Monthly Archives: June 2012

Ставки на матч Польша – Россия!

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Футбол. Евро-2012

Польша – Россия. После выдающейся игры со сборной Чехии, болельщики сборной России ждут от нее толькоPavlyuchenko reacts 11 300x200 Ставки на матч Польша Россия! победы в предстоящем матче. Но играть против хозяев чемпионата всегда нелегко. Тем более, что для поляков эта игра становится практически решающей, так как ни ничья, ни тем более поражение, их не устраивает.

Сборная России 2.30 продемонстрировала прекраснейший образец атакующей игры во встрече с чехами. Алан Дзагоев так и вовсе, может стать главным открытием этого Евро, не то чтобы Алана не знали до этого, но одно дело забивать в Лиге Чемпионов и совсем другое, сделать дубль в матче Чемпионата Европы.

Уверен, что и в этой встрече мы увидим Александра Кержакова в роли стартового форварда, но вот пару ему может составить Павел Погребняк. Так как, по моему мнению, Адвокат может приготовить небольшой сюрприз для поляков. Хотя, правило, что победный состав не меняют, еще никто не отменял.

Много разговоров ведется о том, что Дик Адвокат переиграл своего чешского оппонента тактически, но то, что я видел на поле – это тотальное физическое превосходство одной сборной над другой. Единственное на что хотелось бы надеяться, что россияне сейчас не находятся на пике формы, а только подходят к нему. В таком случае перспективы «доехать до Киева» не выглядят уж очень туманными.

Если группа атаки сборной России сыграет также, как в первом матче, то Тотала Больше 2.5 просто не избежать. Плюс, не будем забывать, что этот матч пропускает вратарь поляков Войцех Шчесны, который получил красную карточку за «фол последней надежды» в матче с греками.

Вообще не очень понятно чего можно ожидать от сборной Польши 3.10, уж больно разные таймы она показала в матче с Грецией. С одной стороны есть Роберт Левандовски в нападении, но с другой хватает дыр в обороне.

Не будем забывать о очень важном факторе, который во всей красе проявился в первом же матче – лояльное судейство для хозяев. Уж больно нарочито смотрелась красная карточка у греков и не назначенный пенальти у ворот Польши.

По моему мнению сборная России одержит победу со счетом 2:1.

Related posts:

  1. Россия играет в Дании. СКА принимает ЦСКА в рамках Кубка Гагарина! Футбол. Товарищеские матчи. Сборные команды Дания – Россия. Чуть больше…
  2. Ставки на матч Россия – Чехия! Футбол. Евро-2012 Россия – Чехия. Ну вот мы и дождались…
  3. Россия одной ногой на Евро-2012! Футбол. Евро-2012. Россия – Андорра. Не пустить на Евро-2012 сборную…

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Depleted Greeks in Czech challenge

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greece smallGreece managed to battle their way back from a goal and a man down to secure a draw with Poland in their opening Euro 2012 fixture but, ahead of their second game against the Czech Republic on Tuesday, the valuable point came at a cost.

Defender Avraam Papadopoulos suffered a knee injury and will now miss the rest of the tournament in Poland and Ukraine, while his partner in the first-choice centre-half pairing for Greece, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, was awarded a controversial red card and will miss out against the Czech Republic.

Greece coach Fernando Santos, of course, has other options at centre-half but with only PAOK’s Stelios Malezas and Kyriakos Papadopoulos, of Schalke, to call upon, he will be desperate for the pair to come through the match against the Czechs unscathed ahead of a potentially-decisive final group game with Russia.

Santos’ selection problems are not only confined to defence, however, with midfielder Giorgos Fotakis also doubtful due to a thigh problem.

In contrast, the Czech Republic have no significant injury worries but, after a demoralising 4-1 loss at the hands of Russia in their opening fixture, they almost certainly need to win on Tuesday if they’re to avoid an early exit at Euro 2012.

If the Czech Republic are to reach the latter stages of the competition they will need big performances from the likes of Vaclav Pilar, who scored their only goal against Russia and managed to impress despite the defeat, Jaroslav Plasil and Premier League pair Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky.

Indeed, Chelsea keeper Cech insists all is not lost and insists his side can still qualify from Group A.

“The first game sometimes shows what the group will be like but it’s not the key one,” noted the talented shot-stopper.

“The crucial game will be the second one (against Greece). If we fail in that one, our chances of advancing will be very thin.

“A 4-1 defeat doesn’t look the best but it’s basically the same as 1-0…you simply get no points.

“We lost a battle, not the war. The good thing is we still have 180 minutes to advance. We have to look ahead, that’s what matters now.”

Greece looked bereft of ideas in the opening 45 minutes against Poland but the extremely harsh dismissal of Papastathopoulos seemed to galvanise Santos’ side as they produced an assured second-half display. In fact, Greece could well have gone on to win the game had it not been for a fine penalty save by Polish substitute keeper Przemyslaw Tyton following Wojciech Szczesny’s second-half sending off.

The Czech Republic struggled with the pace and swift movement of the Russians and should get more time on the ball against Greece, who are well organised and rely perhaps a little too much on the ageing Giorgos Karagounis as their creative outlet.

With the stakes high for both sides this contest promises to be a close affair as both countries cannot afford to lose, especially the Czechs who could be all but eliminated should they lose and Poland win in the later kick off.

Greece are priced at 11/5 to seal the win and they’re certainly capable of taking all three points if they can replicate their second-half display against Poland for 90 minutes on Tuesday, as Poland are arguably a better side than the Czech Republic.  A win for the Czechs is 7/5, while the draw is priced at 11/5.

One market that does stand out is the half-time result and the 20/21 on offer for a draw at half-time seems a decent bet considering neither side can really afford to lose the game, with an emphasis on defence expected from both sides.

Czech winger Pilar looked lively in an otherwise uninspiring team performance against Russia and if the 23-year-old continues to impress at Euro 2012 he could secure a move to one of Europe’s big leagues after the tournament. Pilar is priced at 5/1 to score at anytime in the match, which is worth some consideration given his display against the Russians, or 10/1 to score first for the braver punter.

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Russia set to spoil Poland party

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alan dzagoev russia smallHaving thrashed the Czech Republic in their opening game at Euro 2012, Russia look like a tough proposition for any team and it will be the job of co-hosts Poland to try and stop them in Warsaw on Tuesday (Poland 12/5, draw 9/4, Russia 5/4 Match Betting).

The competition got off to a lively start on Friday, with Poland impressing in the first half against the Greeks before allowing their opponents back into a game which saw two red cards.

The 1-1 draw will have been a disappointment to head coach Franciszek Smuda, who saw his side dominate periods of the game against Greece, before being undone by their own goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

Having been at fault for the Greek goal, the Arsenal man saw red and was in great debt to substitute keeper Przemyslaw Tyton, who saved the resulting penalty to keep Poland’s Euro 2012 campaign very much alive.

Tyton looks set to start between the sticks against the Russians at the National Stadium in the absence of the suspended Szczesny.

In attack the Poles will once again be looking to striker Robert Lewandowski (5/1 first goalscorer), who has continued to be linked with a move to Premier League giants Manchester United.

The 23-year-old Borussia Dortmund star looked like a threat throughout the first half against the Greeks and really got the home fans cheering with the opening goal of the tournament.

Poland will certainly need the supporters to be a 12th man in this game against a very talented Russia side, who took apart the Czechs in their opening encounter.

The Russian’s looked extremely dangerous in attack especially their exciting talent Alan Dzagoev (7/1 first goalscorer), who could well turn out to be a star of this tournament, having bagged himself a brace on Friday night.

Andrey Arshavin, who was largely disappointing in the Premier League with Arsenal this season before making a loan move back to his homeland with Zenit St Petersburg, looked back in the form that made him such an attractive prospect for the north London outfit.

The Russian skipper looked dangerous against the Czech Republic and the Poles will have to keep tabs on the 31-year-old on Tuesday night.

Russia (11/1 Euro 2012 outright) would go a long way to securing top spot in their group and booking their place in the knockout stages of the tournament in Poland and the Ukraine with a victory over the co-hosts, before taking on the struggling Greeks.

This really is a must-win game for Poland if they want to stand a realistic chance of making the quarter-finals to most likely face the winners of Group D, which could well be France or England.

However, based on Russia’s opening performance and their recent free-scoring form, with a 3-0 win over Italy in their previous game, it’s hard to look past Arshavin leading his talented side to another victory.

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Ukraine face tricky opener

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Co-hosts Ukraine take on Sweden in the second Group D match on Monday night with the support of the whole nation behind them. They are slight favourites to win this one but the Swedes have a habit of upsetting the odds (Ukraine 6/4, Draw 9/4, Sweden 2/1 – Match Betting).

Far from riding on a wave of optimism heading into their first European Championships, Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin has all but written off his side’s chances before a ball has even been kicked.

He was brought back to the post for a second stint in March 2011 after leading his men to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup during his first spell in charge but he has not really been able to inspire his charges second time around. Consequently, getting out of the group stage of the competition would be seen as a massive achievement (Ukraine 5/4 To Qualify).

The trouble for Blokhin is that he has inherited a team in transition, with several talented youngsters coming through who are not quite ready while veterans such as Andriy Shevchenko and Anatoliy Tymoshchuk are clearly past their best.

They have also had to prepare without any recent competitive football having qualified as hosts and the coach has used 40 players in his 15 months back in charge to try to find a winning combination.

He does not appear to have done that and, worryingly, slated both his defence and attack in an interview on Saturday.

The former Dynamo Kiev striker confessed that he has struggled to select an in-form striker, while making it clear that he has problems both in central defence and at full-back.

This does not leave much of the pitch to enthuse about and the scattergun approach to selection and tactics has left a number of players unsure of their role in the side (Ukraine – Exactly 0 points in group stage 10/1).

They tend to play a standard 4-4-2 which sometimes changes into a 4-5-1 during games and it would appear likely that, despite home advantage, goals will be at a premium against the Swedes and in their subsequent two group games.

One player to watch is 22-year-old Dynamo Kiev wide man Andriy Yarmolenko, who has now moved out onto the flank after starting life as a target man.

He has searing pace and has retained the ability to score, with seven goals from 20 appearances to date.

The St Petersburg-born youngster has been courted by, among others, AC Milan and could make a name for himself in the tournament.

Results for Ukraine in 2011 were not great – with four wins, five defeats and three draws – and they will need their best players to be at the top of their game if they are to advance to the last eight.

They have won three of their last four friendlies, however, and drew 3-3 with Germany in November last year.

But this is where it starts to get serious and Sweden are tournament football veterans, who always seem to make a nuisance of themselves in the group stage.

Erik Hamren has moulded his charges into a solid, hardworking side who are well-organised and difficult to break down.

They also like to play 4-4-2 and hit teams on the break and, in Zlatan Ibrahimovic, have one of the best strikers in Europe to put the ball in the back of the net.

The giant hit-man has enjoyed another excellent season with AC Milan and will be full of confidence going into Sweden’s opening match, despite never really having shown his true colours on the biggest international stage.

He does have an excellent scoring record for the Swedes with 31 strikes in 77 appearances but he will need a solid tournament this time around to silence the doubters, with age not on his side.

Lyon’s left-footed midfielder Kim Kallstrom should provide Ibrahimovic with the service he needs as he was credited with seven assists during qualifying, while chipping in with three goals of his own.

If he can find his talismanic team-mate in the box then the Swedes will be a goal threat.

Former Bolton star Johan Elmander is likely to be the second striker and, while he is not as prolific in front of goal as his esteemed strike partner, he is a vastly experienced player and will not be fazed by facing the hosts on their own patch.

Sunderland’s Sebastian Larsson could have a big say in proceedings with his ability to score from set plays, while he will also provide decent crosses for the big man up front.

Midfielder Rasmus Elm has the x-factor needed to unlock defences and has been watched by several top European sides over the past 12 months.

Like Larsson, he is a dead-ball specialist but also has the ability to beat players and pick out a pass – he will pull the strings in the middle of the park for Hamren’s side.

Eight wins and two defeats in qualifying was a decent return and they will be confident of getting out of a group that contains England, who have always struggled to beat the Swedes, and a France side that can blow hot and cold.

Consistency is the Swedes’ main strength as they rarely get pummelled, with only Holland giving them a drubbing in qualifying and, despite Ukraine’s home advantage, they should get at least a point out of this one.

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Hope for England in opener

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Injury-hit England go into Euro 2012 with reduced expectations but will still be under the microscope when they face France in their Group D opener in Donetsk on Monday (England 2/1, Draw 11/5, France 6/4).

Regardless of the lack of expectation around the country before the tournament, England will still be criticised if they fail to make the last eight, something new boss Roy Hodgson is fully aware of.

Hodgson, who led England to consecutive 1-0 victories in his first two games in charge, was quoted as saying “it could be the most terrific three weeks or the most torrid of my career” ahead of Monday’s clash at the Donbass Arena.

Much of England’s build up has been overshadowed by the Rio Ferdinand saga. The Manchester United defender’s omission from the squad has received plenty of media coverage, with many experts miffed by the decision.

Hodgson has defended his call, saying he has plenty of options in central defence and would not take Ferdinand to Poland and Ukraine to be a bit-part player.

The show must go on without the 33-year-old, as well as the likes of Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry. Wayne Rooney will, of course, miss the first two games as well, leaving Hodgson without a whole host of stars for the France clash.

The England chief will pin his attacking hopes on Ashley Young and captain Steven Gerrard, the man who got England’s 2010 World Cup campaign off to a flyer when he scored early on against USA although the match ended in a 1-1 draw (Euro 2012 outright 12/1).

Much has changed since the debacle in South Africa, with Young one of the most promising players to emerge in the past two years. He has hit five goals in his last seven games and will be England’s main attacking threat in the opener (First Goalscorer 8/1).

France go into the game unbeaten in 21 internationals but do have defensive frailties. Those weaknesses were on display during their final warm-up match against Estonia last week, despite their 4-0 victory.

Add to that France’s recent record in tournaments and England have a real chance. It has been a case of all or nothing for Les Bleus in recent years.

Since winning the World Cup and European Championship back-to-back in 1998 and 2000, France have failed to qualify from the group stage three times but reached the World Cup final in 2006 and the quarters at Euro 2004.

It is fair to say, however, France are a different proposition under Laurent Blanc. During their 21-game unbeaten run they have won 15, including victories over Brazil, Germany and England (Euro 2012 outright France 8/1).

Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema are France’s main threats going forward but concentrate on those two at your peril.

Fans of the Premier League will be familiar with Samir Nasri and Yohan Cabaye, while 21-year-old Yann M’Vila, if fit, could be one of the stars of the tournament.

England will no doubt sit back and let France do all the running, hoping to hit Blanc’s men on the break. It is a dangerous tactic but one England need to employ in the opener if they are to get their tournament up and running with a win.

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Ставки на матч Испания – Италия!

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Футбол. Евро-2012

Испания – Италия. Если бы к Чемпионату Европы присоединить Бразилию и Аргентину, то Чемпионат Мира был быFootball 1 300x199 Ставки на матч Испания Италия! не так и нужен. Почему я так говорю? Именно из-за того, что на Евро интересные матчи начинаются уже с группового этапа, а не с серии плей-офф. Вот и сейчас испанцы сразятся с итальянцами уже на групповой стадии.

Испания 1.80 подходит к турниру в ранге самого главного фаворита, так как команда, которая является Чемпионом Мира и Чемпионом Европы, просто не может им не считаться. Уже сейчас многие прогнозируют финал Испания – Германия, но до этого еще очень далеко, да и я сомневаюсь, что обе эти команды доберутся до финала, но это мое личное мнение.

При том, что Испания обладает лучшими игроками «Барселоны» и мадридского «Реала», она обладает и грузом проблем в своем составе. Основная тема, которая обсуждается журналистами – это конфликт внутри сборной команды, между «сливочными» и «гранатово-синими». И я могу их понять, когда вы весь сезон сражаетесь друг с другом, а после этого вынуждены играть за «одну команду», то это не может не вызывать проблем.

Плюс ко всему, победы на всех фронтах притупляют жажду борьбы. Хави, Иньеста, Серхио Рамос и даже Фернандо Торрес  – эти люди выиграли за последние сезоны все, что только можно, а сейчас им надо защищать титул Чемпионов Европы.

У итальянцев 4.60 совсем другие проблемы. Начнем с того, что на родине у них «полыхает» коррупционный скандал, связанный с договорными матчами. «Заложником» этого скандала стал игрок «Зенита» Доменико Кришито, которого «отцепили» от сборной именно по этой причине.

Даниэле де Росси сообщил прессе, что с 99% вероятностью сыграет в обороне, а не в полузащите, что сразу уменьшает вариативность итальянцев в нападении.

В этой игре % владения мячом испанцев будет зашкаливать. Даже если Италия пропустит первой, она не отойдет от оборонительной тактики. Плюс ко всему, эта игра поможет лучше понять причины поражения итальянцев в товарищеской игре с россиянами.

В матче победят испанцы, вот только вопрос с разгромным счетом или нет…

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  2. «Реал Мадрид» против «Барселоны» – Эль Классико в рамках Кубка Короля! Футбол. Испания. Кубок Короля. Реал Мадрид – Барселона. На моей…
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Spain too strong for Italians

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Defending champions Spain begin the defense of their European crown when they take on an out-of-sorts Italian side in Gdansk on Sunday (Spain 4/5, draw 5/2, Italy 4/1 – Match Betting).

The Spanish head into the competition as one of the heavy favourites – a position they would not have been at all familiar with up until 2008 when they ended their reputation as underachievers by winning the Euros.

Spain’s success has come from the dominance of Barcelona in the club game and the national side is unsurprisingly dotted with a number of stars from the Nou Camp.

Playmakers Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez and Cesc Fabregas are all likely to feature heavily against the Azzurri at the PGE Arena but Spain will still be missing one crucial Barca star.

Striker David Villa has been ruled out of the tournament through injury and head coach Vicente del Bosque will have to look for goals elsewhere, with Fernando Torres, Fernando Llorente (9/2 – First Goalscorer) and Pedro Rodriguez all vying for a starting role.

As for Italy they come into this tournament on the back of a torrid run of form, with the former European powerhouse suffering a 3-0 defeat in their final friendly against Russia before the competition in Poland and Ukraine.

Before that the Azzurri were on the wrong end of 1-0 defeats to both the United States and Uruguay and confidence will not be that high in the Italian camp ahead of their opener with Spain (3/1 – Euro 2012 Outright).

However, write Italy off at your peril, as they still have plenty of experience in their ranks, especially in defence and midfield, with the likes of Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi in the middle of the park and Giorgio Chiellini and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon at the back.

The worry for the for the 2006 World Cup winners will be a lack of goals in attack, with Mario Balotelli (8/1 – First Goalscorer), Antonio Cassano and Antonio Di Natale, in 74 appearances between them, only scoring 20 goals.

Italy always have the ability to keep clean sheets but if they fail to threaten the Spanish defence, which is questionable at times, they will struggle to get their campaign in Group C off to a winning start.

With the Republic of Ireland and Croatia battling in this group as well, the winner of Sunday’s encounter in Gdansk will certainly go a long way in deciding who will go through to the knockout stages of the competition as group winners.

Italy (14/1 – Euro 2012 Outright) have lost only eight of their 29 encounters with Spain, as they have proved difficult to beat against the defending champions, but with the Barca stars in their ranks, del Bosque should be celebrating an opening win in Group C.

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Ставки на матч Германия – Португалия!

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Футбол. Евро-2012.

Германия – Португалия. После вчерашней феерии в исполнении сборной России, мы должны переключитьсяMueller face 1 300x195 Ставки на матч Германия Португалия! на следующие группы. А в них, хочу я вам сказать прямо, с первого тура наступает плей-офф. Это последний турнир на котором Чемпионат Европы будет представлен 16-ю командами. Уже со следующего турнира на Евро будет приезжать по 24-е команды. Хорошо это, или плохо, покажет время, но нынешний формат почти не оставляет места для «проходных» встреч, а следовательно нужно играть на 110% с первых туров.

Вот и этот матч, в котором встретятся Португалия и Германия 2.05 может стать решающим для какой-то из команд. Оба коллектива понимают, что поражение в такой встрече поражение «смерти» подобно. И это не преувеличение, так как в группе «смерти» каждый матч решающий.

Я бы не стал сбрасывать со счетов сборную Дании, так как очень часто от такой «черной лошадки» можно получить сюрприз. Плюс, как не неожиданно это не прозвучало, но у меня есть большие сомнения по поводу выхода из группы немцев. И я могу объяснить почему…

Основная часть сборной германии представлена в «Баварии», а в этом году эта команда потерпела поражения на всех фронтах, и что самое удивительно в чемпионате и кубке их «били» поляки из «Боруссии», а в финале Лиги Чемпионов их обыграли англичане и один, но очень важный ивуариец.

Так что поговорка о том, что в футбол играет 22 человека, а выигрывают немцы, на этом чемпионате может стать пережитком прошлого.

У португальцев 3.70 к этой игре может не восстановиться Нани, но когда у вас в составе есть Криштиану Роналду, то вам не о чем беспокоиться. Этот человек может в одиночку решить исход любого матча.

Вообще в этой группе все решиться в последнем туре, так что надо запастись терпением и наслаждаться футболом.

В этой встрече прекрасно смотрится Тотал Меньше 2.5, так что для всех тех кто не видит очевидного победителя в этой встрече – это практически идеальная ставка.

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Will Irish eyes be smiling?

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The Republic of Ireland get their Euro 2012 campaign underway against Croatia on Sunday (Ireland 13/5, Croatia 6/5, draw 11/5 Match Prices). Fixtures against Spain and Italy follow and so they will probably need to take all three points from this one to stand any chance of reaching the quarter-finals.

The Irish fans have been starved of tournament football for a decade and win, lose or draw, they will be in full voice this summer to lift their heroes in Poland and Ukraine.

And the Irish are not without hope of making it through to the knock-out stage of the competition as they will begin their campaign with a 14-match unbeaten record (Ireland 7/2 To Qualify).

They have also kept 11 clean sheets in that sequence of results and, while goals might be at a premium, opposition teams will find it hard to break down a tough defence.

Shay Given’s recovery from injury is certainly a bonus and it is likely that the Aston Villa keeper will be busy against Croatia and throughout the three group matches.

He will need protection from his back four and much will depend on the experience of Richard Dunne and John O’Shea, with Sean St Ledger and Stephen Ward tipped to start.

Ward has been making all the right noises in the build-up to the Croatia clash and has spoken about how tight their defence has become but they will need to score a goal or two to win and, in Robbie Keane (6/1 First Goalscorer), Giovanni Trapattoni has one of the top marksmen to call upon.

His record at international level is phenomenal and the only question mark surrounds his decision to play in the USA and whether or not he will be as sharp as the European-based marksmen.

Kevin Doyle looks set to partner the former Spurs man up front and he will be more of a provider than a prolific hit-man but would love to add to his 10 international goals.

The midfield will be key to Ireland’s chances as they will be up against talented Croatian schemers, including Spurs’ star Luca Modric.

With the men in green expected to concede the majority of possession to the opposition, the likes of Damien Duff, Aiden McGeady, Keith Andrews and Glenn Whelan will have a lot of defensive work to do in support of the back four and the tournament will be a real test of their fitness and stamina.

Duff will need to be at the top of his game to create chances for the front two and Trapattoni will be hoping he can rediscover the form that made him one of the most sought-after players in the Premier League just a few years ago.

Although Croatia are not the side they were a few years back, they still have enough talent to cause Ireland problems and, in Modric, have one of the best players in Europe.

He pulls the strings for the Balkan state and will need to remain fit and be at the top of his game if Croatia are to reach the last eight.

But Modric is not the only familiar face to British fans as there are several Croatians who ply their trade in the Premier League.

Everton fans know all about Nikica Jelavic (5/1 First/Last Goalscorer), who has been a revelation for the Toffees after arriving in January.

He will be a goal threat on Sunday (Jelavic 9/4 To Score Anytime) and will need to be watched such is his form and prowess in front of goal.

There are concerns over the Croatia defence, however, with Jo Simunic not at his best as he has not been playing regular football.

Former Spurs’ stopper Vedran Corluka, Gordon Schildenfeld and Ivan Strinic look set to complete the back four and there is every chance that Ireland’s front two could profit against these players with decent service.

Another Tottenham old boy, Niko Kranjcar, will be a threat and has the experience of nearly 70 caps to draw on for this clash and beyond.

Captain Darijo Srna has been a regular on the right flank for almost a decade, and is one of the most influential players in the side.

Slaven Bilic has opted to use him on the right side of midfield as opposed to in defence and he will be a constant menace to the Ireland full backs.

A record of 19 strikes in 90 games proves that he is a goal threat and he will need to be marshalled well if the Irish are to win this one.

This has all the makings of a tight game as Ireland will give little away in defence and Croatia may struggle to break them down but both sides may need to win to qualify.

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Germany too strong for Portugal

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Portugal will hope to exact revenge over Germany for their Euro 2008 quarter-final defeat when the two sides kick off their campaigns in this summer’s tournament on Saturday, but they will find it tough going against one of the tournament favourites.

Portugal, 3/1 to beat Germany, were dumped out of the competition at the last-eight stage four years ago and know a defeat in this clash, with tough matches against Holland and Denmark to come, will leave them struggling to make the knockout stage.

They face a much-fancied German outfit (Evens, draw 12/5) in Lviv, with many people tipping a win for Joachim Low’s men to get their tournament challenge off to a positive start and, sadly for Paulo Bento’s side, we see it going the same way.

Germany were written off by some before both the Euros in Austria and Switzerland and the subsequent World Cup in South Africa two years ago but proved once again just how good a tournament side they are by only losing to eventual winners Spain in both competitions.

This time around and no-one is making the mistake of underestimating a squad that contains the talents of Mesut Ozil, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Muller, Mario Gomez and Lukas Podolski – to name just five – and they will hope to live up to expectations and be real contenders for the crown this summer.

Portugal, in contrast, only just about made it through to Poland and Ukraine via the play-offs and finished behind fellow group members Denmark in qualifying.

That has predictably led to claims they will struggle in a group containing the quality of Holland and Germany while the lack of a top centre-forward has been cited as one of the reasons why an early exit could loom.

The likes of Nelson Oliveira, Hugo Almeida and the experienced-but-inconsistent Helger Postiga do not exactly strike fear into opposition defenders, but there is real quality elsewhere in the camp.

Cristiano Ronaldo (5/1 to score first/last) is the obvious talisman and, if he produces his dazzling best, the Real Madrid man’s individual brillance can sometimes win games on its own. Premier League stars Nani and Raul Meireles are also impressive performers and, it it all clicks, they might just spring a surprise.

A victory over Germany on Saturday would certainly be one but, as Podolski has predicted, we see this going Germany’s way and the striker’s prediction of a 2-0 win also looks good value at 8/1.

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