Trust France in
R2-m Soccer 10
WORLD CHAMPS NEED TO FIND THEIR BEST FORM
By Mark Gleeson
The current international window continues this weekend with loads of UEFA Nations League clashes and TAB is pumping up interest in these games with cash boosts to four soccer pools.
Tonight’s Soccer 10 pool starts with R250,000 in the pool, which could soar as high as R2 million, and it’s a challenging set of matches for TAB customers including both Nations League A Group 1 clashes.
Denmark tops the group with two wins in as many games and tonight cross sword with Croatia, currently joint bottom of the group with world champions France on one point apiece.
Expect it to be a tough match for the Danes because Croatia showed improvement in drawing with France on Monday and will go all out to get maximum points tonight.
So will France, who are away to Austria in the other group game and desperately need to find some pre-World Cup winning form. France should win, especially if Kylian Mbappe returns from injury, and look the best option for a Soccer 10 banker bet.
They come into this game on the back of a surprise home defeat at the hands of Denmark and then a 1-1 draw at Croatia, where they gave away a late penalty.
The pick of the matches in tomorrow’s R250,000-added Soccer 10 is the League A Group 3 clash at Wembley between England and a new-look Italy. England must win to stand any chance of winning the group and advancing to the Nations League finals next year, but manager Gareth Southgate is under fire for his unadventurous approach and England have looked nowhere so far.
They began their campaign with a loss at Hungary, where the team looked fatigued, followed by a fortunate draw in Germany.
The current international window ends on Tuesday and then the focus will switch to leagues like Brazil’s Serie A and the USA’s MLS.
Serie A is beginning to build momentum with some 25% of the season now complete. Consistency has been hard to come by as evidenced by Corinthians leading the log after 10 matches, but with only 18 points out of a possible 30.
They suffered a midweek loss at lowly Cuiaba, but have a home game against struggling Juventude this weekend, offering the opportunity to maintain their lead.
Palmeiras are the team to follow. They are reigning South American champions and have begun to get a handle on how to balance the burdens of defending their Copa Libertadores crown and their domestic agenda in Serie A.
If they can get something out of this weekend’s away game at Coritiba, then they will be many people’s pick to win the league this season.
Defending champions Atletico Mineiro are only two points off the top, but were handed a rude 5-2 defeat on Wednesday at Fluminense of Rio de Janeiro, where Luiz Henrique is the new star and a transfer to a top club in Europe is not far away.
Athletico Paranaense have emerged as the early season surprise package and can be expected to get something out of their away trip to Fortaleza.