Germinal Beerschot vs Standard de Liege
Free21/20 for Standard de Liege to win at Germinal Beerschot? Utter bargain!
I’m really quite mystified as to why these odds are so good for an away win. Bookies surely can’t be reading that much into Standard de Liege’s poor opening game? They drew 2-2 with newly-promoted Sint-Truiden but this can happen in the first game of a season. Standard de Liege have lost a couple of players but that doesn’t change the fact that they’re head and shoulders above Germinal Beerschot in terms of quality. The hosts today battled valiantly against relegation last season and were successful. This year, they’re in for another long and hard slog. Reigning champions Standard de Liege will be looking to maintain their crown of two years for a third consecutive year. However, bitter rivals Anderlecht have strengthened their squad so the visitors know that every point counts. I think they’ll go all out for the win here and manage it somewhat comfortably. I still can’t believe how good the odds are though!!
Friday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
Germinal Beerschot vs Standard de Liege – away win at 21/20 – see introduction for details.
Tampere United vs Haka Valkeakoski – home win at 10/11. What an interesting game this is!! Hosts Tampere United are the best home side in the whole of the Veikkausliiga. Today they’re attempting to further dislodge Haka Valkeakoski’s surprise title challenge and they couldn’t have picked a better time. After one of the biggest shock defeats in the Veikkausliiga this year, Haka Valkeakoski are ripe to taste defeat here, having been humiliated 4-2 at home by lowly JJK Jyvaskyla. They’ve now not won in four games, three of which were defeats. Tampere United, however, have won three games from their last five, although their last outing resulted in defeat. That said, their home record is untouchable; nine games, seven wins and two defeats. Despite Haka Valkeakoski’s atrocious form of late, they’ve still only lost once away from home this season so this should be interesting. However, I’m calling a home win in light if the irrefutable facts above and at 11/10 it appears to be a bargain!
Angers SCO vs Dijon FCO – home win at evens. First of all – beware. We all know how first games of the season can develop. However, the home win at evens looks too good to pass up on. Angers SCO drastically over-achieved for the majority of last season but they’re still a good side despite it. Dijon FCO aren’t a bad side themselves, however. Looking back to last season, Dijon FCO were one of the worst sides in Ligue 2 on the road despite finishing 8th. Whereas Angers SCO were far from all-conquering at home, they should have enough about them to see off the challenge of Dijon FCO today despite the comings and goings over the summer for both sides. Evens is definitely worth a shot!
Nyiregyhaza Spartacus vs Ferencvaros – away win at evens. This game should be an interesting encounter. After a mixed start, Nyiregyhaza Spartacus host arguably Hungary’s biggest and most popular side Ferencvaros. Newly-promoted Ferencvaros were demoted previously for financial issues but are back with a bang. They’ve already annihlated one of last year’s better performers in the Soproni Liga – Zalaegerszegi TE – 4-1 in their opening game. Considering that Nyiregyhaza Spartacus aren’t as good as Zalaegerszegi TE, you really have to look long and hard and fancy an away win at evens here. The visitors are showing a real hunger for being back in the division that they’ve dominated many times and I think this is just the beginning of what could be a very exciting season in Hungary. Evens for an away win here is a potential steal!
Eindhoven vs MVV Maastricht – away win at 10/11. Away win? First game of the season? Get out of here! Yes, it’s true, I’m looking to back MVV Maastricht to emerge victorious from their trip to Eindhoven. The hosts had a dismal campaign last season and have done little to alter that this season. MVV Maastricht had a good season and have a good side. They’re a decent contender for promotion this season in my humble opinion. If the visitors turn up tonight, they’ll win the game, there’s no doubt in my mind on that one. Let’s face it – MVV Maastricht do tend to turn up for games so odds of 11/10 look intriguing.
Zaglebie Lubin vs Wisla Krakow – away win at 5/6. Despite all of the problems facing Wisla Krakow, I’m confident on an away win here. As you’ve probably guessed, that’s because the hosts Zaglebie Lubin are a very poor side indeed and I wouldn’t fancy them to beat Wisla Krakow’s Under 18 team, let alone their first team. I can’t possibly overlook odds on an away win of 5/6 when the visitors have such a wealth of class in comparison to their opponents.
Gaz Metan Medias vs Universitatea Craiova – away win at 10/11. I’m pretty surprised Gaz Metan Medias managed to stay in the division last year. I’ll be even more surprised if they manage to this year. They’re a hard-working but relatively ordinary squad. Unfortunately for them, they’re at home to one of Romania’s better clubs – Universitatea Craiova. The visitors had a good campaign last year and I expect another good campaign from them this year. They’ve got a good blend of talent and work ethic and shouldn’t have any great issues disposing of Gaz Metan Medias today. 10/11 looks a real bargain here!
Istanbul BB vs Besiktas JK – away win at 5/6. Reigning champions Besiktas JK begin their campaign at Istanbul BB. The visitors performed admirably last year and have got some very talented individuals. They’ll be looking to build on that this year but they are also the team to beat so they need to be geared up for the extra bit of tenacity that will face them. There aren’t many sides in this league more tenacious than Istanbul BB in my opinion. That said, Besiktas JK are capable of playing a tenacious game themselves but also have the talent to boost it. I’m going to call an away win here because I think the visitors will pick up where they left off but with a tough and scrappy game. I expect a scoreline of 1-2 or something in that vein but an away win looks good at 11/10.
Dnipro Dnepropetrovsk vs Arsenal Kiev – away win with double chance at 9/5. This is easily one of the dodgiest calls I’ve made over the past few months but bear with me! Dnipro Dnepropetrovsk are one of the four biggest and best clubs in Ukraine, although they’re towards the lower end of that four. They had a decent season last year but finished a little lower than they’d like to. Today, however, they’re hosting Arsenal Kiev, a side that are generally just a mid-table side. However, this year they’ve managed some impressive acquisitions and are currently a side that nobody wants to play. Both sides have claimed two wins and one draw from their opening there games. Arsenal Kiev are averaging two goals over two goals per game whereas Dnipro Dnepropetrovsk are predictably playing their cautious football and have scored just three from three games, conceding an impressive zero. The goals scored should be interesting enough in this game, if indeed there are any. However, despite it being against the odds, I’m going to stick with Arsenal Kiev at double chance in this game. I’m hoping their momentum does them proud today. That coupled with the potential rust gathered over sides just beginning their respective campaigns could spell out a bit of a shock result. I can’t quite believe Dnipro Dnepropetrovsk are 1/4 to win this game, to be honest, not when all of the above is considered. However, there could be some real value in a double chance away win at 9/5 today.
Karlsruher vs Alemannia Aachen – home win at 11/10. Karlsruher fought valiantly in the Bundesliga last year but were unfortunately relegated to the Bundesliga 2. Nonetheless, they still have a good squad and a decent chance of promotion and will look to get off to a winning start against a side vying with them for promotion. After a highly impressive campaign last year, Alemannia Aachen will have been disappointed to have not been promoted. However, this campaign is another chance for this to be achieved and they’ll be desperate to prove themselves against former-Bundesliga outfit Karlsruher. All in all, this should be a good match and a good examination of where each side is at. However, the hosts should have too much for Alemannia Aachen, as close a game as it could/should be. That said, odds of 11/10 for a home win here are certainly worth a punt in light of the above information.
As ever, any questions/explanations required, feel free to email me at thefootytipster@gmail.com. For the complete picks listing, see below!
Australian A-League:
Adelaide United vs Perth Glory (8) 2-0
Austrian Bundesliga:
LASK Linz vs SV Kapfenberg (6) 2-1
Austrian Liga 1:
Wacker Innsbruck vs Austria Vienna II (9)
St. Polten vs Austria Lustenau (6)
Admira Wacker vs Hartberg (9)
Salzburg II vs Lustenau (7)
Dornbirn vs First Vienna (5)
Belgian Eerste Klasse:
Germinal Beerschot vs Standard de Liege (8) 1-2
Bulgarian A PFG:
Beroe vs Lokomotiv Sofia (5) 1-1
Croatian Prva Liga:
Inter Zapresic vs Cibalia (6) 1-1
Ecuadorian Primera A:
Deportivo Cuenca vs Olmedo Riobamba (7) 2-1
El Nacional Quito vs Espoli Cayambe (5) 1-1
Tecnico Universitario Ambato vs Macara Ambato (6) 1-0, at least one red card in this game
English Championship:
Middlesbrough vs Sheffield United (6)
Finnish Veikkausliiga:
Tampere United vs Haka Valkeakoski (7) 2-1
French Ligue 2:
AC Ajaccio vs Guingamp (6) under 2.5 goals
Angers SCO vs Dijon FCO (7)
Brest vs Laval (6)
Clermont Foot vs Arles (6)
Istres vs Bastia (7)
Vannes OC vs Metz (7)
Sedan-Ardennes vs Le Havre (6)
Strasbourg vs Chateauroux (8)
Tours vs Nimes (7)
German Bundesliga:
VFB Wolfsburg vs VFB Stuttgart (7) 2-2
German Bundesliga 2:
Sankt Pauli vs Rot Weiss Ahlen (7)
Rot Weiss Oberhausen vs Union Berlin (7)
Karlsruher vs Alemannia Aachen (8)
Hungarian Soproni Liga:
Nyiregyhaza Spartacus vs Ferencvaros (7) 1-2
Irish Premier League:
Bohemians vs Cork City (7) 2-1
Drogheda United vs Shamrock Rovers (8) 1-2
Moldovan Divizia Nationala:
Dinamo Bender vs Viitorul (7)
Nistru Otaci vs Tiraspol (6)
CSCA Rapid-Chisinau vs Academia UTM-Chisinau (6)
Sfintul Gheorghe vs Olimpia Balti (7)
Zimbru Chisinau vs Dacia Chisinau (7) at least one red card in this game
Dutch Eredivisie:
NEC Nijmegen vs Heerenveen (7) 1-1
AZ Alkmaar vs Sparta Rotterdam (8) -1.75 handicap
Dutch Eerste Divisie:
AGOVV Appeldoorn vs FC Zwolle (6)
Excelsior vs Stormvogels Telstar (8)
Eindhoven vs MVV Maastricht (8)
BV Emmen vs RBC Roosendaal (5)
Top Oss vs Dordrecht ’90 (6)
Volendam vs FC Den Bosch (7)
Fortuna Sittard vs Helmond Sport (6)
Go Ahead Eagles vs Ominworld (8)
Haarlem vs BV Veendam (6)
Cambuur Leeuwarden vs De Graafschap (5)
Polish Ekstraklasa:
Cracovia Krakow vs Lechia Gdansk (6) 0-0
Zaglebie Lubin vs Wisla Krakow (8) 1-2
Romanian Liga:
Gaz Metan Medias vs Universitatea Craiova (8) 0-2
Dinamo Bucharest vs International (9) -1.75 handicap
Singaporean S-League:
Gombak United vs Super Reds (6) 1-1
Swiss Challenge League:
Wil vs Locarno (7)
Turkish Super Lig:
Istanbul BB vs Besiktas JK (8) 1-2
Ukrainian Premier League:
Dnipro Dnepropetrovsk vs Arsenal Kiev (4) 1-1
Enjoy your free betting tips!