Biel-Bienne vs Delemont
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Today’s secondary featured game is the Swiss Challenge League encounter between Biel-Bienne and Delemont. Biel-Bienne have been their usual imperious selves at home so far this season whereas newly-promoted Delemont have over-achieved so you could be forgiven for avoiding this game.
However, I’m not going to do that because I think backing the hosts represents value here. “Defending” may not be in the vocabulary of Biel-Bienne but “goalscoring” absolutely is with only league leaders Vaduz having scored more Challenge League goals than themselves this season. Biel-Bienne have already won six out of nine home games whilst averaging scoring nearly three goals per home game so you can see why they’re a feared opponent, especially on their own turf. They’ve banged in fifteen goals in six games in all competitions since their return from the winter break, even beating Swiss Super League giants Basel 3-1 in the cup. They’ve scored in all of those games and although shoddy defending has cost them points in those games, the only way to stop them is to score at least two goals and I just don’t think Delemont are capable of that. If Cameroonian striker Etoundi continues in his current vein of form then he won’t be here next season as he’ll have probably been snapped up by Young Boys Bern but he’s proving a pivotal figure in the Biel-Bienne attack, assisted by midfield threesome Doudin, Sheholli, and Veloso. The only two sides to win at Biel-Bienne this season have been Vaduz and Lugano and a swift glance at the Challenge League table tells you how good Biel-Bienne are at home as the only two sides to win here this season are currently vying for top spot. Therefore, it’s safe to expect a typically flambuoyant display from goal-filled Biel-Bienne today.
If it were earlier in the season then I might have avoided this game but Delemont’s descent looks to have began already, somewhat inevitably. They’ve won just once in five Challenge League games since their return from the winter break and that was a nervy 0-1 win at FC Schaffhausen. Since then, Delemont have drawn once and followed it up with three consecutive defeats, shipping thirteen goals in four games, hence their predicament. They’ve scored five times during that run but if you defend terribly then you’re going to lose games, which is exactly what is happening. Unfortunately, they’re facing one of the most potent sides in the Challenge League away from home and defending like idiots and that only means one thing here; goals. They’ll probably score themselves against Biel-Bienne but I have serious doubts over their ability to match Biel-Bienne’s goalscoring, let alone outdo them!
Therefore, my call here is a Biel-Bienne win at evens. Delemont have lost against much worse sides than Biel-Bienne lately and have generally been embarassed away from home this season when facing a good side ala Lausanne Sports, Vaduz, Lugano, Servette etc. so I expect more of the same today. Had Delemont not been so high up the table then the odds would probably be closer to what they should be – 7/10. Therefore, home win for me!
Verdict: Biel-Bienne to win at evens.
Sunday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
Elche vs Tenerife – home win at 10/11.
Although Elche don’t score many goals, I still have to fancy them to do well here. They’ve won four consecutive games ahead of this one so their momentum is strong and they’re good at home. The only reason that they’ve not won more home games this season is literally because they’ve not been clinical enough in front of goal – their ability to keep sides out is immense so they only need to focus on that one area of play. However, momentum lends a big hand there, or so I hope, as does lax Tenerife defending. Relegation-threatened Tenerife have lost eight out of fourteen Segunda Liga away games already this season whilst averaging conceding approximately 1.5 goals per away game so they’re not in the best position ahead of this game. Indeed, Tenerife have actually lost four consecutive games ahead of this one, conceding nine goals along the way so things look even worse for the visitors currently. Although I can just about understand the odds here as Tenerife aren’t actually a bad team, I do think that the home win is worth taking here because Elche are playing well and Tenerife aren’t, to be blunt. There’s not a great quality differential between the two sides but form and finesse should play key parts here and Elche have both whereas Tenerife have neither at the moment. Therefore, my call is an Elche win at 10/11 although I’d leave it if the odds drop.
Verdict: Elche to win at 10/11.
Accumulator fodder:
Congo DR, Mali, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Brazil, El Salvador, Velez Sarsfield, Colo Colo, Emelec Guayaquil, Olimpia Asuncion.
Recommended bets:
Congo DR, Brazil, and Biel-Bienne at 2/1.
As ever, if there are any explanations required then please feel free to post a comment! For the remainder of my thoughts on today’s games, see below, although I feel compelled to write that the below are not necessarily my tips but merely my thoughts to prevent endless questions about my thoughts on certain games!
African Nations Qualifiers:
Madagascar vs Guinea (7) 0-1
Mozambique vs Zambia (5) 1-2
Congo DR vs Mauritius (9) -1.5 handicap
Congo vs Ghana (6) 0-1
Niger vs Sierra Leone (4) 0-1
Ivory Coast vs Benin (8) 2-1
Cape Verde Islands vs Liberia (6) 1-0
Nigeria vs Ethiopia (9) -1.5 handicap
Mali vs Zimbabwe (8) 1-0
Algeria vs Morocco (6) 1-0, at least one red card in this game
International Friendlies:
Brazil vs Scotland (8) -1.5 handicap (played in England)
El Salvador vs Jamaica (8) 2-1
Costa Rica vs China (7) 1-0
Argentinian Primera Division:
Tigre vs Godoy Cruz de Mendoza (5) 1-1
Independiente vs Banfield (5) 1-1
Colon de Santa Fe vs Boca Juniors (6) 2-1
Velez Sarsfield vs Arsenal de Sarandi (8) 2-1
Chilean Primera Division:
Colo Colo vs Huachipato (8) 2-1
Colombian Primera A:
Millonarios Bogota vs Real Cartagena (7) 2-1
Atletico Huila vs La Equidad Bogota (6) 1-1
Cucuta Deportivo vs Envigado (5) 2-1
Independiente Medellin vs Deportivo Pereira (7) 2-0
Boyaca Chico vs Deportes Quindio (5) 0-0
Once Caldas Manizales vs Atletico Nacional de Medellin (5) 2-2
Danish 1st Division:
Vestjaelland vs AB Copenhagen (6)
Viborg vs Hjorring (6) under 2.5 goals
Kolding vs Skive (6) over 2.5 goals
Vejle vs HB Koge (5) both sides to score
Ecuadorian Primera A:
Emelec Guayaquil vs Manta (8) 2-0
English League One:
Huddersfield Town vs Notts County (7)
English League Two:
Cheltenham Town vs Gillingham (6)
Hereford United vs Crewe Alexandra (6)
Oxford United vs Burton Albion (5)
Faroese Super Cup:
HB Torshavn vs EB/Streymur (6) 1-0
Italian Serie B:
Albinoleffe vs Novara (5)
Grosseto vs Cittadella (4)
Crotone vs Empoli (7)
Triestina vs Frosinone (5)
Modena vs Pescara (6)
Piacenza vs Portosummaga (7)
Siena vs Sassuolo (7)
Varese vs Vicenza (5)
Reggina vs Livorno (4)
Paraguayan Division Profesional:
Sol de America vs Tacuary (6) 0-1
Sportivo Luqueno vs Guarani Asuncion (6) 1-2
General Caballero vs Rubio Nu (5) 1-1
Olimpia Asuncion vs 3 de Febrero (8) 2-1
Polish Liga 1:
Nieciecza vs Kluczbork (5)
Kolejarz Stroze vs Ruch Radzionkow (5) under 2.5 goals
Portuguese Liga Sagres:
Olhanense vs Sporting Braga (6) 0-0
Singaporean S-League:
Home United vs Woodlands Wellington (7) 2-0
Spanish Segunda Liga:
Salamanca vs Real Valladolid (6)
Elche vs Tenerife (7)
Deportivo Xerez vs Granada (5) both sides to score
Rayo Vallecano de Madrid vs Real Betis Balompie (5)
Swiss Challenge League:
Yverdon Sport vs Chiasso (6)
Biel-Bienne vs Delemont (7)
Servette vs Lugano (6) both sides to score
Welsh Premier League:
Haverfordwest County vs Bala Town (5) 2-1
Enjoy your free betting tips!