Macedonia to beat Armenia @ 1.57 7:00pm kick off
Macedonia have won 5 of their last 6 home games, the one blot on the copybook being a 3-2 defeat to WC champions Spain in a thriller. They lost away to Slovakia 1-0 at the weekend and need to win this game to have any chance in the group. They defended well at the weekend and though they narrowly lost, they can take a lot from the game, against a decent team. Tonight they change tactics, the manager has publicly stated that he`s watched Armenia several times and they have huge defensive problems when attacked for long spells - they lose concentration, and he plays a 4-3-3 formation in an attempt to get goals against a very limited defensive outfit , who have lost 5 of their last 6 away games and managed to score just 1 goal. Armenia will sit back and defend, thats a gimme, and I fully expect Macedonia to break through at some point and probably win convincingly. The only 2 games between these teams in the last 20 years were in 2005 in Armenia ,resulting in a 2-1 Macedonian win, and in 2006 in Macedonia, resulting in a 3-0 win for Macedonia. The 1.57 is very favourable compared to the other books who are 1.50 and even the exchanges who are 1.56.
Czech Republic to bt Lithuania @ 1.28 7:15pm kick off
The Czechs are on the up ,and have won their last 2 games 4-2 and 4-0 against the USA and Latvia, and never looked troubled in either game. They play a 4-2-2-2 system with Baros and Fenin in attack, which clearly works a treat. Rosicky has passed a fitness test and will play tonight. The stadium in Olomouc has been sold out for weeks, and the atmosphere will be red hot as the Czechs try to get their quaifying campaign off to a flyer. They had a great U21 team a few years ago, and those players are now starting to come through to replace the old brigade - just like happened years ago when the likes of Koller and Nedved etc came through. They have a good mix now of youth and experience, and though they had a bad spell as age caught up on the old crop of players, this current team will only get better and is going places given time.
Anyone who saw Lithuania play Scotland at the weekend will see how very limited they really are, and that was in Lithuania - they`re appaling away from home, very limited and rarely threatening the oppositions goal. The Lithuanian forums say they`ll have a public holiday to celebrate should they manage a goal tonight !! The 1.28 isnt the best price around given the 1.32 at the exchanges and plenty of 1.30 at other books but it is acceptable tp puch the double just over 2.00
20 points double @ 2.02 with Corals
Grim
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