Euro 2016
2015-03-28 - Netherlands vs Turkey
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: Euro 2016 Qualifier
Saturday 28 March 2015 Kick Off 7:45pm
Netherlands
After all of the success that the Netherlands had at the World Cup last summer, most would have expected them to breeze through this section against teams they had seen off to qualify for Brazil 2014. Louis Van Gaal may have departed, but Guus Hiddink was a top replacement and the Orange-clad army would have gone into this set of qualifiers with a lot of confidence.
That confidence was quickly burst thanks to a defeat in the Czech Republic in a game where the Netherlands were awful in front of goal despite the chances that came their way. Two home wins over the first two teams in the Group have sandwiched another surprise away defeat at Iceland and the pressure is on the Netherlands to win this game and keep tabs on the top two teams in the section.
The Netherlands are currently 3rd in the Group and are 3 points behind Iceland and a further 3 behind the leaders Czech Republic, although the top two teams automatically qualifying still makes Holland the favourites to get through. It has also been tough work for Holland since the end of the World Cup as they have lost 4 of their last 6 games, although the Netherlands have now won their last 17 home qualifiers going back to March 2007.
Robin Van Persie misses out for the Netherlands.
Turkey
Over the last twenty years, Turkey had become a feature of major international tournaments but they are now trying to return to one of those tournaments for the first time since 2008. This is a nation that finished Third in the 2002 World Cup and reached the Semi Finals of the European Championship in 2008, but it looks a tall order for them to get to France next year.
Turkey finally got their first win on the board in the Group by beating Kazakhstan in their last set of qualifiers, although it is the failure to beat Latvia and losing to Czech Republic that has given them a problem. In order to have a chance to reach France next summer, you do think Turkey need to get something from this game in the Netherlands or they could already find themselves too far behind to even finish third and earn a Play Off opportunity.
The side had failed to win any of 4 games before the victory over Kazakhstan at home and Turkey had lost 3 of those 4 games. Turkey might have failed to win either away game in this Group so far, but the defeat in Iceland is the only one they have suffered in 5 away qualifiers, while Turkey ended their World Cup qualifying campaign with 3 straight away wins.
Head to Head
The Netherlands and Turkey were in the same World Cup qualifying Group for the 2014 tournament in Brazil and it was Holland that won both games by the same 2-0 scoreline.
Holland have won 3 of their last 4 home games against Turkey.
Prediction
This is a huge game for both the Netherlands and Turkey where the winner will feel their European Championship qualifying campaign is back on track, while the loser would begin to wonder if they are going to make it to France next summer.
It is a bigger game for Turkey, but home advantage should give the Netherlands the edge in the match and I expect they will prove too strong. For all the disappointment of losing to the Czech Republic and Iceland, the Netherlands know destiny is still with them as they host both of those teams later in the Group, while they have won 17 home qualifiers in a row.
Most of those wins have come with some relative comfort and the Netherlands beat Turkey 2-0 at home and away during the World Cup qualifiers for the tournament in Brazil. While they have struggled to match the results they achieved last summer, the Netherlands have been very good at home in these kinds of games and I will back them to win this one with room to spare.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Netherlands 2-0 Turkey
