TAB WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 30 May - 1 June
TWO FINALS ADD FIRE TO TAB SOCCER POOLS THIS ...
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TAB WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 30 May - 1 June
May 2025
TWO FINALS ADD FIRE TO TAB SOCCER POOLS THIS WEEKEND
Continental club football in Europe and Africa in the 2024-25 season comes to an enthralling end this weekend with the final of the UEFA Champions League and the second leg of the CAF Champions League final. These are the two competitions that every football team in Europe or Africa would love to win and both finals should be thrillers. They are the headline matches in a variety of TAB soccer pools with the PSG-Inter clash included in carryover Soccer 10 and Any 13 Xtra bets, as well as a Soccer 13 with a guaranteed R18-million pool if there’s only one outright winner.
FRIDAY: NAPOLI NEED TO HOLD THEIR NERVE IN DECIDER
You will find a mixed bag of matches in TAB soccer bets including games from the Super Lig clashes in Turkey, where there are still three rounds remaining, and the Irish Premier Division.
There’s a full round of matches in Ireland with the most closely contested likely to be the Bohemians-Derry City encounter. Both have 27 points with Derry one place ahead of Bohemians in third by virtue of a slightly better goal difference. The banker for the R100,000 carryover Soccer 10 should be Grasshoppers Zurich to beat Aarau in a promotion-relegation playoff in Switzerland, where Grasshoppers should have enough to retain their Super League status.
SATURDAY: CHAMPS LEAGUE FINAL KICKS OFF BIG SOCCER 10
Paris St Germain face Inter Milan in Munich in what promises to be an intriguing battle for Europe’s plum trophy. The game is M1 in a R100,000 carryover Soccer 10 pool in which most games are MLS clashes in America. It’s a bet well worth playing because the carryover should ensure a solid total pool that could deliver a huge payout.
Since an injection of Qatari cash in 2011, the French giants have done all they can to lift Europe’s most coveted prize. But even with the likes of Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, the Champions League has remained elusive. The closest PSG came to winning the trophy was in 2019, when they were beaten 1-0 by Bayern Munich in the final.
Ironically, the departures of Neymar, then Messi and finally Mbappe to Real Madrid in 2024-25 have worked wonders. For the first time PSG look like a team rather than a bunch of individuals in a pick-up game.
That said Luis Enrique’s side had a terrible start to their European campaign this season, losing three of their first five matches in the new expanded league format.
But they got their act together and have left three front-rank EPL teams by the wayside on their road to the final. They knocked out Liverpool in the last 16, Aston Villa in the quarter-finals and then Arsenal in the semis.
PSG are 5-4 favourites for the final, but face a tough rival in Simone Inzaghi’s Inter. The Milanese outfit (5-2 to win in 90 minutes with the draw 12-5) have flaws at the back, but in Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez have strikers capable of compensating for that.
The Italian giants will be out to make up for losing the race for this season’s Serie A title by a point to Antonio Conte’s Napoli. For the record Inter are seeking their fourth triumph in Europe’s premier club competition (previously the European Cup) with their last victory coming in 2010, when Jose Mourinho was manager and they beat Bayern 2-0 in the final.
SUNDAY: TWO SERIE A TEAMS TO RELY ON IN SOCCER 10
The second leg of the CAF Champions League final between Pyramids and our PSL champs Sundowns kicks off at 19:00 in Cairo with the two sides locked at 1-1 after the first leg in Tshwane.
A stoppage-time goal gave the Egyptians an away goal to take home in a competition in which away goals still count double in the event of a tie. So if Pyramids can keep a clean sheet at the June 30 Stadium, they will win the ACL trophy for the first time.
Sundowns have already won an eighth straight Betway Premiership title, but it is Champions League glory that they crave. Coach Miguel Cardoso took plenty of criticism for his team selection in the first leg in which club captain Themba Zwane didn’t get to play. This time he must get everything right or Sundowns will be found wanting again.
This is the 18th time Sundowns have participated in the ACL with their only success coming in 2016 under Pitso Mosimane. Since then, and counting this season, they have made it to the knockout stages eight times in nine years, but have been eliminated in either the quarter or semi-finals seven times. This time they have made the final and let’s hope they score a spectacular triumph.
The game kicks off the second Soccer 10 pool on Sunday, in which there look to be two standout bankers in the Serie A games in Brazil - Flamengo to win at home against Fortaleza and Palmeiras for an away victory at Cruzeiro.
R200,000 CARRYOVER SOCCER 10 POOLS MATCH BY MATCH
Friday 30 May – S10 V2
| M1 | Antalyaspor vs Trabzonspor | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| A R100,000 carryover should stimulate plenty of interest in this Friday night pool. Antalyaspor are winless in their last three Turkish Super Lig games, while Trabzonspor are winless in their last five across all competitions. Trabzonspor won the last meeting 5-0 in January and are seventh with 48 points, four ahead of 14th-placed Antalyaspor. | |||
| M2 | Galatasaray vs Istanbul Basaksehir | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Galatasaray are on a 10-game winning streak, while Basaksehir have won six of their last nine Super Lig fixtures. Galatasaray won the last meeting between them 2-1 away from home this year and currently head the Super Lig table with 92 points, 38 more than fifth-placed Basaksehir. | |||
| M3 | Kasimpasa SK vs Goztepe SK | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Kasimpaşa have avoided defeat in seven of their last nine Super Lig fixtures, while Goztepe have lost two in a row. Goztepe won the last meeting between them 5-0 in a cup fixture and are eighth on the log, level on points with ninth-placed Kasımpasa after 35 games. | |||
| M4 | CD Castellon vs Real Zaragoza | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Castellon are winless in their last three games, while Zaragoza have won three of their last four. Zaragoza are 17th with 51 points in Spain’s Segunda Division, one more than 18th-placed Castellon. | |||
| M5 | FC Aarau vs Grasshopper Zurich | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Relegation-promotion playoff. Aarau have struggled recently, failing to win in nine of their last 10 Swiss Challenge League matches. Grasshoppers have lost six of their last 10 Super League games. In six previous encounters, Aarau have two wins to Grasshopper’s three. | |||
| M6 | Bohemians vs Derry City | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Bohemians have won seven of their last nine games, while Derry have won six of their last 10. Derry won the last meeting 1-0 in February and are third on the Irish Premier Division table with 27 points, level with fourth-placed Bohemians after 17 games. | |||
| M7 | Cork City vs Shelbourne | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Cork have lost four in a row in the Irish Premier Division, while Shelbourne have failed to win in seven of their last nine. The last meeting between them ended 1-1. Shelbourne are sixth in the table with 26 points, 14 more than ninth-placed Cork City. | |||
| M8 | Sligo Rovers vs St Patrick's Athletic | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Rovers have lost six of their last 10 Irish Premier Division games, while St Pats have lost four of their last seven. St Pats won the last clash 4-3 and are fifth in the table, 14 points ahead of Rovers. | |||
| M9 | Waterford FC vs Drogheda United | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Drogheda are unbeaten in their last three games and are second in the table, seven points ahead of eighth-placed Waterford. Drogheda won the last meeting between them 2-0 in April. | |||
| M10 | Shamrock Rovers vs Galway United | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Shamrock are on a five-game winning streak in the Irish Premier Division, while Galway have lost six of their last 10. Shamrock won the last meeting between them 1-0 in April and head the table, 12 points ahead of seventh-placed Galway. | |||
R108 perm: 1,2,3 x 1 x 1,2,3 x 1,2,3 x 3 x 1,2 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 1.
Saturday 31 May – S10 V1
| M1 | Paris Saint-Germain vs Inter Milan | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Another R100,000 carryover pool headed by the UEFA Champions League final. PSG are on a four-game winning streak, while Inter Milan are unbeaten in their last six. Inter beat PSG 2-1 when they last met two years ago. | |||
| M2 | Saint Louis FC vs San Jose Earthquakes | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| MLS clash in the USA. St. Louis are winless in their last five games, while Earthquakes are unbeaten in their last seven. St. Louis won their last meeting with Earthquakes 2-1 but are eight points behind them in the table. | |||
| M3 | Bahia vs Sao Paulo | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Serie A match in Brazil. Bahia have won six of their last 10 games, while Sao Paulo have avoided defeat in eight of their last 10. São Paulo won the last meeting between them 3-0 in November last year. Bahia are seventh with 15 points, three ahead of Sao Paulo after 10 games. | |||
| M4 | Inter Miami vs Columbus Crew | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Both teams are winless in their last four MLS fixtures in the USA. Miami beat Columbus 1-0 in April, but are four points behind them in the table. | |||
| M5 | Montreal Impact vs New England Revolution | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Both are winless in their last four games and the last clash between them ended 2-2 last September. New England are 10th in the MLS table with 19 points, 11 more than Montreal. | |||
| M6 | Toronto FC vs Charlotte FC | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Charlotte travel to face Toronto in the MLS. Toronto have lost five of their last seven games, while Charlotte have lost six of their last eight. Charlotte won the last meeting 3-2 and are eighth in the MLS table, nine points ahead of Toronto. | |||
| M7 | Vasco da Gama vs RB Bragantino | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Vasco da Gama have lost six of their last nine matches, while Bragantino have won six of their last nine. The teams drew 2-2 in their last encounter. Bragantino are fourth in Serie A, seven points ahead of 15th-placed Vasco da Gama. | |||
| M8 | Houston Dynamo vs Sporting KC | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Houston have won four of their last eight games, while Sporting KC are winless in their last four MLS fixtures. Houston have won three of the last six clashes with Sporting KC and are 10th in the table with 17 points, four more than their rivals. | |||
| M9 | Los Angeles FC vs Club America | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Club World Cup playoff. Los Angeles are unbeaten in their last eight MLS games, while Club America have failed to win in seven of their last 10 in all competitions. Los Angeles have won two of the last three fixtures between the sides. | |||
| M10 | LA Galaxy vs Real Salt Lake | ||
| Team A Wins | Draw | Team B Wins | |
| Galaxy are winless in their last 10 games, while Salt Lake are winless in their last five. Both teams have won twice in their last seven clashes, but Salt Lake are 12th on the MLS table with 14 points, 10 more than Galaxy. | |||
Suggested R108 perm: 1,2,3 x 1 x 1,2,3 x 1,2,3 x 1,2 x 3 x 3 x 1 x 1 x 1.
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