not liking my Morocco bets that I put in a few days ago. But I am not buying out.

Having a major player out from the dog vs the superior dominant team for me takes the draw and the +.25 off the table - I know view this match as a 1 goal diff in favor of France. But again, not changing my bet.  Vamos Marruecos te amo!

@barneybeans

You are correct - Every single game elimination in any sport is technically a "knockout" - one can call the NFL Superbowl a knockout

Knockout in World Cup has always meant non group stage matches, non Quarter Finals, non Semi Finals, non Final and non Runner up. Basically the knockouts were always the Round of 16. Now they are R32 and R16.

The knockouts have always had more lopsided matchups compared to quarters and semis - QFs and Semis usually having a lot more chances of Ties, extra time and Penalties - see post #10, those are real numbers for the last 7 World Cups 

What I am saying is this France/Morocco has become a more lopsided match for a Quarter Final, kinda like a knockout (R16/32) match due to France's superiority, which always existed in this 2026 WC, coupled with the now confirmed Saibari being officially out. (I thought me might play and the talk might be chatter)

I see this now as a less competitive match, somewhat relegating the matchup in my mind as if it were a knock out, R16/R32 type of match.

Had I known for sure Siabari was out I'd have probably taken France -1 regulation, instead of what I currently have in my thread for this match, a few Morocco/Draw based plays

That's all I'm saying