Universitatea Cluj vs Dinamo Bucharest –
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Today’s secondary featured game is the Romanian Liga game between Universitatea Cluj and Dinamo Bucharest. Newly-promoted Universitatea Cluj have enjoyed upsetting a few sides this season but they’re going to have an uphill task against giants Dinamo Bucharest today.
Universitatea are staving off the threat of relegation by being hard to beat at home. They’ve lost just twice in eleven home games this season which has been largely due to stubborn defending rather than goalscoring prowess, although take nothing away from today’s hosts – they do normally score at least once in their home games. However, their diabolical display at a fairly impotent but determined Otelul Galati last match has convinced me that they’re simply not in the right frame of mind to take points off Dinamo Bucharest today. They’ve got a few ex-Dinamo players that can cause the visitors problems here ala Cristea and Niculescu. However, Cristea is suspended and the playmaker’s absence is a hefty blow for the hosts. Ex-Dinamo legend Niculescu has already stated that he expects to score against his former club and with Dinamo’s defence being amongst the most calamitous in the league, that wouldn’t surprise me at all. However, Cluj’s defence isn’t great either – they’ve shipped eight goals in four games since returning from the winter break and looked pretty damn poor last match so I can’t take them seriously here.
Dinamo miss star attacker Torje, whose pace will be a blow for them here. However, despite their somewhat laboured approach to winning games of late, you still have to favour them to win this game. They’re by far the superior side and they were extremely unlucky not to have scored against Rapid Bucharest in one of Bucharest’s derbies back in March, something that was later released as Dinamo drubbed Targu Mures 4-1 last match. The old Dinamo is starting to return despite some sales over the winter break and with Kone and Alexe supporting Ganea and Danciulescu in this game, I can only see a Dinamo win here. Danciulescu is a gifted finisher but is fairly immobile nowadays due to his age but the legs provided around him should make this a fairly straightforward win for Dinamo.
You can expect both sides to score here but with Cristea absent for the hosts and the visitors easing into their stride, the away win looks to have value to me today.
Team news – Universitatea Cluj miss Szilagyi, Cristea, and Ascoli whereas Dinamo Bucharest miss Torje, Moti, and Margaritescu.
Verdict: Dinamo Bucharest to win at 21/20.
Friday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
Gimnasia De La Plata vs Independiente – both sides to score at evens.
This one speaks for itself, really – I’m just surprised by the generous price on offer! These two sides are locked in a heated relegation battle and thus this game is a very big game indeed and you can expect cards as a result. Since Gimnasia appointed Angel Cappa as manager, they’ve been attacking a lot more instead of their atypical defensive approach to games and this has had two noticeable affects; they concede more goals but win more games too. I don’t know if it’ll benefit them long-term or not but they’re scoring and conceding goals at the moment as a result. Visitors Independiente have realised the danger of their league placing and have strung together a bit of form lately by finally realising that they need to score goals to win games. They’ve also been conceding a lot too, although they do possess a better team than Gimnasia so it’s no surprise that the Defederico-Silvera partnership yields goals. However, in such an important game and with both sides throwing caution to the wind due to their precarious league placing, I think backing both sides to score at evens has a lot of value here.
Verdict: Both sides to score at evens.
CSKA Sofia vs Sliven – under 2.5 goals at 13/10.
CSKA Sofia’s attack simply hasn’t impressed me since the return from their winter break. I think it’s fair to observe that this club is rarely out of turmoil for one reason or another and that tends to be shown by their results on the field too. It’s no surprise at all that CSKA have only gone over 2.5 goals in two out of their nine home games in the A PFG this season due to a lack of a decent finisher with only Spas Delev posing a potent threat to any side that faces CSKA. CSKA are good enough to keep the ball and keep other sides out, generally speaking, but they’re not on the same level as bitter rivals Levski Sofia or Litex Lovech anymore – they’ve got a lot of work to do at the moment to catch them in any manner and I don’t think that’ll change for today’s game. CSKA’s last two games have gone under 2.5 goals as they continue to struggle to find the net on a consistent basis and given how hard they find it to score goals without relying heavily on Delev or on counter-attacks, I can see them struggling against a Sliven side that will undoubtedly park the bus today. Sliven aren’t what they were but they’re still a bunch of young and hungry players that would do anything to score a result off a big side like CSKA. Sliven’s league placing doesn’t flatter them following a pretty tumultuous campaign but they’re a decent side nonetheless and I expect them to give CSKA a good game today as a result.
I can only see one winner here but there’s no value in backing CSKA at such short odds. I think it’s reasonably inevitable that CSKA will score at somepoint but they’re simply not a goalscoring side at the moment. Sliven are battlers, if nothing else, and they’ll look to keep the scoreline respectable here because they know working hard could easily score them a draw against a side that doesn’t score many goals. This game went under 2.5 goals in Sofia last season and with under 2.5 goals being priced at 13/10, I think there’s some value in that selection today.
Verdict: Under 2.5 goals at 13/10.
Kaposvari Rakoczi vs Vasas Budapest – home win at 4/5.
Hosts Kaposvari Rakoczi have already won six out of ten home games in the Soproni Liga this season due to some solid defending and although they’re yet to work out how to play away from home, I fancy their chances here. They’ve won three out of their four home games since returning from the winter break, even beating Zalaegerszegi TE along the way, so they do need to be taken seriously here. Peric and Olah are a force to be reckoned with in attack, especially with Pedro and Pavlovic supporting them, so I think the hosts are very capable of winning this game rather easily, especially with no notable absentees today.
Visitors Vasas Budapest were finally taken over (again!) over the transfer window and they have bolstered their ranks with the likes of ex-VfB Stuttgart playmaker Lisztes, who is still a very good player despite his advancing years. They’ve brought in some youngsters from Ferencvaros, Fehervar, and Debreceni VSC respectively in a bid to beat the drop and they should be able to manage it, really – they’ve got a decent enough side to do so. They’ve looked more composed since returning from the winter break with just one defeat in seven games. However, they’re facing one of Kaposvari’s best sides for some years and although Vasas are defending well away from home, they’re still not scoring many goals and that could cost them here as they don’t bring as much firepower into this game as their hosts do.
I expect a defensive display of football between both sides today with few goals in the game. However, the hosts have better strikers than the visitors and although the visitors are starting to get stronger, I think this game is a bridge too far for them. Vasas lost 1-3 in the reversal of this fixture earlier this season and have lost at Rakoczi for three consecutive visits and therefore the home win at 4/5 looks decent value to me today.
Team news – Kaposvari Rakoczi have doubts over Mate Peter.
Verdict: Kaposvari Rakoczi to win at 4/5.
Lech Poznan vs Slask Wroclaw – lay Lech Poznan at evens.
Risky, but interesting – that’s how I’ll sum this bet up!
Lech Poznan have had their pitch resurfaced for either the fourth or fifth time due to it not being smooth enough for them to play their passing game but how long will it last? Not long, in my view – it’s not done so far this season. Lech can be very good under Bakero but can be unbelievably poor too so it’s hard to know which Lech will show up, especially if they’re blaming their poor home displays on the pitch rather than their displays. I don’t honestly know if their pitch will be to their liking today or not – I guess that depends on the scoreline!
The big news ahead of this game for Lech is the supposed absence of Latvian starlet Rudnevs, who reportedly picked up an injury whilst playing for Latvia. That leaves Lech’s potency solely in the hands of their talented attacking midfielders Krivets and Stilic now that Peszko has left for Koln as Ubiparip doesn’t look ready to be playing Ekstraklasa football yet and Slurarski may be decent in front of goal but he’s not settled in properly yet. To make matters worse for the hosts, they have doubts over defenders Wojtkowiak and Arboleda for this game so a Lech win may not be as forthcoming as it’s seemingly expected to be.
Let’s face it – Slask Wroclaw have been immense under Lenczyk. They’re unbeaten since returning from the winter break, which is impressive enough as it is. They were the first side this season to travel to Bialystok to face Jagiellonia and avoid defeat and since then they’ve won at giants Legia Warsaw and have beaten a good Lechia Gdansk side. All this has been done without star striker Diaz, who is still out with a lengthy injury. The problem Slask should be having is a lack of goalscoring ability as their only good striker (besides Diaz) Sotirovic left on loan during the transfer window so Slask shouldn’t be scoring the goals that they are. However, momentum and team spirit has meant that they’re scoring a lot of goals and that makes them a dangerous side to face for Lech as Lech are not in a prime position to score a lot of goals here. Slask really believe in themselves at the moment and although they miss two important defensive players – Spahic and Wolczek – for this game, I still think there’s a decent chance of them continuing their momentum and halting Lech Poznan in their tracks as defending against them today won’t be as hard due to the supposedly missing Rudnevs.
Therefore, my call is to lay Lech Poznan. Slask Wroclaw are playing well at the moment and their league placing is false, in my view. Lech have defensive and attacking issues and given that they don’t score many goals at the present time, I think that there’s a decent chance of Slask getting a result here and laying Lech at evens looks a good bet to me as a result.
Team news – Lech Poznan miss Rudnevs and Henriquez and have doubts over Wojtkowiak and Arboleda whereas Slask Wroclaw miss Diaz, Wotczek, and Spahic.
Verdict: Lay Lech Poznan at evens.
MSK Zilina vs Slovan Bratislava – both sides to score at 3/4.
The two best sides in Slovakia locking horns; goal/goal, anyone? Slovan Bratislava are far better placed than their hosts are to win this game given how many players Zilina lost over the transfer window. However, 1×2 markets don’t interest me in such difficult games as any result here wouldn’t really surprise me. I do like the idea of both sides scoring, though. Zilina have struggled for goals since Ceesay’s departure but the sale of Salata by Slovan Bratislava leaves a hole in their defence that Zilina can exploit today. Zilina themselves sold Pecalka to Hapoel Tel-Aviv and that leaves a hole in their defence too that Slovan Bratislava can exploit. The sale of midfielder Jez was a stupid one by Zilina, in my view – it’s harmed their creativity considerably. However, in a big game like this, both sides should show up and exploit each other’s respective weaknesses. For me, backing both sides to score at 3/4 has some value here.
Verdict: Both sides to score at 3/4.
Accumulator fodder:
Admira Wacker, Helmond Sport, Valerenga Oslo, Vaslui, Chiasso.
Recommended bets:
Vaslui and Dinamo Bucharest 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!
Argentinian Primera Division:
Gimnasia De La Plata vs Independiente (5) both sides to score
Banfield vs Argentinos Juniors (6) 2-1
Austrian Liga 1:
Admira Wacker vs First Vienna (9) -1.5 handicap
Hartberg vs Grodig (6)
Gratkorn vs WAC/St.Andra (5)
St.Polten vs SCR Altach (6)
Lustenau vs Austria Lustenau (5) both sides to score, at least one red card in this game
Bulgarian A PFG:
CSKA Sofia vs Sliven (7) under 2.5 goals
Chernomorets Burgas vs Cherno More Varna (5) 1-0, at least one red card in this game
Croatian Prva Liga:
Lokomotiva Zagreb vs Split (4) 0-1
Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:
Mlada Boleslav vs Sigma Olomouc (6) 2-1
Danish 1st Division:
HB Koge vs Bronshoj (7) under 2.5 goals
English League One:
Peterborough United vs Bournemouth (6) over 2.5 goals
French Ligue 2:
AC Ajaccio vs Chateauroux (6)
Evian Thonon Gaillard vs Nimes (5)
Stade Lavallois vs Clermont Foot (4)
Le Havre vs Istres (7)
Le Mans vs Angers SCO (6)
Metz vs Grenoble Foot (6)
Reims vs Tours (5)
Troyes vs Sedan-Ardennes (6)
Vannes OC vs Dijon FCO (5)
German Bundesliga:
St.Pauli vs Schalke 04 (6) 0-1
German Bundesliga 2:
Arminia Bielefeld vs Augsburg (6) over 2.5 goals
Karlsruher SC vs Osnabruck (6)
Energie Cottbus vs Ingolstadt (6)
Hungarian Soproni Liga:
Kaposvari Rakoczi vs Vasas Budapest (7) 2-1
Ferencvaros vs Ujpest (6) 1-0
Irish Premier League:
St.Patrick’s Athletic vs Bohemians (6) 0-1, at least one red card in this game
Bray Wanderers vs Derry City (5) 1-1
Dundalk vs UCD (6) 2-1
Galway United vs Sligo Rovers (5) 1-2
Drogheda United vs Shamrock Rovers (6) 0-1
Italian Serie B:
Torino vs Grosseto (6)
Mexican Primera Division:
Necaxa vs Guadalajara (6) 1-1
Dutch Eerste Divisie:
Veendam vs Cambuur Leeuwarden (6) both sides to score
Almere City vs Eindhoven (5)
Fortuna Sittard vs MVV Maastricht (5) over 2.5 goals
Telstar vs Zwolle (7)
AGOVV Appeldoorn vs Volendam (5)
Den Bosch vs Dordrecht ‘90 (6)
Helmond Sport vs Emmen (8)
Sparta Rotterdam vs RKC Waalwijk (6) over 2.5 goals
Norwegian Eliteserien:
Valerenga Oslo vs Aalesund (8) 2-0
Polish Ekstraklasa:
Lechia Gdansk vs GKS Belchatow (5) 2-1
Lech Poznan vs Slask Wroclaw (5) 1-1
Portuguese Liga Sagres:
Uniao de Leiria vs Maritimo Funchal (6) 0-0
Romanian Liga:
Astra Ploiesti vs Victoria Branesti (5) 1-1
Vaslui vs Unirea Urziceni (8) -1.5 handicap
Brasov vs Otelul Galati (6) 0-0
Universitatea Cluj vs Dinamo Bucharest (6) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
Singaporean S-League:
Tampines Rovers vs Home United (6) 2-1
Slovakian Corgon Liga:
MSK Zilina vs Slovan Bratislava (4) 1-2, at least one red card in this game
Slovenian Prva Liga:
Celje vs Nafta Lendava (4) 1-2
Domzale vs Gorica (7) 1-0
Spanish Segunda Liga:
Las Palmas vs Elche (6)
Swiss Challenge League:
Chiasso vs Locarno (8)
Ukrainian Premier League:
Illichivets Mariupol vs Shakhtar Donetsk (6) 0-1
Welsh Premier League:
Bala Town vs Aberystwyth Town (6) 1-0
Bangor City vs Prestatyn Town (6) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
Llanelli vs Neath Athletic (4) 1-1
Enjoy your free betting tips!