Greece v Russia, Warsaw, Saturday 7.45pm, live on BBC3
Czech Rep v Poland, Wroclaw, Saturday, 7.45pm, live on BBC1
GROUP A has been more exciting than predicted but as predicted it looks like Russia and Poland to progress.
They’ve been the two best teams on a consistent basis – with the Czech Republic and Greece having their moments.
I reckon Russia will produce some of the opening-game thrills that blew away the Czechs in their final outing with Greece.
And I’m taking co-hosts Poland to spark a party by taking care of the Czechs. So let’s start with Dick Advocaat’s Russia who are a biggest 3-4 with BetVictor to grind down Greece.
The Greeks have been pretty much as we expected – including the under-performing Georgios Samaras – and their one point came after a spirited comeback in the tournament opener against Poland.
However, two goals conceded in the opening six minutes against the Czechs could ultimately sent home.
They couldn’t handle a pretty ordinary attack so will find it tough against the likes of Alexandr Kerzakhov, Roman Pavyluchenko, Alan Dzagoev and Andriy Arshavin.
Young gun Dzagoev has netted in both games so far and is 7-1 at BetVictor to bag the opener but I’ll be on Pavyluchenko if he starts. The ex-Spurs striker is 6-1 at Coral and Ladbrokes.
Greece have conceded all of their goals in the first 17 minutes so look at the opener being scored in first 27 minutes, 17-20 with William Hill.
Poland are 5-4 with Paddy Power and others to seal their spot with a win against the Czechs. We knew the Czechs were poor from qualifying and it jars a bit when you see them in the finals at Scotland’s expense. Poland have won their last six home matches against the Czechs and this can be No.7.
Although when you witness the Irish conceding seven goals in two games you’d have to fear for our boys. While the Czechs lack a top-class striker Poland have one and I’ll be one Robert Lewandowski to score first at 6-1 with unibet.
The Borussia Dortmund striker did the business in the opener against Greece and looked sharp against better opponents in Russia.
Recommendations
Russia
(3-4, BetVictor)
Pavyluchenko
(6-1, Coral, Ladbrokes)
Russia/Poland Group A dual forecast
(7-4, Ladbrokes)
Poland
(5-4, Paddy Power)
Lewandowski to score first
(6-1, unibet)
Resident football tipster at Scotland's most read newspaper, the Daily Record, for over 20 years and proud host of one the best betting communities on the web with daily betting tips.
Mr fixit what do u think of the Czechs or Greece scoring? Cheers mr
John, of the two I’d prefer backing the Czechs to score. Both them and Greece are poor sides but have netted in both their games. However, Russia are clearly the best side in Group A so the Greeks will find it tough.
Russia to win both halfs at 3/1 paddys looks a great shout?
In fact it’s 7/2 paddys and various others, odds are shortening though, it’s as low as 13/8 stan James, this could be the big one!
George, Russia won both halves against the Czechs but lost the second half against Poland. I think they’ll win but the only fear would be if they were leading say 2-0 at half-time and simply played out the second half with the quarter-final in mind. If you do this bet and Russia are leading at half-time you could hedge your bet inrunning on Greece to score or win or draw second half.
What about a goal In both halves (any team) at 4/5 with Coral? Or maybe better 15/8 for Russia to score in both halves.
Paul, I’m assuming that if there is a goal
Before 27 mins then it will most likely be Russia. Instead of taking the 17/20 what about Ladbrokes price of 11/5 for Russia to be winning after 30 mins? I even like the 11/10 for Russia to be winning after 60 mins.
Chris, I like them all to be honest but obviously the goal in the first 27 minutes is the safest one and therefore slightly shorter than 4-5.
dzagoev anytime scorer and russia win 10/3 and lewandowski anytime scorer and poland win 3/1,plus germany win tomorrow 8/11…tenner pays £299 with hughesbet,gotta be worth a punt
Sean, it’s worth a look but remember you are basically doing a fivefold so anything could go wrong. I’m probably going to take Germany to win but a draw may suit them depending on what’s happening at Holland v Portugal.
Sean my friend the same bet returns £337.50 with William hill. Germany are shorter with them at 4/6 but both win casts are enhanced odds of 7/2 therefore give you an extra £38.50 ;-)
Chris, I’ve done well on the last five games so thinking about one big bet for today. Possibly Lewandowski to score first with an anytime bet to cover the stake.
Wot do people think about a big Russian win to nil? I know they’ve conceded in both games so far but Greece have been woeful. I’m thinking 3-0,4-0
Paul Lewandowski a best price of 5/1 first goal. If your going big why don’t you do the 9/2 at Boylesports, refunded if he scores second. Refunded as cash not a free bet. A bit like free insurance.
Or Paul you could bet on Lewandowski first with Ladbrokes and have your bet refunded if he scores last goal. The simple fact they are offering refunds if Lewandowski is prob because they know he will have a good chance to score do they are trying to get you to back someone else.
Ladbrokes offer not as good. Just noticed its refunded as a free bet! Which is not very good as any return would not include your free stake
Chris, too many offers, too many decisions to make. Got nearly nine hours to pick.
Lewandowski 9/1 to score two goals or more with paddy power which is better price than if the double delight comes up. To score 2 only 9/2 with William hill.
Chris, I’ll stick to first and anytime I think. Big ask for a double. Time to take the dug a walk, will log on later.
Psul I just noticed an interesting bet with betfred. They are doing each way betting on a player to be booked 1/5 odds 1,2,3. Would you fancy any players to be booked in either game?
Chris, I’ll have a look at the bookings later.
Paddy Power refunding the usual markets if Lewandowski scores anytime. Porbably makes it worth sticking him on fg with them
All the favourites sitting top of the group. Seen a lot of people (myself included) backed them in an acca. Good price too. Just hope theyre still there on tuesday night. I also done a double with just russia and france.
Agreed joe got £4 roll up on four favs to top groups fingers crossed.
very happy with group winners so far
russia
germany
spain
france
nervous with spanish able to go threw with a draw
Danny, it’s the four I backed at the start too. Think Spain will be OK.
very disappointing with the russians wasting my group winners bet and went reasonably big on kerzhakov
Danny, think we’re all shocked, looks even better for Germany now.
ano Paul done well so far in the euros then tonights set back the germans look very strong they should win it
Danny, Russia going out should be a big boost to the Germans. It looks between them and Spain at the moment. But don’t write off France.
got over £50 thanks to gomez 1st gl and germany winning 2-1 with small stakes so gonna try that again.
russia win + dzagoev 1st gl – £5 5/1
dzagoev outscore gekas – £1 2/1
russia -1 – £1 21/10
russia to win by 3 gls – 50p 9/1
russia 3-0 ht correct score – 50p 33/1
russia race to 10 corners – 50p 9/2
russia -1 1st half – 50p 6/1
russia -1 2nd half – 50p 4/1
all at paddy power
oh, and dzagoevs ma captain in fantasy so hopefully bangs a few in before half time.
* russia win and dzagoev anytime
Just to let everyone know that you can get 7/2 the double on Russia and Poland to win tonight, but it’s only available with Ladbrokes Mobile. Get On!
Russia/Russia HT/FT is worth a shot. It’s around 2/1
Paul what you reckon Russia -2 goals at 11/2? Or would you do -1 goal.
Chris, I’m happy with just to win at 3-4 if you can still get it. They don’t need to win by anymore so -2 might be asking too much. Minus one has a decent chance though.
Chris, going out my boy to hit a few balls and have a think a bit more about tonight. I don’t do a lot of crazy, speculative bets but I’m thinking about singles and a double on Lewandowski and Pavyluchenko to score first (if he starts). Pays 41-1 and over a grand to me if I do the bet. If I do it and it comes up I’ll do the same as last night and give away the £25 stake on an inrunning competition.
For any1 whos interested opened up a boylesports account last night. Deposited £20 and put it on benzema first scorer(lost) but boylesport matched my first deposit with £40 worth free bets. Its an offer on just now.
The double chance double I put on for France (win or draw) and England (win or draw) last night is a very, very slightly better price for the same thing with Russia and Poland tonight. Thinking about staking the same £80 again tonight. Returns £133.
Paul are you mad hitting the ball about with your son. Is it a beach ball your kicking around on
The beach in Spain lol. It’s heavy pissing of rain in Dumbarton :-(
Chris, OK back and ready to go. Was down at the World of Golf at Clydebank so rain didn’t matter. But would rather be in Spain or my favourites courses in France.
Paul another bet I like to do is to pick two players and do 4 x first/last scorer doubles ie first first, last last, first last, last first. Especially with strikers it’s great as if only one goal in both games your 4 doubles are up. Might put it in those two players also Paul.
4 x £5 doubles. Each double returns £210. Think I’d prob do 4 x £12.50 doubles which will return £525 per double. It’s a good bet cos your bet lasts the full 90 mins and you get super excited when your first player comes up.
Chris im gonna have a wee try at that bet with khirzokov and lewandowski.
Glad to see you’ve got the same idea about tonights games as I do Paul! Had £50 on England France double yesterday, got £225 back. Got the free £50 tonight on Russia Poland double, 3/1. Heading to westfields casino tonight, so hopefully last night was start of a gambling hot streak for me, Ihighly unlikely!!!
Luke, backed the double last night and on it the same as you again tonight although not quite as confident.
Just waiting for team line up Joe. If My man doesn’t start I’ll be backing kerzhakov also
Kherzakov starts
Joe, I thought they might give him a break. I can’t back him after all his misses so it’s a big single on Lewandowski.
no rosicky for czechs, all the better for russia poland double, only last 1.50 in account tho for £6 odds
18:55Czech Republic: Petr Cech; Theodor Gebre Selassie, Michal Kadlec, Tomas Sivok, David Limbersky; Petr Jiracek, Tomas Hubschman, Jaroslav Plasil, Vaclav Pilar; Daniel Kolar; Milan Baros /// Poland: Przemyslaw Tyton; Lukasz Piszczek, Marcin Wasilewski, Damien Perquis, Sebastian Boenisch; Jakub Blaszczykowski, Dariusz Dudka, Eugen Polanski, Ludovic Obraniak; Rafal Murawski; Robert Lewandowski.
CHRIS GUY BETS ;-)
£100 Lewandowski first goal
£50 Lewandowski last goal
£100 kherzakov first goal
Lewandowski and Kherzakov first/last scores
4 x £12.50 Doubles.
Poland 1-0, 2-0 and Russia 1-0, 2-0
4 x £5 doubles.
If any of my first goal scorers come in I’d like to match mr Fixits generosity by offering £25 to me Fixits £25. Make sure it’s a tough one mr fixit. I’ll let mr fixit pick the contest and mr fixit can decide the winner. Good luck to everyone.
Chris, pies are in the oven, my favourite beer is chilling and all we need to kickstart the party is a Lewandowski goal. And that’s not a Dylan song.
I know fingers crossed
One sitter missed, let’s hope he gets another.
Picks posted paul
good luck everyone! i need russia to win both halves!
Absolute disaster with Russia
Has Kerzakhov had any chances?
Donr know mate not watching
Kerzhakov was horrendous. Hooked at HT. Really not looking like a good night so far
Unbelievable 100% profit for bookies tonight. Bookies will be waking up smiling, I’ll be waking up with a financial hangover
Went 200 quid down in first few days, managed to get back even after last night…
Now am back to 200 down!
Think Russia had everyone fooled after 1st game…
Andy, although I backed Russia and Poland my only big bet was on Lewdanowski and what a chance he missed early doors. Put a bit on the Czechs in running after that because they took over and completely dominated the last hour or so. Lost a bit tonight but could have been much worse because I didn’t totally trust the Poles.
Yep I lost a fortune
Chris, watched Poland and they were awful, seems Russia were just as poor. Can’t believe Russia have gone out and the Czechs have won the group. What a strange game and we won’t be seeing a poor bookie this weekend.
This group finished upside down!!
Joe, we should get our money back for that.
All i can say is I am stunned!! Never in a million years did a think czech and greece go through. Greece are garbage.
David, the Czechs were OK tonight but Poland really poor, looked nervy from early on. If Greece are garbage how bad are Russia. Full of talent but started to believe the hype I think. They thought they were through after the first game. Lucky for Advocaat he’s leaving or he’d be down a salt mine.
think everybody who went big on germany to at least make the semi’s moneys safe, same with whoever finishes second. russia were tryin wee slick passes against 10 defenders and never really got anywhere. samaras at left back tae, dont hink mulgrews got anyhing to worry about tho
Logged into my Paddy Power account there, to see my balance was less than it was after i had placed my bets this afternoon(like everyone else my bets had lost).
…further inspection led to seeing two bets placed both in-play during the second half of the Russia game, which i did not place…Russia to win and Russia -1. Now i do place some strange bets but fcuk me i was watching the game!!
I notice in the bet history there is a difference of how the bets were placed from the usual two that appear on every other bet i have placed.
I have spoke to live chat and i await them getting back to me.
Has anyone ever experienced anything at all like this??
Tommo, not heard anything like that exactly but with so many bets being placed there is a chance of mistakes. Hopefully Paddy Power will accept the bets were placed differently. If not email your details to me at [email protected] and I’ll get someone at the firm to investigate further.
Cheers for that!!
Wow, what a night! Poland/Russia gettin turned over, majority peoples group bets are down at first hurdle. And to top It off, night at casino cut very short! More time spent on road than actually in casino! Off to bed I go in hope Sunday will be a better day!!
Luke, like u Russians and Poles heading home. Crazy stuff.
How can a team who were lucky to get through at Scotlands expense lose 4-1 first group game get through to next round? We will never beat the bookie
Kev, we can only but try. There will always be freak results although to be fair the Czechs beating Poland, two poor teams, wasn’t the biggest surprise. But Greece winning was because until now they looked worse than the Czechs.
I agree Paul, if making money out of this was easy then everybody would do it!!
Lewandowski i was sure would get first goal, he looked biggest threat, until about 30mins in then he didnt get any service.
Other bets that let me down were a double on both teams to score in both games.
I think today may be another surprise day…
Andy, anything could happen in Portugal v Holland and I think first goal will be crucial there. Germany should beat the Danes (if they really want to).