Slovakia v Ukraine Betting Tips
Under 2.5 goals
Over 5.5 Ukraine corners
Slovakia to have 3 or more shots on target
Mykhailo Mudryk to have 3 or more shots
Slovakia to commit 12 or more fouls
- A Bet Builder with these selections pays at approximately 27/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD TO YOUR BETSLIP.
Friday 2pm: Slovakia v Ukraine
Euro 2024 Group E match at Merkur Spiel-Arena, Dusseldorf
Where to watch: BBC One, RTE2 and iPlayer
Under 2.5 goals
Few would have predicted that Slovakia, not Ukraine, would come into this game on three points. Most pundits gave Slovakia no chance of beating Belgium in their opening game of Euro 2024, while most tipped Ukraine to beat Romania in theirs.
Ukraine, however, were abject in their 3-0 defeat against Romania on Monday, while Slovakia were excellent in their seismic win over Belgium.
Ukraine rarely, if ever, looked like scoring despite controlling more than 70% of the ball, while Slovakia defended stoutly throughout their 1-0 win, relying on some marginal refereeing decisions to see them over the line.
Friday’s clash is likely to follow a similar course for both sides, with Ukraine controlling most of the ball and Slovakia happy to defend with numbers.
Ukraine showed nothing to suggest that they are capable of scoring a great deal of goals, while Slovakia will be more than content with another low-scoring game. This could well be the first goalless draw of Euro 2024.
Over 5.5 Ukraine corners
Ukraine dominated every metric in their 3-0 defeat against Romania, except the most important one, of course. The Euro 2020 quarter-finalists enjoyed 72% of the ball and registered 13 shots in that defeat, while they also won eight corners compared to Romania’s four.
Slovakia, on the other hand, recorded 39% of the ball against Belgium and faced 16 shots.
Ukraine, who are now in desperate need of a result ahead of their final group game against Belgium, are likely to record similar statistics on Friday as they go in search of an all-important victory.
It wouldn’t be surprising if they peppered the Slovakia goal with shots and won a number of corners by extension.
Slovakia to have 3 or more shots on target
Slovakia defended stoutly against Belgium, but it was by no means an all-out defensive performance. Francesco Calzona’s side got forward when the opportunity presented itself and could have doubled their lead were it not for an outstanding save from Koen Casteels in the first half.
They registered a total of four shots on target during that shock victory and clearly have the gameplan to hurt sides who will dominate the ball. Ukraine, on the other hand, clearly don’t have the tools to cope with any sort of attack.
They faced five shots on target during the defeat against Romania, conceding three goals, and it is highly likely that Andriy Lunin will be in for another busy afternoon.
Mykhailo Mudryk to have 3 or more shots
Mykhailo Mudryk was not very good in Ukraine’s defeat on Monday, but he did show attacking intent throughout the game, although often choosing the wrong option.
The Chelsea winger attempted three shots against Romania, the second-highest tally of any player on the pitch, while he also attempted the most dribbles of any Ukraine player and recorded the second-highest number of key passes.
The shots may not have been particularly good, but they did display his intent to try his luck. Ukraine attempted 13 shots against Romania and will likely record a similar figure against Slovakia, considering so much is at stake. Mudryk is good value to be responsible for at least three of them.
Slovakia to commit 12 or more fouls
Slovakia only conceded 10 fouls against Belgium on Monday, a surprisingly low figure for a side that spent the majority of the game without the ball and defending their own goal against superior players.
However, Friday’s encounter with Ukraine is not quite the David vs Goliath story that their game against Belgium was and promises to be much more even in terms of starting XIs.
In their recent games against opposition of a similar level, Slovakia have recorded a high number of fouls. In four games before the Euros against Wales, Austria, Norway, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovakia have conceded a minimum of 12 fouls.
They know that a result against Ukraine will almost certainly see them progress to the knockout stages, while Ukraine need a result to keep their campaign alive, meaning Friday’s game could be littered with niggly fouls. There is every chance that they will concede at least a dozen.
Slovakia v Ukraine Bet Builder Tips
Under 2.5 goals
Over 5.5 Ukraine corners
Slovakia to have 3 or more shots on target
Mykhailo Mudryk to have 3 or more shots
Slovakia to commit 12 or more fouls
- A Bet Builder with these selections pays at approximately 27/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD 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.
More on Euro 2024
- Euro 2024 Predictor: Plot the path to glory with Paddy’s snazzy simulator
- Euro 2024 TV schedule and channels: your complete guide to watching the euros
- Euro 2024 top goalscorers: who leads the race for the golden boot?
- Euro 2024 fixtures, results and schedule for this summer’s big tournament
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