BELGIUM could be on a revenge mission when they welcome Czech Republic in their latest World Cup qualifier on Sunday night.
Roberto Martinez's men currently occupy top spot in Group E but the only blemish on their record so far came in the reverse fixture which ended in a 1-1 draw.
The Red Devils head into Sunday's fixture with a three point lead over the Czechs, after eventually running out 5-2 winners in Estonia on Thursday night.
Another success on Sunday night would put Belgium firmly in the driving seat to win the section but they could face a stern test from a Czech Republic team that exceeded expectations at Euro 2020.
Following a promising group campaign, Jaroslav Silhavy's side surged to the quarter-finals of Euro 2020, most notably pulling off a huge scalp in the round of 16 when they sent the Netherlands packing.
What's more, the Czechs have made a strong start in their quest to qualify for Qatar, with Thursday's 1-0 win over Belarus keeping them within just three points of Group E pacesetters Belgium.
Outright Betting
Belgium are unbeaten at home since September 2016 and the hosts are heavily fancied here at 7/17 with SBK.
Czech Republic have triumphed in two of the last six meetings between these nations but the visitors are 38/5 (SBK) outsiders here while the draw is also deemed unlikely at 38/10 (SBK) with the same bookmaker
Betting Angles
Among the favourites to finish as the Premier League's top goalscorer, Romelu Lukaku is a backable 4/5 (UniBet) shot to get on the scoresheet on Sunday night.
Fresh off the back club-record transfer back to Chelsea, Lukaku is playing at the peak of his powers, as demonstrated by his quick start to life back in the English top-flight.
The powerful forward has found the back of the net a staggering 49 times across his last 47 international appearances, becoming his country's all-time top scorer in the process.
That breath-taking goal return does not bode well for a Czech backline that have failed to bag a clean sheet in each of their last five World Cup qualifying road trips.
What's more, the Belgian goal-getter made the net bulge in the reverse fixture in Prague and after notching in Estonia on Thursday night, he is a tempting play to repeat the trick this weekend.
There is no doubt that Belgium boast one of the best groups of players on the planet but their ageing defence perhaps represents their Achilles heel and with that in mind, I was pleasantly surprised to see a solitary Czech Republic goal on Sunday priced up at 4/5 with Bet 365.
Indeed, Jaroslav Silhavy's side are a stubborn outfit, but they have scored in five of their last six meaningful matches whilst Belgium's backline has been breached in 10 of their last 18 outings, with lowly Estonia bagging a brace against the Red Devils in midweek.
The Czechs have demonstrated over the last few years that they can give the big boys a bloody nose if underestimated and the 4/5 (Bet 365 ) quote on them to strike on Sunday that just looks a little bit too big to me.
This World Cup match between Belgium and Czech Republic will be played on Sep 5, 2021 and kick off at 19:45. Check below for our tipsters best Belgium vs Czech Republic prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
