SlipsTips shares a selection ahead of England’s clash with the Czech Republic at the European Under-21s Championships on Thursday night.
Czech Republic U21 vs England U21 (Thursday, 20:00)
Starting the defence of their European title, England meet Group B rivals Czech Republic on Thursday night, with both nations kicking off their campaigns.
While England are ultimately aiming to win back-to-back titles, their opponents’ priority will be to navigate their way past the group stage.
I’ve already covered the Young Lions’ opening assignment in a separate match preview but I’m going to take this opportunity to go into more detail in regards to one of the three recommended selections outlined.
England can be backed at 10/11 on Bet 365 to overcome a -1 start on the Asian Handicap on Thursday night and that looks well worthy of support.
This selection means that if England claim top honours by two or more goals we will be paid out, whereas if they emerge victorious by a solitary strike then stakes are returned, and that should give us a good run for our money.
According to the pre-tournament odds, England are ranked as the third most likely team to win the competition behind both Spain and Germany.
Having been drawn in the same group as rivals Germany, England will be keen to ease themselves into the tournament with a win over the Czech Republic, and their superior class should tell.
Lee Carsley’s side is laced with talent and several of his players have been involved in games of far greater significance than this at club level.
What’s more, England were in mighty impressive form during the qualification stages for this summer's Euros, posting six wins, one draw and losing just once.
Moreover, England covered the proposed -1 Asian Handicap hurdle in each of those six victories, winning by a three-goal margin or more on each occasion.
On top of all that, Carsley’s side managed to overcome this particular handicap when defeating the Czech Republic 2-0 at this stage of the competition two years ago.
So with all that in mind, the Asian Handicap angle gives us a great opportunity to back an England success with a touch of insurance on Thursday night.
Recommended Bet
- England -1 Asian Handicap – 10/11 (Bet 365)
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
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