Fixtures - 7th June

[trickrick]

Well it starts shortly...

17:00 Switzerland (15/8) Draw (9/4) Czech Republic (9/5)
19:45 Portugal (4/5) Draw (38/15) Turkey (32/7)

(Best odds from Oddschecker)

Ok, I know that one of the hosts kick off the game and I'm sure they don't want to put up a poor performance, but to be fair I fancy the Czech Republic to go far.. Switzerland's warm up has been a tad dodgy. They have won their last 2 warm ups (although Slovakia and Liechstenstein arent the best guide sticks) but before that they lost their last 5 friendlies.... The Czechs are a quality side and have rolled over all the teams in their qualifying group including Germany way, so I suprised at the odds.. I am going to take favourable odds on the zero ball handicap, just because I am afraid of the host team first game syndrome... However the Czech should win..

I also expect a closer game than expected in the next game. Ronaldo and co are expected to win with ease, but I aint convinced, and although Turkey havent qualified with ease, neither have Portugal an therefore the +0.75 asian on Turkey is nicely appealing @ 1.875

[slick]

Off the cuff I'd say Portugal and Czech Republic from previous tourny form but have to admit i don't know much about the sides apart from Portugal who we all know have some class players, first round games are usually tricky affairs so I'd advise anybody to tread carefully and just watch how each team progresses through the first couple of rounds and get a feel of the quality they possess.

[Winrew]

Not expecting a high scoring game between the Swiss and Czechs.
Going for the Unders @ 1/2
Fancy the draw in the other match @ 5/2.

From the BBC.....

Head-to-heads
Portugal and Turkey have met each other on six previous occasions with Portugal winning five times and Turkey once. Portugal have won all four competitive fixtures between the two countries. This will be their third meeting at a European Championship - Portugal won a group phase match 1-0 in 1996 and a quarter-final match 2-0 in 2000.

Head-to-heads
Switzerland and Czech Republic have met each other on 30 occasions with the Czechs emerging victorious 16 times and the Swiss triumphing in eight instances. The last meeting between these nations was a friendly in the Czech Republic on 18 August 1999, which was won 3-0 by the hosts. Jan Koller opened the scoring in that match. Tomas Galasek also played for the Czechs.

[Dodger777]

There seems to be a fair old comment about the ball that's being used in this competition and how its going to make it tricky for the keepers ..I guess it will be to much to hope for a goalfest for us neutrals but all the same I'm going to keep away from the unders till I see how the ball flys

[Winrew]

Cech and Lehmann are in the papers moaning about it ( the ball ).
So keeping away from the Unders could be a good shout Dodger

[XFX]

Not sure why they have to introduce magical new balls at every tourney...

Spoils the game to a certain extent...

[Paolo]

Czechs are better, even without Rosicky. They have superb defense and Koller, Sionko and Baros can score anytime, no matter who of them plays. Switzerland are pretty compact young squad with few experienced players and they will be tough opponent but I`m surely with Czechs. Especially when odds are 2.65 on them.

In second match we all expect sure win for Portugal but Turkey is everything but easy swallow. They will try hard and with fanatical support of their numberous supporters and undisputable quality of Emre, Altintop, Senturk, Nihat, Recber and their experience they could easily go unbeaten from the field. I agree with Winrew and going for the draw there.

Czech Republic - Switzerland 1 2.65
Portugal - Turkey X 3.15

Good luck everyone!

[trickrick]

Nice one Paolo I'm on the Czech's In fact I fancy them enough to stick a few quid on them on the outrights @ 25's (Betfair)

[traeth]

the match has started still 0-0 but i'm also on the Czechs based on the massive difference in the fifa ratings [ i know that i've slagged these ratings in the past , but today they agreed with me , so they are good ...may have a different opinion tomorrow ]

[Winrew]

Well , started with a win ( unders )

[Paolo]

Well, I bet just for fun and today my bets were:

10 Eur on Czechs x 2.65
10 Eur on Portugal x 1.75
4 Eur on draw (Portugal-Turkey) x 3.30
2 Eur on Portugal, Croatia and Germany trebble x 4.99

Not bad.

[likesadabble]

well in paolo good first day! 29 games to go!