Friday’s Football Bet of the Day see’s me focus on the European World Cup Qualifiers, with me picking out a double that pays just over even money.
Cyprus vs Croatia
🇪🇺 Europe – World Cup Qualifier
⏰ Friday 8th October, 19:45
2018 World Cup runners up Croatia travel to the AEK Arena to take on Cyprus. Croatia are above Russia on goal difference at the top, while Cyprus lie bottom, below Malta on goal difference.
It’s been a disappointing campaign so far with Cyprus with them bottom of the group, collecting four points from their first six matches. Whilst defeats at home to Russia and away to Slovakia may not be a surprise, a 3-0 defeat to Malta would’ve been really hard to take for the Cypriots. A big problem for Cyprus is their lack of goals, scoring only a solitary goal. That means Cyprus have failed to score in 5/6 games, including all four defeats. All four of Cyprus’ defeats have seen fewer than four goals, including a 1-0 defeat in the reverse fixture.
After an opening day defeat to Slovenia, Croatia have bounced back to win four of their next five fixtures to take them to 13 points and top of the group. In those five matches, Croatia didn’t concede a single goal, with only Denmark having a better defensive record during the European qualifiers so far. All four of Croatia’s victories have seen fewer than four goals, with them winning to nil in all four also.
Estonia vs Belarus
🇪🇺 Europe – World Cup Qualifier
⏰ Friday 8th October, 19:45
Belarus travel to Tallinn to take on Estonia at the A Le Coq Arena. Both these sides will likely be battling to avoid finishing bottom of the group, with Belarus currently holding a two point advantage over their opponents.
Estonia grabbed their first point of the campaign last time out with a 0-0 draw in Cardiff to frustrate Wales. That is the first time Estonia hadn’t scored or conceded in the campaign, with both sides scoring in their previous three fixtures. Prior to that, Estonia had scored six goals, scoring twice on each occasion but still failed to collect a point. That’s due to a poor defensive record, with them conceding a whopping 15 goals.
Belarus failed to pick up a point during the last international break but only lost all three matches by a solitary goal. A pair of 1-0 defeats to both Czech Republic and Belgium and an agonising 2-3 defeat to Wales in which Gareth Bale completed his hat trick in stoppage time means Belarus are still stuck on three points. However, those three points did come in the corresponding fixture as they ran out 4-2 winners at home to Estonia.
Bet of the Day
Croatia will look to continue their quest for qualification and should defeat the groups bottom side Cyprus. Croatia don’t tend to score too many goals and with their strong defensive record so far in qualifying doubled up with a Cyprus side who struggle to score goals badly, I’m happy to add in under five match goals along with a Croatia victory. Estonia and Belarus will be desperate to avoid finishing bottom in the group and know this is their best chance of collecting points. With both sides not being defensively sound and with what’s on the line, like in the first meeting, I’m expecting goals with at least two being scored.
- Croatia to win & under 4.5 goals
- Estonia vs Belarus – over 1.5 goals
- Double Pays 43/40 (Bet Victor)
In December 2020 we sadly 
