SlipsTips examines the Bet Builder market ahead of Scotland’s clash with Croatia in the Nations League on Friday night.
Scotland vs Croatia (Friday, 19:45)
Scotland’s penultimate fixture in Nations League Group A1 sees them play host to Croatia at Hampden Park on Friday night.
Steve Clarke’s side stopped the rot with a spirited performance to draw 0-0 draw with star-studded Portugal last month.
As for Croatia, they are currently occupying second place and are in pole position to advance to the knockout round.
With a competitive contest anticipated under the Glasgow lights, I’ve put together a player-based Bet Builder double that pays out at even-money.
Anthony Ralston To Commit 1+ Foul
I’ll get the Bet Builder up and running by backing Anthony Ralston to get on the wrong side of the referee at least once on Friday night. The Scotland right-back has been a regular offender during his opening four appearances in this year's Nations League, clocking up a combined total of five fouls to date. Furthermore it’s also worth pointing out that Ralston gave away exactly two free-kicks in each of Scotland's previous two home games with both Poland and Portugal respectively.
Ralston fouls were also a bit of a recurring theme across his three outings at Euro 2024, with the Celtic defender falling foul of the referee four times during the group stage of the summer showpiece.
The 25-year-old could also be a little rusty given his lack of game time at club level for Celtic this season so far. Ralston was handed a rare start against Dundee last month and committed a foul despite featuring for just 57 minutes. He tends to get the full 90 more often than not for Scotland, making him an appealing option for a minimum of one misdemeanour against what is a technically gifted Croatia team.
Mateo Kovacic To Commit 1+ Foul
For the second and final leg of the Bet Builder, I’m keen to back Mateo Kovacic to commit one or more fouls at Hampden Park on matchday five. The Man City midfielder is accomplished in possession, though his combative streak without the ball can often land him in trouble with match officials. That was the case when Kovacic collected a yellow card after just two minutes against Poland back in September. In his one and only previous Nations League appearance prior to that this year, Kovacic was guilty of two offences away at Portugal.
The 30-year-old enforcer has also found himself on the radar of Premier League referees in recent weeks, having sinned three times across his last three appearances for Man City. What’s more, Kovacic committed multiple fouls during City's 4-1 loss to Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League last midweek.
He will likely be assigned a shackling job on Scotland talisman Scott McTominay on Friday night, who has drawn a sizable nine fouls from the opposition across Scotland's opening four Group A1 assignments.
Recommended Bet
- Anthony Ralston To Commit 1+ Foul
- Mateo Kovacic To Commit 1+ Foul
- Bet Builder – 1/1 (Betfair)
Freelance Sports Writer and Betting Analyst with over five years experience. I’ve written football and darts betting content for some of the biggest betting websites and newspapers in the UK. With a strong passion for the fascinating world of Scottish football, I also regularly feature in Nutmeg, the much-loved Scottish football magazine. Falkirk season ticket holder and avid watcher of football and darts, whether it be UK-based or further afield. Feel free to follow me on X @SlipsTips
