Euro 2020 Qualifying Predictions > Oct 8th

[StevieDay1983]

The 2020 European Championship Qualification Play-Off Semi-Finals take place this week. Plenty of teams still left in the race to reach the finals next summer. Give us any predictions you have for these matches coming up this week! 

[StefanBB]

Scotland vs Israel

Scotland has been in good form recently, and they are enjoying a positive streak. The hosts topped the UEFA Nations League Division C, and interestingly, they have been in the same group as their rivals. However, Steve Clarke’s side didn’t manage to book the EURO ticket through the main qualifiers, as they finished third, behind Belgium and Russia. However, Ryan Christie and the lads improved their game lately, and on the last five occasions, they missed the chance to win only once. Scotland opened the new Nations League campaign by snatching four points from two rounds, including the victory over the Czech Republic away from home. Nevertheless, the stake is very high this time, and the hosts need another good display that can bring them just one step away from the final tournament.

Israel finished second in the previous UEFA Nations League campaign, behind their next opponents. The visitors cannot be proud of their latest form as they haven’t celebrated a victory four times in a row. Willi Ruttensteiner’s side booked just one win in the last nine occasions, and they definitely need to improve their performances in order to qualify for EURO. Israel had a very disappointing campaign in the qualifiers, as the away side finished fifth in the group, just above Latvia. Although Eran Zahavi and the lads were pretty efficient, their poor defense ruined their chances to challenge the second spot. It is going to be their second trip to Scotland in a bit more than a month, and last time, they managed to remain undefeated.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction

This is a significant game for both sides, as they can get one step closer to the final tournament. Scotland is in a better form lately, and although they failed to beat their opponent in September, we believe they are going to meet the expectations this time.

Goals Market Prediction

Both sides are doing well in the front, while they have certain difficulties in the backline. The nets didn’t remain still in the last three games at Hampden Park, and we are going to follow the tradition.

Scotland to win @ 2.00

BTTS Yes @ 1.90

Correct score 2:1 @ 9.00

Source: https://www.bat-bet.com/scotland-vs-israel-betting-tips-predictions-match-previews-uefa-nations-league/

[allyhibs]

Agree completely @BrandNew, I wouldn't bet on Scotland with someone else's money. If I was forced to bet on this game it would be on under goals, I don't think this'll be an entertaining goal fest, 1 goal either way could win it.

[allyhibs]

42 minutes ago, BrandNew said:

It annoys me when the media/commentators/some fans throw around things like ‘3 wins in a row’ or ‘5 matches unbeaten,’ trying to claim we’re improving, when in reality that’s made up entirely of meaningless matches, lower ranked teams (including San Marino), and the Czech Republic’s makeshift team. Any decent opposition would still take us apart, like Belgium and Russia did, home and away.

Yeah, it's been really disappointing since Clark came in, we look terrible, the players don't look like they're buying into his methods. Still can't believe we got a result against the Czech C team, they were miles better than us.

[StevieDay1983]

Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Northern Ireland

The 2020 European Championship qualification play-offs start tonight. It's a bit of a melee but let's try to get to the bottom of it with this first preview covering Bosnia-Herzegovina versus Northern Ireland in a 7:45pm BST kick-off in the Path D Semi-Final from Stadion Grbavica in Sarajevo. The winners of this tie will face the winners of Slovakia versus Republic of Ireland.

Bosnia-Herzegovina have struggled for decent form over the past couple of years. Head coach Dusan Bajevic has been in charge of the national team since December 2019 with the team experiencing a 1-1 draw with Italy away and a 2-1 defeat at home to Poland in the UEFA Nations League. The performances have been brave but it's still no wins under Bajevic's management. However, the Bosnians have only lost 3 of their last 20 matches at home and did also claim two victories over Northern Ireland as recently as in 2018.

Northern Ireland are still adapting to life after Michael O'Neill. It's not been the easiest of transitions with the Green and White Army snatching a 1-1 draw away to Romania in Ian Baraclough's first game in charge before suffering a humiliating 5-1 defeat at home to Norway. Away form is a concern for the Northern Irish with the team having won just 3 of their last 14 away matches. The two losses against Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2018 will only make this more a psychological test. It's difficult to call if we'll see the Northern Ireland that played Romania turn up or the one that got trounced by Norway.

International matches are hard enough to call these days without the added complications of a lack of competitive matches being played over the past year and both sides coming into this game with managers that have only had a limited amount of match experience with their teams. Bosnia-Herzegovina are the solid favourites for this one and I have to say that it's hard to argue against that outcome against a Northern Ireland team that will need some time adjusting to life under Baraclough.

Bosnia-Herzegovina to Win @ 1.75 with Betfair

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.70 with Betfair

[StevieDay1983]

Scotland vs Israel

The 2020 European Championship qualification play-offs are once again our focus for this 7:45pm BST kick-off between Scotland and Israel that is scheduled to take place at Hampden Park. These two nations are well-acquainted with each other with this being the fourth time they'll have played each other in the last 2 years with one more fixture scheduled for later in the UEFA Nations League.

Scotland continue to drift through their current Steve Clarke regime. As you can see from this thread, the Scottish fans aren't exactly overly optimistic right now. It's now 5 matches unbeaten for the Scots but, as has been mentioned above, the opposition has been an severely weakened Czech Republic, Israel, Kazakhstan, Cyprus, and San Marino. Hardly worth shouting from the rooftops. Even with those recent opponents, Scotland have only managed 1 clean sheet in their last 10 games. If Clarke can address those defensive issues then they stand every chance here.

Israel aren't the team of previous qualification campaigns that would be a stern wall of an opposition. Outside of Eran Zahavi and Manor Solomon the team is short of any real big names that teams would be wary of. It's just 1 win in their last 9 matches and their previous meeting with Scotland only happened a month ago in the UEFA Nations League when it ended in a 1-1 draw at Hampden Park. The fact that Israel have now gone 5 games on the road without a win shows you this is a team that isn't exactly experiencing that winning feeling on their travels.

I'm in no doubt this is definitely not going to be a classic encounter. Neither of these two teams are brimming with confidence. Yes, Scotland have got a good recent win ratio but the standard of opposition shows you that isn't a surprise. Israel have hardly put wins together recently either. Both teams scored in 7 of the last 8 Israel matches and both teams also scored in the last three meetings between these two sides. I wouldn't be surprised if this ended in another draw with both teams scoring. I fear we could see heartache for Scotland though.

Draw @ 3.33 with VBet

BTTS @ 1.85 with William Hill

[StevieDay1983]

Slovakia vs Republic of Ireland

The final 2020 European Championship qualification play-off game we're previewing is the 7:45pm BST clash between Slovakia and Republic of Ireland at the Stadion Tehelne pole in Bratislava. The winners of this game will face-off against the winners of the match-up between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Northern Ireland in the highly-anticipated play-off final next month.

Slovakia experienced a disappointing Euro 2020 qualification campaign having previously qualified for the 2016 edition. Head coach Pavel Hapal saw his team narrowly miss out to Croatia and Wales in their group. Just 1 win from their last 6 games tells us this isn't a team going through a rich vein of form. Just 2 defeats in their last 8 matches at home is evidence they're a tough team to break down on their own turf. I remember when Wales played them in qualification for Euro 2020 and we ground out a dogged 1-1 draw but it wasn't easy.

Republic of Ireland have started life under head coach Stephen Kenny in typically laborious fashion. Only 1 win in their last 6 matches isn't great form and less than 2.5 goals have been scored in 21 of the last 23 Republic of Ireland international matches. It's clear that the Boys in Green have turned themselves into a tricky side to beat on the road though having drawn 5 of their last 7 away matches. Under 2.5 goals have also been scored in 12 of their last 13 matches on the road so don't expect this one to create too many thrills and spills.

OK, so this isn't going to be a classic. Neither side have exactly won any awards for entertainment over recent years. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw Slovakia and Republic of Ireland grind out a dull 0-0 draw. You try looking around for one team to have an edge but it seems they're both short on form, lacking confidence, and struggling to score goals. Yeah, this could be a boring one!

Draw @ 3.10 with Bet365

BTTS No @ 1.67 with SpreadEx

[allyhibs]

6 hours ago, BrandNew said:

Clarke.

I don’t blame him, or whichever poor soul is unlucky enough to land the job, we just don’t have the defenders or attackers to compete at a level required to qualify for major tournaments.

I agree, I don't necessarily blame Clarke, it's a thankless task being Scotland manager, it's just his character is rather dour and negative, just like his football. In the Czech game, his experiment with McTominay at the back clearly failed, he is just not a defender, if he plays him there again tonight he loses my support. The group of players at the moment are strong in midfield, ridiculously strong at left back and that's about it, until we can find a striker and centre half then we just can't compete against the better countries. Who knows, maybe they're both at my team (Porteous and Nesbit).

Edited October 8, 2020 by allyhibs

[allyhibs]

I don't believe it, McTominay starts at the back, absolutely clueless from Clarke.

Edited October 8, 2020 by allyhibs