Botafogo vs Avai
FreeToday’s featured game is the Serie A encounter in Brazil between Botafogo and Avai. The hosts find themselves just two points clear of safety despite having won their last two games consecutively so they know their job is far from complete. Interestingly enough, only four sides in Serie A have lost less games than Botafogo have this season, which is remarkable considering their league placing. Naturally, they’ve drawn a lot of games which is why they’re fighting relegation instead of competing for the title, which they almost certainly would be had they won more games than they’d drawn. Their problem isn’t scoring goals but keeping clean sheets, something they’ve only managed to do four times this season. Only the bottom three sides in the division have conceded more goals than Botafogo this season, thus indicating the problem. Visitors Avai, by contrast, have over-achieved this season but find themselves in a pretty secure place in the table with little left to play for, something that their form indicates only all to well with just one win in their last five games, drawing twice and losing twice. Basically, we have a home side with high motivation and with some great momentum entering this game entertaining an Avai side with no momentum and nothing to play for. That coupled with the idea that Botafogo are actually better than Avai, something I personally believe, then 5/4 on the home win starts to look very inviting indeed!
Monday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
Botafogo vs Avai – home win at 4/5 – see introduction for full details.
River Plate vs Independiente – home win at evens. It’s not often I’ll make calls like this but it’s basically based upon instinct. If that’s too “out there” for you then fair enough – you’re free to ignore it! However, I can’t help but feel that an out-of-form River Plate side are due a victory after five successive leagues games without one. There’s no doubt that River Plate are the better side here but momentum/form really affects South American sides, moreso than most sides, I’ve found. Independiente have played well so far this season with four wins from seven games and are flying high. However, I can’t escape the feeling that their past of being a poor away side hasn’t quite left them despite some admirable away results so far this season. In the past, they’ve managed two wins from nineteen away games (stretching over both Apertura and Clausura campaigns) and they’re not really a quality match for the hosts today so all that favours them is momentum. Whereas I respect that entirely, I cannot see River Plate going another game without victory so taking them at evens feels like a good bet!
Belenenses vs CD Nacional – away win at 9/5. Why on earth are CD Nacional priced at 9/5? They’re not a great side but they’re certainly one of the better sides in the division whereas Belenenses have left their good days some years back and now appear content to attempt to avoid relegation. With just one win this season, Belenenses appear set for yet another tenacious campaign, particularly as there’s currently only one side that’s scoring less goals than they are which is Vitoria Setubal, one of the two sides that are currently below them. CD Nacional took a while to get their season going but have now won two consecutive games, boosting morale and granting them some good momentum entering this game. If you couple that with the fact that they’re the better side and that they won here last season, 9/5 on the away win starts to look very tempting indeed. The only reasoning I can offer for such bizarre odds is CD Nacional’s atrocious away form so far this season as they’ve not even scored a goal away from home yet, losing twice in the process. However, with some momentum under their belts, I can quite envision them taking three points so 9/5 could be something of a bargain today!
As ever, any questions/explanations required, feel free to email me at thefootytipster@gmail.com. For the complete picks listing, see below!
Argentinian Primera Division:
River Plate vs Independiente (5) 1-0
Brazilian Serie A:
Botafogo vs Avai (6) 2-1
Atletico Mineiro vs Cruzeiro (4) 1-1
Nautico vs Palmeiras (8) 1-2
Goias vs Sport Recife (7) 2-0
Santos vs Vitoria (6) 1-0
English League One:
Tranmere Rovers vs Stockport County (5)
Finnish Ykkonen:
Atlantis FC Helsinki vs Viikingit Helsinki (8)
Greek B Ethniki:
Pierikos Katerini vs Olympiakos Volos (7)
Italian Serie B:
Frosinone vs Crotone (8)
Norwegian 2 Divisjon:
Avdeling 1:
Skjetten Fotball vs Valerenga Oslo II (7)
Avdeling 2:
Molde II v Kristiansund (6)
Avdeling 4:
Lillehammer vs Stabaek II (6)
Portuguese Liga Sagres:
Belenenses vs CD Nacional (6) 1-2
Singaporean S-League:
Home United vs Sengkang Punggol (8) 2-0
Spanish Segunda B:
Sant Andreu vs Gava (8)
Swedish Superettan:
Jonkopings Sodra vs Falkenbergs (5)
Landskrona BoIS vs IFK Norrkoping (5) draw no bet
GIF Sundsvall vs Vasby United (7)
Enjoy your free betting tips!