Greece,2nd Division 19/03/2007

[panap]

<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Greece - 2nd division<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Ilysiakos Athens – Messiniakos

Pick:X2

This pick is based mainly on team news and secondly on the motivation factor

The hosts certainly do not lack motivation as they are 9 points behind the last promotion spot and this is their last chance to close the gap to 6 points and keep their promotion aspirations alive.What they do lack is personnel as there will be 9 players missing,their regular keeper along with a regular central defender at the back,plus their 3 first-choise attackers among them.Most of the unavailable players have been missing for quite a while and that is why their recent form in the last matches is 2w-2d-6l scoring 7 and conceding 13 goals.Despite all these losses they sound determined to fight and they are expected to do so.

The visitors are a poor team which is reflected in their league position,second from the bottom of the table,4 points away from the first non-relegable position.Their form in the last 10 is 2w-3d-5l with 6-14 goals.In their last 4 games though won twice at home,picked 1 point away and lost their last away fixture.They come at full strength and realising they absolutely have to get a least a point against such a badly hit opponent

The hosts are a superior team,no doubt about that,their motivation cannot be questioned either,but it is clear by now they have been affected by the number and the quality of the missing players.On the other hand is well known that fighting for survival can raise motivation to the highest level.I believe the visitors have very good chances to get at least a draw.

Odds for the away win have dropped from around 4.75 this morning to around 3.5 by now.Sportingbet are offering live betting for this game with a chance to early cash-in if it goes our way.

[panap]

Re: Greece,2nd Division 19/03/2007 Slow,boring game,heading straight to splitting points.Visitors should have never scored,they woke up opposition and left empty handed(just like myself...):)