Friday night’s football action focuses around the first leg of the League One semi-final play-off as Stevenage host Sheffield United. United are fancied by most to follow their city rivals Wednesday into the Championship but can they justify favouritism?
This is the post-season that the Blades probably did not want, having spent so much time in the top two in League One only to falter late in the game and surrender the initiative to Sheffield Wednesday – who took great delight in obliging.
Danny Wilson’s men only lost one of their last 12 matches in the regular season but the last three games proved their undoing – starting with losing at MK Dons on April 21.
United still had the chance of automatic promotion but could only draw their last two games to finish three points behind Wednesday and in the dreaded play-offs.
In theory, Wilson’s charges have been handed the easier last-four clash as they take on the side that finished sixth in the table, courtesy of a better goal difference.
However, one of those late draws was suffered at the hands of the Boro, who had actually gone 2-0 up in the Bramall Lane fixture, only to be denied the three points by an 85th-minute equaliser.
Gary Smith’s men may well be the outsiders to triumph at Wembley, but they can take plenty of confidence into the play-offs against United, not least because of that recent draw.
Stevenage also won the fixture at Broadhall Way earlier in the season so should be relishing the play-off match-up as they go into Friday’s fixture having lost just one of their last 16 games.
The hosts have also made Broadhall Way something of a fortress, having lost just three times at home, and they have been installed as the favourites at 11/8 to win the first leg, with United priced at 2/1 and the draw is on offer at 9/4.
In fact, the Boro have only been beaten nine times this season in the league, but the big problem for Smith and his men is finding ways to win – the club has been held to 19 draws this season, 10 of which came in the last 16 games of the season and seven of those were in March.
However, a 3-0 win over Bury to ensure a play-off place as well as their season record against the Blades, who will be the side suffering the weight of expectation, should set them up well for the first leg – especially with the home crowd behind them.
The goals have been spread around among the Stevenage players with Chris Beardsley, Luke Freeman and Michael Bostwick scoring seven, while captain Mark Roberts has chipped in with six and may well tempt some at 20/1 to score first, while Scott Laird needs to be considered at 12/1 as he has notched eight times this season.
United have scored plenty of goals this season, but they of course are shorn of top-scorer Ched Evans, although Richard Cresswell (6/1) and Lee Williamson (10/1) have both regularly found the net this term.
The Blades carry an obvious threat having been there or thereabouts for automatic promotion for most of the season, but Stevenage have nothing to lose and will be going all out to secure an advantage to take to Bramall Lane next week.
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даже там их можно иногда потерять. Но, как мне кажется, при Зинэтуле Билялетдинове сборная не позволит себе слабину и уверенно победит датчан.
Birmingham City and Blackpool meet in the second-leg of their Championship play-offs semi-final at St Andrews on Wednesday, where a clash with West Ham United for a spot in next season’s Premier League will be at stake.
Кубка Англии, а сейчас будут вынуждены вновь сыграть друг против друга, но только уже в чемпионате.
Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, two La Liga teams with near-identical coloured shirts, similar names and two of the hottest strikers in Spain, will contest what promises to be a sensational Europa League final in Bucharest on Wednesday.
Liverpool will look for revenge their FA Cup final defeat by Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday when the two sides meet again in the Premier League at Anfield on Tuesday night (Liverpool 11/8, draw 12/5, Chelsea 15/8 – 90 minutes).
After an exciting first leg in Wales on Thursday, West Ham and Cardiff City resume their rivalry on Monday night to see who will make it through to the play-off final at Wembley (West Ham 8/13, draw 13/5, Cardiff 7/2).
There is just one Premier League fixture on Bank Holiday Monday but what a massive game for both Blackburn Rovers and Wigan Athletic as they meet at Ewood Park desperate for the win to aid their survival battle.
After a long and entertaining Premier League season, the teams now have just two games left and Sunday has the potential to be an era-defining day for clubs at both the top and bottom of the league with the likes of Manchester City (1/2 Premier League outright), Manchester United, QPR and Bolton all in action.
можно сказать, что то, для чего приглашался Жозе Моуринью уже осуществлено. Кубок чемпионов Испании по праву принадлежит «сливочным». До последнего матча на «Камп Ноу» еще были разговоры о том, что по дистанции «Реал» может и победит, но в личных встречах «Барса» все расставляет по местам.