Euro 2012
2012-06-08 - Russia vs Czech Republic
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: Euro 2012 Group A
Friday 8 June 2012 - Kick Off 7:45pm
This game is live on TV
Preview
Russia are the favourites to win this group and I would be surprised if they failed to live up to those expectations as they bring a lot of the same faces that took them to the Semi Final four years ago. While they haven't kicked on from that impressive tournament, they have qualified for this tournament from a tough section and will be confident they can have a real impact again.
The nation qualified ahead of the Republic of Ireland and Slovakia from their qualifying group and they only lost one of their ten fixtures in that section.
Russia seem to have plenty of goals in their side and that looks like being the difference for them in the group. Where they look like they will score goals, their rivals in the section look like they are going to struggle for consistency in front of goal. The team have some real depth at centre forward, while the experience of four years ago will help them out.
They face the Czech Republic in their first game of the group stage and it has to be said that this is not the same team that were considered dark horses in tournaments that took place in the early part of the 21st Century. They now longer have the likes of Pavel Nedved, Jan Koller and Karel Poborsky have not really been replaced with the same quality.
The Czechs can also consider themselves a little fortunate to have even got to this stage having escaped with a fortunate draw in Scotland that would have seen their rivals finish above them in the qualifying group and prevent the Czech Republic from playing in the Play Offs that sealed their passage here. They only won half of their games in the qualifiers and they don't seem to have the big talents of yesteryear anymore.
Talent does seem to be coming through as they won the Under-21 version of this tournament last year, but this tournament looks a touch early for the Czech Republic and they would do very well to get through to the Quarter Finals let alone anything else.
Head to Head
These two sides have not met in since the turn of the Century.
Prediction
The Russians are the right favourites to win this group in my opinion and I think they are going to start off on the right foot by taking the three points in this one.
Dick Advocaat has made it clear that he is going to set his side up to continue their attacking philosophy and that should bode well in this group, although they have to be a little wary after seeing the Republic of Ireland hold out for a 0-0 draw in the qualifiers despite having a 21-3 shot advantage.
The Czech Republic look a fairly average team that lacks the star quality of the last few years and they have some issues at both ends of the field with the centre backs and forwards looking a little weak. If they cannot keep clean sheets and struggle for goals, that is a perfect recipe for an early exit in the tournament this year and I fear they will be in a tough spot early in the group with a defeat in this game.
I was a little surprised that the Russians have been set at odds against to win this game and I will be backing them to do so.
The Pick :
Russia 2-0 Czech Republic
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back Russia - 0.75 Asian Handicap @ 2.70
