*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
Amid all the tedious international friendlies on the horizon over the next seven days or so sit a glistening beacon of joy known as the FIFA World Cup playoffs. Sure, there’s plenty of questions surrounding whether we should all be packing off to this particular World Cup at this particular venue in the middle of the desert in the winter, but we’ll leave that for another time.
Instead, let’s focus on whether Robert Page’s mighty Dragons will be joining the jolly jamboree which kicks off in November. In their immediate way are the equally stubborn Austria in what looks set to be a war of attrition at the Cardiff City Stadium.
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Incase you’ve missed it, we’ve had a shake up of the playoff system here. Wales and Austria will duke out a one-game semi final and the winner will take on Scotland or Ukraine. Whether that game ever happens and what happens in the event that it doesn’t remains to be seen.
It’s a murky outlook that even the clearest crystal ball would struggle to decipher. All we know is that Wales need to win one way or another if their army of fans are to pack their bucket hats and spades in search of some winter sun. Let’s see if we can work out what’s going to happen through the medium of a Bet Builder.
*A Bet Builder with these four bets pays at approximately 25/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
Thursday 7.45pm: Wales v Austria
TV: S4C and Sky Sports Main Event
The Draw
Try as I might I can’t see anything other than an incredibly tight and tense affair between two sides who base their success on rock-solid defence. These are two sides that are regularly stronger than the sum of their parts and they both have a superstar in the shape of Gareth Bale for the hosts and David Alaba for the visitors.
Typically, Bale is an injury doubt but I suspect he’d play here even if he only had one leg. Austria have some threats, namely the mercurial Marko Arnautovic who is unplayable on his day.
You look through the squad lists of both sides and they’re remarkably similar in terms of profile and talent. Both will play it safe, both will wait for the opposition errors and the smart money is surely on The Draw after 90 minutes.
Gareth Bale to Score Anytime
As mentioned earlier, Gareth Bale is going to play here. It doesn’t matter how fit he is, you can expect him to play the full 90 and beyond. After all, it’s not like he needs to be worried about being in top condition for Real Madrid. His season comes down to this game.
And when the writing’s on the wall Bale generally steps up for The Dragons. I suspect this one’s ending 1-1 and, with penalties, free kicks, shots from outside the box, a header or one bundled in at the far post, if someone’s going to net for Wales you’d have to bet on Bale to Score Anytime.
Under 5.5 Austria Corners
Given that this is likely to be a tense, tight affair I think we can expect to see few corners. These two don’t rack up loads of corners, especially against the better nations.
In Austria’s last four games this season against good teams (Scotland, Denmark and Israel twice) they’ve had just 10 corners at 2.5 a game. The most they’ve mustered in any of those games was five at home to Scotland so, if this is true to form, we should see Austria have Under 5.5 Corners.
Over 3.5 Wales Corners
Applying the same logic to Wales and, looking at their games against similar-stature opponents (Belgium, Czech Republic and Finland), they’ve had eight corners over three games. This works out at just under 2.7 a game.
Given they’re at home and will by buoyed by a boisterous support I think we can expect them to out perform their average a little. I’d be surprised if we don’t see Wales to Have Over 3.5 Corners click.
Wales v Austria tips
The Draw
Gareth Bale to Score Anytime
Austria to Have Under 5.5 Corners
Wales to Have Over 3.5 Corners
*A Bet Builder with these four bets pays at approximately 25/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
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