TFT Issue 220!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
Featured game
Liechtenstein vs Scotland – home win with +1.5 handicap at 9/10.
Today’s featured game is the UEFA European Championship Qualifier between Liechtenstein and Scotland.
Despite being scorned by many due to past results, this Liechtenstein is genuinely on the rise. They’re much harder to beat nowadays and do have the capability to play some good football. I’m quite serious when I say that the only side to play convincingly against Liechtenstein since 2009 has been Spain on two occasions. Czech Republic laboured past them twice whereas Estonia, Lithuania, Switzerland, Iceland, and even today’s opponents Scotland have struggled. Indeed, in the reversal of this fixture, it took a 97th-minute winner for Scotland in a game that they frankly didn’t deserve to win. Liechtenstein are simply not mugs any more and I think they’ll show that here. My concerns for them are regarding the absence of important midfielders Ronny Buchel and especially experienced Burgmeier. However, they’re solid enough at the back to keep the scoreline low and they do have other options with the impressive Polverino and FC Zurich’s Martin Buchel. Mario Frick is the best player in Liechtenstein’s history and is a dangerous striker despite his advanced years. Thomas Beck is experienced too so Liechtenstein should cause problems here.
The problems for Scotland are mounting, too, with Darren Fletcher and Kenny Miller both being ruled out for this game. Fletcher is the inspiration for the midfield and Miller is their best striker so Scotland may well struggle here. They defended poorly against a rather ineffectual Czech Republic in their last game in this group and duly failed to win the game. Scotland play with plenty of tenacity but away from home, they really do tend to struggle and this game should be no exception. Scotland have failed to score in six out of their last seven away games in qualifiers and this should prove to be yet another difficult game.
I’m being quite cautious with this bet and I still find terrific value in it. I fancy Liechtenstein DNB as a cheeky bet because this side is rapidly improving thanks to the exposure for a lot of their talented players into the Swiss leagues. Either way, giving the hosts a +1.5 goal head start at 9/10 looks a bargain here, especially with Scotland much more likely to focus on their big game at Spain next week as they try to upset a big side.
Verdict: Liechtenstein to win with a +1.5 handicap at 9/10.