Turkiye and Paraguay should both display a sense of urgency Friday night when they meet in a 2026 World Cup Group D match. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
Turkiye entered the tournament as one of the favorites in Group D, which also features Australia and the United States. But its 2-0 loss in the opening round to Australia in last Sunday’s opener and the associated zero points already has the club in a dire position. The same goes for a Paraguay side that looked outmatched from the outset against the USMNT and succumbed to a 4-1 thrashing.
Paraguay is making its first World Cup appearance in 16 years, but its 2026 debut left little room for optimism. Coach Gustafo Alfaro, whose team generated just one shot on goal compared to six for the United States, told the media the opener provided a “very painful lesson” from which he hopes to see his team respond.
On the bright side for Turkiye, making its first World Cup appearance in 24 years, the club managed a 72%-28% edge in time of possession and an 8-4 advantage in shots on goal but still came out on the short end.
Turkiye and Paraguay have only met one previous time, an international friendly in 1995 that ended that ended in a scoreless draw.
The current FanDuel 2026 World Cup three-way odds have Turkiye priced as the money-line favorite at +105, while Paraguay is offered at +280 and the draw at +240. The over/under for total goals scored is 2.5.
2026 World Cup best bets, where to watch
Turkiye vs. Paraguay
Time: 8 p.m. | Location: Santa Clara, Calif. | TV: FOX | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine pick — Expert: Turkiye +110 (Brad Thomas)
SportsLine soccer analyst Brad Thomas, who is 9-4 for a profit of +355.5 on his 2026 World Cup selections, says believes the price on Turkiye “feels like a gift.” Thomas says he anticipates the middle of the field should be open for the Tukiye offense to operate, and he also envisions this as favorable matchup for the club on several fronts. The World Cup analyst predicts a Turkiye victory by a 3-1 margin.
For those who prefer to play the prop market, SportsLine’s Brandon Gustafson offers a lucrative play on Turkiye’s Kenan Yildiz to find the back of the net with a price of +230.
MLB best bets, where to watch
Orioles at Dodgers
Time: 10:10 p.m. | Location: Los Angeles | TV: MLB.TV
SportsLine pick — Expert: Mookie Betts HR +548 (Jeff Hochman)
In this late West Coast showdown on the diamond, SportsLine baseball analyst Jeff Hochman is passing on a money-line suggestion that sees the Dodgers laying a thick price of -205 against the visiting Orioles in the opener of their weekend series. Instead, he is offering a lucrative prop play that should provide a fun sweat along with supporting data that suggests a value position.
In backing Betts to hit a home run, Hochman notes the Dodgers slugger’s recent performances suggest an upward trajectory in his production. He also notes that the club is featuring a Betts bobblehead promotion and that the Dodgers star has a history of delivering on such occasions. Betts homered on his bobblehead night in 2021 and has gathered multiple hits in two other giveaway promotions.
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Looking Ahead, UFC Fight Night
UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi
Time: 8 p.m. Saturday | Location: Las Vegas | Stream: Paramount+
SportsLine pick — Expert: Kape -160 (Daniel Vithlani)
On the heels of the historic UFC Freedom 250 card at the White House that saw slugger Justin Gaethje pull a massive upset in the main event against previously undefeated Ilia Topuria, the MMA prometon returns Saturday with a Fight Night card at the Apex facility in Las Vegas. The main event features a matchup of ranked flyweight contenders Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi, with the winner possibly becoming the front-runner for the division’s next title shot.
The 33-year-old Kape is 7-1 in his last eight UFC appearances but also suffered a defeat to Horiguchi in 201 when both were part of the Rizin promotion. The 35-year-old Horiguchi brings an eight-fight unbeaten streak into Saturday’s main event but only two of those victories have come with the UFC. However, the flyweight division’s perpetual lack of depth and Horguchi’s overall professional resume provided a fast track to title contention.
SportsLine MMA analyst Danny “Brasco” Vithlani says he believes Kape has improved immensely since his first fight with Horiguchi and expects Kape to avenge that defeat. He’s suggesting a 1.5-unit play at the moderate favorite price of -160.
