TAB soccer customers have some grand opportunities to win piles of cash this long weekend, when the start of the expanded and new-look FIFA Club World Cup will dominate centre stage. Must-play pools through the weekend are headed by Saturday’s carryover Soccer 13 in which a R4-million carryover should generate a pool of some R9 million for all-13-correct entries. There are also cash-added and easier-to-win Soccer 10s tonight and tomorrow.
The first edition of the expanded Club World Cup comprises 32 teams with a group stage comprising eight groups of four teams. The top two in each group then progress to the knockout stages.
The tournament kicks off under a cloud of controversy and complaints of it adding to an already overcrowded football schedule that is placing too much strain on players. That’s debateable given they earn their living from playing football and there’s no doubting the tournament will do much to brighten the off-season.
The tournament opens at 02:00 our time on Sunday morning with Egyptian giants Al Ahly facing American MLS club Inter Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. It’s a fascinating clash that will basically test the relative strengths of African and American soccer.
The game is M4 in Saturday’s R100,000-added Soccer 10 and hard-tackling Ahly could well dent Inter Miami’s rhythm. That said Inter Miami, who won the league stage of the MLS last season but were knocked out in the subsequent playoffs that decide the championship, may have too many skills for their rivals. They have two formidable strikers in Lionel Messi and former Liverpool and Barcelona striker Luis Suarez, and Javier Mascherano’s side are in fine goal-scoring form.
Much later on Sunday in troubled Los Angeles, one of the competition’s favourites - European champions PSG - kick off their Club World Cup campaign against Atletico Madrid at the Rose Bowl.
PSG have a star-studded squad and coach Luis Enrique’s side could go all the way and add the Club World Cup to their trophy cabinet, which now finally houses a Champions League trophy. But they face a tricky opener in Diego Simeone’s Atletico. The Madrid side are notoriously tough to beat and did sink PSG 2-1 in Paris in the group stages of last season’s Champions League.
Saturday’s carryover Soccer 13 comprises four UEFA under-21 matches and a mix of Scandinavian games.
Bank on Sundsvall to win away against bottom-of-log Umea in a Swedish second division encounter. Umea have amassed only three points in 11 matches and have a minus 14 goal difference, the worst in the table. Other bankers in the pools are Norrby and Angelholm to register home victories in the Swedish third division.
| M1 | Cork City vs Bohemians | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| This bet starts with a R100,000 add-in from TAB so expect a big pool that could pay huge. Bohemians have won eight of their last 10 games in all competitions, while Cork are winless in their last seven Irish Premier Division fixtures. Bohemians are currently third on the log, 17 points ahead of ninth-placed Cork after 18 games. | |||
| M2 | Derry City vs Galway United | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Derry have lost two in a row, while Galway have lost four of their last six. Galway won the last meeting with Derry 1-0 last August, but are three points behind them in seventh in the Irish Premiership table. | |||
| M3 | Finn Harps vs Wexford FC | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Irish First Division. Harps are winless in their last seven fixtures, while Wexford have lost four of their last six. The teams last met in April, drawing 2-2. In the last 15 clashes over nine years Harps have won five times to Wexford’s four. | |||
| M4 | Shelbourne vs Shamrock Rovers | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Rovers are unbeaten in their last eight Premier Division games and won the last meeting with their rivals 2-0. They head the log with 36 points, nine more than fifth-placed Shelbourne. | |||
| M5 | St Patrick's Athletic vs Drogheda United | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| St Pats have lost half of their last eight Premier Division games, while Drogheda are unbeaten in their last four. Drogheda are second with 30 points, one more that fourth-placed St Pats who have won eight of the last 12 games against Drogheda. | |||
| M6 | Treaty United vs Bray Wanderers | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Treaty have won four of their last six First Division games, while Wanderers have won seven of their last 10. Wanderers won the last meeting between them 5-0 and are third in the table, 10 points ahead of fourth-placed Treaty. | |||
| M7 | Fylkir FC vs Grindavik | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Fylkir are winless in their last five games, whereas Grindavík have won two in a row. Grindavík are seventh in the Second Division table in Iceland, four points ahead of Fylkir who have played a game more. | |||
| M8 | Vila Nova vs America Mineiro | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Vila Nova are on a four-game losing streak, while Mineiro have lost five of their last seven Serie B fixtures. Vila Nova won the last meeting 1-0 at home and are seventh on the log with16 points, three ahead of Mineiro after 10 games. | |||
| M9 | Paysandu SC vs Botafogo SP | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Paysandu are winless in their last 10 games, while Botafogo are unbeaten in their last three Serie B games. The last meeting between them ended 1-1 and Botafogo are 16th on the log with nine points, five ahead of Paysandu. | |||
| M10 | Portland Timbers vs San Jose Earthquakes | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| MLS clash in the USA. Portland have won their last two and Earthquakes have avoided defeat in eight of their last nine games. The last meeting between the teams was a US Open Cup fixture won 1-0 by Earthquakes recently. | |||
Suggested R72 perm: 1 x 1 x 1,2,3 x 3 x 1 x 1,2,3 x 2,3 x 1 x 2,3 x 1.
| M1 | Saint Louis FC vs LA Galaxy | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Great pool. Gets a R100,000 kick-start from TAB and comprises MLS games and one Club World Cup clash. St. Louis have lost six of their last nine games, while Galaxy have lost seven of their last nine. St. Louis won the last meeting between them 2-1 and are one from last in the MLS table with 14 points, seven more than last-placed Galaxy. | |||
| M2 | Columbus Crew vs Vancouver Whitecaps | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Columbus are winless in their last six MLS games, while Vancouver are unbeaten in nine of their last 10 in all competitions. Vancouver lead their Conference, seven points ahead of fifth-placed Columbus. | |||
| M3 | New England Revolution vs Cincinnati | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| New England have avoided defeat in nine of their last 10 games, while Cincinnati are winless in their last four. New England beat Cincinnati in their last clash, their sixth win in the last 13. Cincinnati are second with 30 points, seven more than New England. | |||
| M4 | Al Ahly SC vs Inter Miami | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| FIFA Club World Cup. Egyptian giants Ahly have won six of their last seven league games, while Miami have won their last two MLS games. The teams have not played each other before. | |||
| M5 | Austin FC vs New York RB | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Austin have avoided defeat in seven of their last nine games, while Red Bulls are on a four-game winning streak. Their last meeting was in a friendly and ended 3-3 Red Bulls are sixth on the log, seven points ahead of 10th-placed Austin after 17 games. | |||
| M6 | Chicago Fire vs Nashville SC | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Chicago have won six of their last seven games, while Nashville are unbeaten in their last 10. Nashville won the last against Chicago 3-0 and are fourth with 29 points, four more than Chicago who have a game in hand. | |||
| M7 | Minnesota United vs San Diego | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Minnesota are unbeaten in their last five games, while San Diego have won five of their last seven MLS fixtures. San Diego are second in the table with 30 points and ahead of third-placed Minnesota on goal difference. | |||
| M8 | Sporting KC vs FC Dallas | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Sporting KC have been unable to win in seven of their last 10 MLS matches and Dallas are winless in their last six games in all competitions. Dallas are 11th in the table, one place and one point above Sporting KC, who have played a game more. | |||
| M9 | Colorado Rapids vs Orlando City | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Colorado have lost five of their last seven MLS matches, while Orlando have lost their last two. Orlando are seventh on the log with 27 points, five more than Colorado. | |||
| M10 | Real Salt Lake vs DC United | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Salt Lake are winless in their last seven MLS games, while United have avoided defeat in seven of their last 10 in all competitions. United are 12th in the table, three points ahead of Salt Lake who have a game in hand. | |||
Suggested R144 perm: 1,2,3 x 1 x 1,2 x 3 x 2,3 x 1,2,3 x 1 x 1 x 2,3 x 1.