Scout’s Matchday 3/Wildcard hack last pick

Matchday 3 of the World Cup Fantasy is almost upon us, so we’ve selected our best players for the upcoming round of the official FIFA game.

We’ll be picking before Uruguay v Portugal has reached its conclusion because, as some of you will be aware, anyone trying to use the Matchday 2 Wildcard hack to set up their team will likely have to exploit the loophole at full time in tonight’s match.

READ MORE: Team news from Portugal v Uruguay: Cavani in for Suarez

MATCH DAY 3 SCOUT SELECTION

Noppert

Dumfries, Alba, Maehle, Pavard

Coman, Eriksen, Musiala, Ziyech

Gakpo, Messi

Rochet, Raum, Sane, Morata

TARGET CAPS

Andries Noppert ($4.5 million) and Sergio Rochet ($4.0 million) are our matchday 3 goalkeeper picks ahead of the nation’s encounters with Qatar and Ghana respectively.

The Netherlands may have underwhelmed against Ecuador on Friday, but now the hosts face Qatar, who are probably the worst team in the tournament, having managed just three shots on target. Noppert, meanwhile, already has one clean sheet and is averaging 3.5 saves per game in his two tournament appearances. He still looks a little uncomfortable with the ball at his feet, but we’re backing him to deliver in the third game.

Uruguay battled to a goalless draw in their Group H opener, limiting opponents South Korea to just two shots inside the box. Rochet only costs $4.0 million in the official FIFA game, which allows us to push funds further forward.

DEFENDERS

The EURO 2020 hero Denzel Dumfries ($6.0 million) has a respectable seven points from his first two games, but his performances in the attacking third have disappointed. The Inter Milan wing-back has yet to register a single shot or key pass in Qatar, but could potentially benefit the hosts given Felix Sanchez’s side have allowed seven chances to be created from the left flank so far, compared to just three on the right.

He has joined Jordi Alba ($6.0 million), Joakim Maehle ($4.5 million) and David Raum (£4.5m), all of whom have significant scoring potential at both ends of the pitch.

Alba has three assists to his name already in this tournament, after the team-high four he got during qualifying. He topped the chances created the column for his nation in the qualifiers as well.

As for Maehle and Raum, they are both among the top four third-touch defenders in Qatar and now face Australia and Costa Rica respectively. The latter has not managed to create a single ‘big chance‘ in the tournament so far, so there is a real potential for a German clean sheet in the third game. Raum is suffering from a rib injury at the moment, but reports suggest he should be fit for the midweek game.

Our latest defender is admittedly a bit of a guess, but with France already qualified and likely to rotate against Tunisia, Benjamin Pavard ($5.0m) could come back to mind following his omission from Matchday 2. L’Equipe reckon six or seven changes could be made by Didier Deschamps in midweek, with chance-creator Theo Hernandez ($5.0m) among those rested .

MIDFIELDERS

With Germany needing a win against Costa Rica on Thursday, we’ve picked Jamal Musiala ($8.0 million) in Scout Picks. The Bayern Munich forward has been the shining light for his nation in Qatar so far and has been their most inventive player, creating five chances. He is joined by his teammate Leroy Sane ($9.0 million), who caused real problems for Spain after coming on as a substitute. The winger is slowly building up his fitness after injury, but has since said he feels fit enough to start in Game 3. Given that this is a must-win clash for the Mannschaft, Sane might just be worth the risk given his explosive potential.

Denmark need to beat Australia to qualify, so it’s a perfect attack after trying to work against France. Christian Eriksen ($8.0m) has created more chances than any other midfielder in Qatar at the time of writing, so we pick the Manchester United midfielder against a Socceroos outfit that have allowed more shots on target than any other team in the tournament so far.

Elsewhere, with qualification already secured for France, midfielder Kingsley Coman ($8.0 million) could get the nod in attack (see Pavard above), having appeared as a second-half substitute in both matchdays so far. The Bayern Munich winger has a goal and four assists from nine Bundesliga appearances this season and could thrive if he starts against Tunisia on Wednesday, with his ownership just 1.3% in the official FIFA match.

Hakim Ziyech ($7.0 million), meanwhile, has been selected for Morocco’s Matchday 3 match against Canada. The Chelsea winger is the nation’s most dangerous player, having created four shots and four created chances on matchdays 1 and 2. He was unlucky not to score against Belgium when his free-kick found the back of the net, only for it to be. ruled out by VAR. John Herdman’s front-foot approach gives up plenty of space for opposition attackers in transition, which could suit Ziyech and co, who need just a point to qualify for the last 16.

FORWARDS

Lionel Messi ($10.5 million) broke the deadlock against Mexico on Saturday with a superbly drilled shot from outside the box, his second goal of the 2022 World Cup. Indeed, the 35-year-old has now scored in six consecutive games for Argentina. Any win against Poland will send Lionel Scaloni’s side into the last 16 and Messi is likely to be a key figure again. Given the Poles’ defensive record so far in Qatar and the fact that they only need a point to qualify (so another defence-first approach is likely), an Argentine attacking double-up feels like overkill ahead of Matchday 3 – so we have omitted Angel Di Maria ($8.5 million) as a consequence.

Alvaro Morata ($8.0 million) has scored in two consecutive World Cup games after coming on as a substitute and is now pushing for a start against Japan in the third game, a game Spain need a point from to qualify for the last 16 last. Overall, Morata has 29 goals in 58 caps at international level, a fine record, with his ability to make dangerous runs into the box unique in Luis Enrique’s side. Indeed, his strike against Germany was a pure striker’s goal, tipping it past Manuel Neuer ($6.0m) after some delightful movement.

Since Memphis Depay’s ($8.5 million) fitness is still being managed, we’ve chosen a teammate Cody Gakpo ($7.0 million) in the scouting elections. The striker has taken his first World Cup by storm, scoring two goals in two games for his country against Senegal and then Ecuador. In these two matches, he has been both number 10 and centre-forward, and has impressed in both roles.

Brazil’s win over Switzerland on Monday means the tournament favorites have now qualified for the last 16, so we avoid the rotation minefield (there are no team news tips at this early stage, as there is with France) though a Matchday 3 clash with Cameroon – who must win to get ahead – can result in many goals.

Kylian Mbappe ($11.5m) is the biggest omission here, but although L’Equipe’s predicted line-up suggests he could start against Tunisia, playing time could very well be controlled with a last-16 tie just four days later. Get us that sofa…

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