CROATIA v GREECE
UEFA EURO 2012
Tuesday, September 7th, 2010, 7:30pm GMT

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Who remembers Davor Sukor?

CROATIA

Croatia come into this after a 3-0 beating of Latvia. And now they will have Luka Modric available for this game to make it 2 wins from 2 and set them up nicely in their Euro 2012 campaign.

Slaven Bilic has revealed that he thought Latvia would pose the toughest threat for his side in the away game. As it turned out, his boys were more than up to the task, and ran away comfortable winners.

That will do wonders for the confidence of the side, as they now return home to familiar surroundings, with home fans everywhere, to take on a Greek side that has not really performed well since the won Euro 2004 in Portugal.

Bilic has a side which lives by their attacking prowess and unleashed, I fear Greece will find themselves down early and with now way back.

England famously lost to Croatia in the qualifying of the last Euro 2008 tournament, so we all know this side can play with the best. Greece have done nothing since fluking this tournament on home soil 8 years ago. I would not expect them to trouble the Croatians too much.

GREECE

Greece had to come from behind to draw 1-1 with Georgia despite being at home and favoured to win. And here's the kick in the teeth, Nikos Spyropoulos who scored the equaliser, will not travel to croatia due to a knee injury. Ma. La. Ka.

Fernando Santos, the new coach of the 2004 EURO champs (I still can't believe it), will have to pick his side from a bunch of names that mostly ply their trade at Panathinaikos, Greece's best side. There is also Avraam Papadopoulos, of Olympiacos, and I mention him only because I like his name. Papa. Dopoulos. Papadopoulos.

But seriously, young Panathinaikos midfielder Sotiris Ninis and Olympiacos striker Kostas Mitroglou came on as substitutes in the last game against Georgia, and the side performed better with them in it.

I expect them to both start, and would keep an eye on Kostas, as he looked quite sharp in the last match when narrowly missing what would have been a late winner.

Greece are not an offensively skilled side, much like the clubs within their domestic league.

BETTING VERDICT

Croatia are at home and are the stronger side. They might have to fight a bit, but the chances of a draw are too small for me, and the side has a ruthless mentality of going for it, no matter how good the opposition.

Well, in this case, the opposition ain't that good, so have at it lads.

Take Croatia to win.

The Statistics :

The Pick :

Croatia to win

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

Take Croatia to win @ 1.65 - main bet

HANDICAP BETTING :

Try Croatia -1 @ 2.05 (Bet365)