Ivory Coast takes on Curacao on Thursday, June 25, in a pivotal World Cup group match, and Ramon Scott found his angle in the team totals on the Night Moves Show. With Ivory Coast a clear two-goal favorite and Curacao a heavy underdog, Ramon is backing the Curacao team total under, betting the minnows get shut out.
Matchup Overview
Curacao earned a memorable scoreless draw against Ecuador to grab a point at the World Cup, a result built on one of the great goalkeeping performances in tournament history. Eloy Room reportedly made fifteen saves, tying the record Tim Howard set for the United States, an extraordinary effort that kept Curacao level. But asking him to repeat that heroics against a stronger Ivory Coast side is unrealistic.
Ivory Coast beat Ecuador earlier in the group before losing to Germany 2-1 in a competitive match. They are installed as a two-goal favorite here, which reflects the respect they command and the talent gap over Curacao. Ivory Coast needs a win to secure qualification for the knockout stage, adding urgency to their attack.
The Qualification Math
Ivory Coast simply needs to win to advance, and as two-goal favorites they should dominate this Curacao team. The matches in the group are played simultaneously, so there is no scoreboard-watching; both sides have to take care of their own business. That setup pushes Ivory Coast to play for a decisive result rather than manage the game.
Curacao, ranked far down the FIFA list around 82nd while Ivory Coast sits a respectable 30th, faces a steep climb. They hung on for that scoreless draw against Ecuador largely because Room was unbeatable, but there was little attacking threat. Expecting them to both defend and create against a better Ivory Coast side is a tall order.
The Team-Total Logic
Ramon’s preferred play is the Curacao team total under, essentially betting Curacao does not score. He reasoned that there is a strong chance Ivory Coast wins 2-0, with Curacao again struggling to create anything against an organized, talented opponent. The minnows’ draw with Ecuador came without a goal, underscoring how toothless their attack has been.
He weighed the alternative of laying Ivory Coast minus two, but felt that number, priced around minus 130, was a touch high given that Ivory Coast has not been crushing opponents. They have played four straight one-goal-margin games, so a clean two-goal cover is not guaranteed even if they win. That nudged Ramon to the Curacao shutout instead.
Key Considerations
The risk to the Curacao under is that the minnows scored against Germany in their 7-1 loss, proving they can occasionally find the net even in a blowout. Ramon acknowledged that, noting it gives a sliver of doubt, but he believes the more likely script is a controlled Ivory Coast win in which Curacao is kept off the board.
The price on the Curacao team total under sits around minus 155, which Ramon admitted is not cheap, and he flagged that Ivory Coast minus two at 2-0 might be a safer route to the same outcome. The chat was largely on Ivory Coast, with some interest in the over and a few backing Curacao to spring a shock, but Ramon stuck with the shutout angle.
The Betting Angle: Where the Value Is
The play is the Curacao team total under, betting the underdog fails to score. Ramon’s reasoning is that Ivory Coast’s defense and quality keep Curacao quiet in a likely 2-0 win. For those who prefer to back the favorite directly, Ivory Coast minus two is the alternative, though the price reflects the expectation. An Ivory Coast moneyline is the safest way to simply side with the better team.
Because the team-total under is priced at minus 155, value-conscious bettors should weigh whether the Ivory Coast handicap offers a better path to the same projected outcome.
Why the Shutout Is the Smart Angle
The logic behind betting Curacao not to score is rooted in how they earned their only point. The scoreless draw with Ecuador was a goalkeeping masterclass from Eloy Room, not a sign of attacking quality, and a team that needs fifteen saves to survive is telling you it generates almost nothing going forward. Against an Ivory Coast side ranked roughly fifty spots higher in the world and motivated to win and qualify, Curacao is likely to spend the match defending rather than threatening, which is exactly the profile that produces a clean sheet for the favorite.
Ivory Coast’s defensive organization is the other half of the equation. They held their own against Germany in a 2-1 loss and beat Ecuador, showing a back line capable of limiting better attacks than Curacao’s. When a structured, talented defense faces an opponent that has scored sparingly, the under on the underdog’s team total becomes one of the more reliable angles on the board.
The Case Against, and the Price
The honest risk is that Curacao did find the net against Germany even in a 7-1 thrashing, proof that they can occasionally sneak a goal against a lapse or a set piece. World Cup matches also produce strange moments, and a single deflection or penalty could spoil the shutout. That sliver of doubt is real, and it is why Ramon weighed the alternative of simply laying Ivory Coast on the handicap.
The minus 155 price on the Curacao under is not a bargain, and Ramon was upfront that Ivory Coast minus two at 2-0 might be the safer path to the same projected scoreline. Ivory Coast’s habit of playing tight, one-goal-margin games is the counterweight to the handicap, though, since a 2-0 cover is not a sure thing even in a win. Weighing both, the shutout angle is his lean, but the handicap is a legitimate alternative.
How to Structure the Bet
The cleanest expression of Ramon’s read is the Curacao team total under, banking on the favorite’s defense and the minnows’ lack of punch. Bettors who dislike the minus 155 price can pivot to Ivory Coast minus two on the handicap, accepting the risk of a narrow one-goal win, or simply take the Ivory Coast moneyline to side with the better team without the goal requirement. A no-both-teams-to-score angle is another way to play the same shutout thesis if the price is friendlier.
Whichever route, the key is matching the bet to the projected 2-0 outcome while respecting Ivory Coast’s tendency toward tight margins. Shopping the team-total and handicap prices across books can meaningfully improve the value.
Bottom Line on the Match
Putting it together, the Curacao team total under is Ramon’s play, built on the underdog’s toothless attack and Ivory Coast’s quality and qualification urgency. The Germany goal is the cautionary note, and Ivory Coast minus two is the alternative path to the same 2-0 projection. Ramon’s read is a controlled Ivory Coast win with Curacao shut out, making the under the angle to attack.
Group Stakes Snapshot
The framing in brief: Ivory Coast is a two-goal favorite ranked around 30th in the world and needs a win to qualify, while Curacao sits near 82nd and earned its only point on a fifteen-save goalkeeping performance against Ecuador. Curacao did score against Germany in a 7-1 loss, the lone caution for the shutout. Ramon’s play is the Curacao team total under, with Ivory Coast minus two as the alternative path to a projected 2-0 result. Given the minus 155 price, weigh the handicap and shop the number before betting.
Final Prediction
Ramon Scott is backing the Curacao team total under. With Ivory Coast a two-goal favorite needing a win and Curacao reliant on goalkeeping heroics they are unlikely to repeat, the projection is a controlled Ivory Coast victory, likely 2-0, with Curacao kept off the scoresheet. Back the Curacao shutout, with Ivory Coast minus two as the alternative.
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