Euro 2008 17 Nov

Netherlands v Luxembourg

Now, where Luxembourg are well and truly out of the tournament and Netherlands will qualify by winning this game, one would have to put your money on Netherlands.
The Netherlands know the feeling of real heartache from not qualifying for a major tournament as they failed to appear at the 2006 World Cup.
So I am not denying the fact that they will win, what I will argue is that they (hopefully) will not win by four goals or more. Just as important to the boys in orange will be keeping a clean sheet as well as allowing the likes of Van Nistlerooy and Robin Van Persie to put the ball in the Luxembourg net.
They will play cautiously as well as offensively, they will be happy with a one or two nil lead and I hope they will not be vain enough to through it all away in an attempt at routing the underdogs.
Therefore, if the Netherlands are to put in a sensible performance, as they are all promising the press, then a +3 1/2 goal handicap on Luxembourg seems like a rather generous bet.

Have a one point bet on Luxembourg (+3.5) at odds of 2.1.

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[Luxenbourg lost 1-0]


Germany v Cyprus

Germany are through, no questions asked, they are a far superior side to Croatia and would beat them easily.
Yet the team still have the small matter of FIFA rankings to settle. Now they cannot be the top ranked European team as they will then be unfavourably seeded when the draw for the UEFA cup finals comes about.
Germany showed their ability to lose for this cause when they lost 3-0 to the Czech Republic in their last qualifying game, could they then do the same again to secure them a place even lower down the FIFA rankings?
Well, it is a difficult question although it seems certain that they will not want to perform superbly and put themselves back ahead of France in the rankings by trouncing Cyprus.
So for the feint hearted back Cyprus with a +2 ¼ handicap or for those who believe the Germans really are truly playing for the technicalities a small bet at 27 for a Germany win may well pay off.

A one point bet on Cyprus (+2 ¼) at 1.99 is my favoured punt.


[Germany won 4-0]

Not much other betting I am afraid as the final few games in the Euro qualifiers often offer little incentives for winning and bizarre results can occur.
As an afterthought, however, the Spain v Sweden game may well be very tight, both teams qualify with a win and they are similar in quality. Sweden are topping their group and I could see the game easily going in either direction. Therefore odds of 7.6 on Sweden winning seem pretty generous and they have managed to tempt me into putting a cheeky fiver on such a result.