SEP 11: WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

IT was almost a perfect night for me last Friday as all my bets bar one came up.

Hopefully I'll produce a repeat performance in round two of the World Cup qualifiers.

However, as is often the case with these matches teams who are well fancied are priced up incredibly short – and there aren't too many value punts about the evens mark.

Scotland are one of those who fit the bill at 5-6 with BetVictor and they certainly need a win after being held 0-0 by Serbia at Hampden on Saturday.

One thing's for sure – it will be tense and nervous. I don't anticipate an early goal and you can have 19-20 with William Hill for time of the first goal to be over 31 minutes.

The top two Group A seeds meet in Brussels and on the evidence of Friday you have to fancy the slick Belgians to get the better of scrappy Croatia.

Belgium are a biggest 1-1 at Coral and consider Chelsea superstar Eden Hazard at 8-1 at Coral to bang in the opener. Nikica Jelavic, who hit Croatia's winner on Friday, is 8-1 (various).

Serbia are short favourites at 1-2 at BetVictor to beat Wales at home but that looks a bit skinny for a side who have failed to score in eight of their last 10 games. Wales need a pick-me-up after flopping to Belgium but their hopes could be scuppered by an increasing injury list.

Other sides who could offer value are Fabio Capello's new-look Russia at 21-20 with William Hill away to Israel although they weren't great in beating Northern Ireland.

Normally I'd be looking to back Norway at 10-11 (various) at home to Slovenia but they were dreadful as they lost 2-0 in Iceland.

Bulgaria were the side who busted a few lines when they held Italy and should be good enough to see off Armenia at home. They are 3-4 at William Hill.

Elsewhere the short-priced favourites to put on an accumulator are England v Ukraine, Turkey v Estonia, Germany at Austria, Switzerland v Albania and France v Belarus. My “banker” fivefold returned £45.60 to a £10 stake at BetVictor last Friday and this one pays £41.40 at William Hill.

You could bump it up with Greece (but they have no Samaras), Holland (who struggled to beat Turkey), Northern Ireland (against a Luxembourg side that pushed Portugal) and Bosnia (8-1 winners at Liechtenstein). That would increase it to £149.40 but there is always the chance one lets you down as Italy did in Bulgaria on Friday.

Teams too short to back unless you're playing for high stakes are Spain at Georgia, Romania v Andorra, Slovakia v Liechtenstein, Montenegro at San Marino, Sweden v Kazakhstan and Italy v Malta. That fivefold pays a biggest a ridiculous £14 to a £10 stake at BetVictor.

Recommendations

Belgium
(1-1, Coral)

Fivefold

England, Turkey, Germany
Switzerland, France
Pays a biggest £41.40 to a £10 stake at William Hill

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