TFT Issue 425!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
A quick word on the Euros today:
I wouldn’t bet on either of the games. There are too many variants in both games for me to confidently tip anything. Greece and Czechs both have two very different sides to them – it just depends who shows up. Poland hate Russia and vice versa. Russia are apparently making idiots of themselves (fans, at least) in Poland and that makes the Poles even more motivated here. Don’t overestimate Russia purely because they were clinical against the Czechs. There were spells of that game where the Russians weren’t even in the game. Be very careful.
Featured game
Norway U21 vs Iceland U21 – home win with -1.5 handicap at 11/10.
Today’s featured game is the UEFA European U21 Championship Qualifier between Norway U21 and Iceland U21.
I’m opposing Iceland U21 here for the same reason that I have for their whole qualifying campaign; they’re bloody awful right now. All their good players of the previous Iceland U21 side are with the national side nowadays and this Iceland U21 side is just toothless and highly ineffectual. Azerbaijan U21 outplayed them in Iceland last match, according to reports, and that wouldn’t surprise me at all. Norway U21 possess a much better side than Iceland U21 and have demonstrated it innumerate times in this group thus far. Norway U21 won 0-2 in Iceland last year and a similar result today would not surprise me. Norway U21 have a healthy habit of winning to nil and against an impotent Icelandic attack, that seems likely to occur again today. Norway U21 usually score at least two goals, which is encouraging for this tip. Lastly, this game is played in Drammen at the Marienlyst, which has artificial turf. It’s notoriously hard to play on for visiting sides and thus Norway U21 have all the advantages that they could possibly want here. I fancy a 3-0 or 4-0 but will settle for the -1.5 handicap as it’s way too long at 11/10 for my money.
Verdict: Norway U21 to beat the -1.5 handicap at 11/10.
Team news
World Cup Qualifier – Asia:
Australia – Holman is absent.
Japan – Yoshida is absent.
European Championships:
Russia – No absentees.
Greece – Papastathopoulos and A.Papadopoulos are absent.
Poland – Szczesny is absent. Confirmed line-up – Tyton, Piszczek, Wasilewski, Perquis, Boenisch, Polanski, Murawski, Dudka, Blaszczykowski, Obraniak, Lewandowski.
Czech Republic – No absentees.
Lithuanian A Lyga:
Zalgiris Vilnius – No news.
Siauliai – Malinauskas and T.Eliosius are absent.
Banga Gargzdai – No news.
Ekranas Panevezys – No news.