Austria v Germany
Football : Euro 2012 Qualifier
Friday 3 June 2011 - Kickoff 7:45pm
This game is live on TV

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Austria

After hosting the last European Championships in 2008, Austria must have felt they had given themselves a chance of at least making the Play Offs to qualify for Euro 2012 before recent losses have left them in a tough position. Now they must get a result against their near neighbours Germany if they want to keep tabs in Group A.

Austria sit in 4th place in Group A and have picked up 7 points from the 5 matches they have played. They find themselves 8 points behind Germany at the top of the Group, and 3 points behind Belgium in 2nd place, although Belgium have played 1 more game.

The team had beaten Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan at home to open the Group and followed that with an entertaining 4-4 draw in Belgium. However, back to back defeats to Belgium at home and Turkey away have left them in a spot of bother.

Those defeats mean they have lost 4 games in a row, including 2 friendlies. The two home wins over Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are the only 2 Austria have achieved in their 6 in Vienna. Austria have lost the other 4 and only scored 1 goal in those games.

Germany

Joachim Loew has guided Germany through troubled waters over the last few years and his introduction of a younger generation reaped rewards in the last 2 international tournaments. They reached the Final at Euro 2012 and were Semi Finalists at the World Cup last Summer. It is no surprise to see Germany as one of the favourites for this tournament next Summer.

The Germans have put themselves in a strong position in Group A after winning their opening 5 games and holding a 5 point advantage over Belgium even after playing a game less.

They have scored 17 goals and conceded just 1 in those games and already have away wins from Belgium and Kazakhstan. Germany have also beaten Turkey, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan at home and it is surprising Azerbaijan as the only team that have scored against them.

Germany beat Uruguay at home on Sunday in a friendly, although they did lose their last friendly to Australia at home. Germany have not conceded a goal in their last 3 away games since returning from the World Cup in South Africa.

Head to Head

Germany last played Austria here in Vienna during Euro 2008 and came away with a 0-1 win.

They have met 4 times in the last decade, the other 3 meetings in friendlies, and Germany have won all 4 games.

3 of those wins came in Austria, and Germany have kept clean sheets in their last 2 visits.

Prediction

I am not a big fan of international matches, especially the qualification period in UEFA where the big teams avoid one another and the odds are there to match.

Germany have proven to be one of the better international sides in world football and I expect they will want to qualify for Euro 2012 as soon as possible. A win here would give them more than a foot into the Finals next Summer.

Austria have struggled for goals in recent years and they have failed to score in their last 2 qualifying games. They face a tough task trying to breach a German defence that has conceded just 1 goal in 5 competitive games, even if the game is in Vienna.

I expect Germany will win this game, but the odds represent that. For a small interest on one of the last live football games for some time, I will back Germany to win to nil at a nice looking 2.4 at Paddy Power.

The Statistics :

The Pick :

Austria 0-1 Germany

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back Germany to win to nil @ 2.40 Paddy Power (1 UNIT)

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