Unwanted Chelsea winger boosted for Nigeria World Cup opener

After a frenetic start to the World Cup, it’s the turn of Groups F and G to take up the attacking torch and provide plentiful goal-scoring action in Brazil.

It will be no surprise for regular Ladbrokes.com punters to find that there’s some epic price-boosts on the table, with past and present Premier League hotshots given generous treatment on day five.  

Germany v Portugal – Cristiano Ronaldo to score the first goal boosted from 5/1 to 6/1

The Real Madrid phenomenon was at the head of this market alongside Germany’s 5/1 shot Miroslav Klose – who is far from assured of a start – prior to Ladbrokes’ price-boost, and it doesn’t take much to make a strong case for Portugal’s finest as first-scorer in Salvador.

Ronaldo struck eight openers for Real Madrid in the second-half of last season, takes all of his country’s penalties and offensive free-kicks and with Germany more reliant on their performance as a collective rather than a stand-out superstar, the former Manchester United favourite looks set to be ‘the man’ once more.

Iran v Nigeria – Victor Moses to score the first goal boosted from 7/1 to 9/1

Moses may be surplus to requirements at Chelsea, and seemingly unwanted with on-loan Liverpool last term too judging by his tally of six Premier League starts, but the 23-year-old is a key first-teamer for the country of his birth.

The former Crystal Palace youth is the Super Eagles’ designated spot-kicker and converted an 86th-minute penalty in Nigeria’s pre-World Cup 2-1 loss against the USA, which was Moses’ seventh strike in 22 international outings.

Ghana v USA – Asamoah Gyan to score the first goal boosted from 11/2 to 6/1

No matter how well Gyan performs at this World Cup, Hull boss Steve Bruce is unlikely to notice after the Ghana striker’s disgraceful 2011 exit from Sunderland when the 53-year-old was at the Wearside helm.

However, the 28-year-old’s record on the biggest stage is excellent, having scored the fastest goal at World Cup 2006 after 68 seconds against Czech Republic, as well as three more in 2010 including the only goal in Ghana’s opening match with Serbia.

With a strike-rate of 40 in 79 internationals, Gyan gets our nod to break Team USA’s resistance in Natal.

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

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