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Two of Europe’s heavyweights get their World Cup Qualification campaigns off to a start on Thursday night. Germany host the most awkward of awkward sides to play, Iceland, in their first Group J matches, while Spain welcome Greece to Granada in Group B.
We’ll also be looking for value in two other matches. In Group I, Hungary host Poland and then it is back to Group B where Sweden will be facing Georgia. Let’s have a look at what we’ve found after diving through the stats for these four World Cup 2022 Qualifiers.
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Germany vs Iceland: Germany to Win & Over 3.5 Goals
7.45pm – Sky Sports Premier League
Germany’s odds are pretty much the lowest of all the home sides for this opening round of qualification matches and while Iceland have been able to raise their game and really take it to teams over the last few years their form is, well, muck. The Icelanders have lost seven of their last eight matches and Germany should waltz this one.
Over 3.5 goals has landed in eight out of Germany’s last 10 home matches and as a team, they’ve scored three or more goals in six of them. The good news for Iceland is that the Germans haven’t been keeping many clean sheets, just three over their last 10 at home and Iceland have scored in seven out of their last 10 on the road. We should see plenty of goals here with the Germans cruising to victory.
Spain vs Greece: Alvaro Morata to Score Anytime
7.45pm – Sky Sports Football (Red Button)
Greece come into this match with the better form, they’ve undefeated over their last five matches and, indeed, have lost just one of their last 11 matches. Spain, on the other hand, have won two, drawn two and lost one over their last five matches. Of course, Greece were plying their trade down in Group C of the Nations League while Spain were in Group A playing the likes of Germany, Ukraine and Switzerland.
Add to this the fact that Spain have now won all nine of their most recent home matches and kept eight clean sheets over those matches and you can see why the market isn’t giving Greece a proverbial snowball’s here. When the odds are so stacked against Greece we have to look at goalscorers.
Alvaro Morata gets the nod here. The Juventus striker has 10 goals over his last 16 matches for Spain. He has six in eight for the Old Lady in the Champions League too and seven in 17 starts as well. He’s in good form and should get on the scoresheet against the Greeks here.
Hungary vs Poland: Both Teams to Score
7.45pm – Sky Sports Football (Red Button)
Comparing the names in the squad you’d more than likely side with Poland here but Hungary have now gone six matches without defeat while the Poles have lost both of their last two. In fairness, they were against Italy and Netherlands. Hungary did finish top of their Nations League group though, one that featured Russia, Serbia and Turkey so they’re certainly not a bad side.
They only scored seven goals over their six matches in the competition but it must be mentioned that they scored at least one in 14 out of their last 15 on home turf. Poland should be the better side here but they do have a reputation for shooting themselves in the foot on the road. Saying that they’ve scored an away goal in 11 of their last 15 on their travels and should get at least one here. Both Teams to Score is where the value is.
Sweden vs Georgia: Sweden to Win 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0
7.45pm – Sky Sports Football (Red Button)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has taken all of the headlines for this one. The big lad is back in the squad to prepare for the coming European Championships this summer. He’s unlikely to start here though, he’s been struggling with injuries of late but it must be said that he scored in AC Milan’s most recent away match against Fiorentina in the league.
It’s not so easy to compare these sides, Georgia have scored a decent amount on the road but we’re talking against the likes of Armenia, North Macedonia and Gibraltar. We’ll put it this way; they couldn’t score against Ireland when they met in Dublin. And you know you’re bad if you don’t score on a visit to Dublin. We’re going with some Correct Score Combinations here; Sweden to Win 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0.
Football Accumulator Betting Tips
7.45pm: Germany vs Iceland: Germany to Win & Over 3.5 Goals
7.45pm: Spain vs Greece: Alvaro Morata to Score Anytime
7.45pm: Hungary vs Poland: Both Teams to Score
7.45pm: Sweden vs Georgia: Sweden to Win 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0
All four of these picks in a four-fold Acca will give you odds of 22/1
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