Following a pair of winners at the weekend, SlipsTips shares a selection ahead of South Korea's clash with Czechia at the World Cup on Friday.
South Korea vs Czechia (Friday, 03:00)
The first of Friday’s World Cup fixtures gets underway in the early hours as South Korea take on Czechia at the Estadio Akron.
Both nations will be targeting a place in the knockout round, and they will come into this clash knowing how fellow Group A sides Mexico and South Africa fared in Thursday night’s curtain-raiser.
South Korea have been remarkably consistent in World Cup qualification, with this their 11th consecutive appearance, while the Czechs, in contrast, have not featured on the world stage since 2006.
The bookmakers are struggling to separate the pair, with South Korea marginal favourites to come out on top in Guadalajara.
The 90-minute draw would not be a major surprise here, but I'm steering clear of the outright market and focusing on a player-based angle that stands out.
Lukas Provod has been priced up at 4/5 on bet365 to register two or more shots, and that looks an appealing angle.
The Czechia attacking midfielder is typically deployed in a number 10 role, which often sees him operate in advanced pockets between the lines and take up shooting positions around the edge of the box.
That is reflected in the numbers, with Provod averaging 2.24 shots per game across his last nine appearances for his country.
A deeper dive into the data shows the Slavia Prague ace registered two or more shots in six of his nine outings during qualifying, including both play-off ties against the Republic of Ireland and Denmark.
The case for siding with this selection is further strengthened when you consider Provod averaged 2.74 shots per game in the Czech First League this season.
On top of that, the 29-year-old also attempted at least two shots in six of his eight appearances in last season’s Champions League, including fixtures against Arsenal and Barcelona.
With all that in mind, Provod looks good value to register two or more shots in Friday’s showdown with South Korea.
Recommended Bet
- Lukas Provod 2+ Shots – 4/5 (bet365)
Grant Heaney, aka SlipsTips, is a Freelance Football and Darts Writer with over six years experience. Grant has written football and darts betting content for some of the biggest betting websites and newspapers in the UK. He is a Falkirk season ticket holder and avid watcher of football and darts, whether it be UK-based or further afield. You can find all of his tips on X @SlipsTips
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