TAB football customers have a glorious Easter weekend ahead with a daily range of soccer pools loaded with enthralling matches, including the CAF Champions League semi-finals in which Sundowns and Pirates take on Egypt’s top clubs. Plus there are five carryover pools and a guaranteed R5.7-million Soccer 13 Jackpot on Sunday for those who forecast all 13 games correctly. Take a bet, enjoy the action and you could be much richer come next week!
The big-gun betting action starts tonight with the first of three R150,000 carryover Soccer 10 pools that includes all the quarter-final clashes in the UEFA Europa League and Conference League.
Banker bets abound. Chelsea put paid to many bets when failing to beat Ipswich last Sunday, but they should come good against Legia Warsaw tonight. And you have to expect Fiorentina, Lazio and Athletic Bilbao to win at home as well.
For Manchester United and Spurs, the Europa League trophy is their final chance of getting something from a season that sees both clubs sitting much too close to the relegation zone in the English Premier League.
United are at home to Lyon in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final, having drawn 2-2 in France last week. They should win, whereas Spurs have it all to do as they head to Germany for an away clash with Eintracht Frankfurt after the first leg in London ended 1-1.
All Spurs’ big names are set to be available for the game and it may be worth counting on them delivering an inspired display and progressing to the semi-finals. That will at least spare manager Ange Postecoglou from the axe for now!
The big excitement of the long weekend comes on Saturday, when the top two sides in South African football take on Egypt’s best in the semi-finals of CAF Champions League.
Sundowns currently lead the Betway Premiership table by 12 points from Pirates, who have three games in hand, and they are at home to holders Al Ahly in the first leg of their ACL semi-final. Al Ahly will play tight and aim for a draw, but history is against them. They have not beaten Sundowns for nearly four years and the last six clashes between the two sides have yielded four home wins and two away draws for the Tshwane team. Count on history repeating itself.
Pirates take on Egyptian Premier League leaders Pyramids in Orlando and won’t find the going easy. That said Pirates have shown time and again in the last couple of years that they have the right temperament for knockout football and a defence that is ice cool and efficient under pressure. They have not lost in their last eight matches and should add a narrow win to that sequence against Pyramids.
Both semi-finals are included in Saturday’s R150,000 carryover Soccer 10 which should yield a bumper pool.
Four EPL matches top Sunday’s menu and you can bank on away wins for Arsenal and Liverpool. Both take on sides headed for Championship football next season and both should simply outclass their rivals.
THREE CARRYOVER SOCCER 10 POOLS MATCH BY MATCH
| M1: FC Midtjylland vs FC Copenhagen | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| A R150,000 carryover makes this pool a grand start to the long weekend and some TAB customers could find themselves a whole lot richer come Friday morning. Danish Superliga clash opens the pool and Midtjylland are winless in their last three games, while Copenhagen have lost four of their last seven. The teams last met in February when Copenhagen won 1-0. But Midtjylland currently head the table with 63 points, four more than third-placed Copenhagen. | |||
| M2: Fiorentina vs Nk Cm Celje | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Europa Conference League second-leg quarter-final. Fiorentina are unbeaten in their last six games and won the first leg 2-1 away from home. | |||
| M3: Jagiellonia Białystok vs Real Betis | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Białystok have won six of their last 10 games and Betis have won seven. Betis won the home leg of this quarter-final 2-0 a week ago and must now defend that score line away from home. | |||
| M4: Athletic Bilbao vs Rangers FC | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Europa League second-leg quarter-final. Bilbao are unbeaten in their last seven games in all competitions, while Rangers are winless in their last three. They drew 0-0 in the first leg in Scotland last week and Bilbao now enjoy home advantage. | |||
| M5: Bradford City vs Notts County | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Bradford City have won five of their last 10 games in England’s League Two, while Notts have lost two in succession. Notts beat their rivals 3-0 back in December and there’s not much between them in the league - Bradford are second with 73 points, five more than Notts. | |||
| M6: Chelsea vs Legia Warszawa | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Chelsea are unbeaten in their last four games and this looks straightforward for them on paper. They are now at home at the Bridge, having beaten their rivals 3-0 away in Poland last week. | |||
| M7: Eintracht Frankfurt vs Tottenham Hotspur | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Frankfurt have won five of their last nine games, while Spurs continue to battle and have lost five of their last nine. The teams met in London last week in the first leg and drew 1-1, meaning Spurs will have to pull something out of the hat to win the tie. | |||
| M8: Lazio vs Bodo/Glimt | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Europa League quarter-final. Lazio have avoided defeat in seven of their last nine games, while Bodo are on a five-game winning streak. Bodo had home advantage when beating Lazio 2-0 a week ago and now try to defend that advantage in Rome. | |||
| M9: Manchester United vs Lyon | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| United are winless in their last four games and were smashed by Newcastle at the weekend, while Lyon have won seven of their last nine. The teams drew 2-2 in France in the first leg and United now seek to capitalise on home advantage. | |||
| M10: Rapid Wien vs Djurgarden | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Another Conference League quarter-final. Vienna have won two matches in a row and beat Djurgarden, seven losses in their last nine, 1-0 away in the first leg. Home advantage makes them tough to beat here. | |||
Suggested R72 perm: 1,2,3 x 1 x 3 x 1 x 1,2 x 1 x 1,2,3 x 1 x 1 x 1,2.
| M1: Blackburn Rovers vs Millwall | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Another R150,000 carryover pool and likely to produce a bonanza payout so have a go. Blackburn have lost six of their last nine games and Millwall are on a three-match winning streak. Millwall won the last meeting between them 1-0 in December and are ninth in the English Championship table, four points ahead of Blackburn. | |||
| M2: Bolton Wanderers vs Wycombe Wanderers | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Bolton have lost five of their last seven League One matches, while Wycombe have won two in a row. The last meeting between them ended 0-0. Wycombe are third in the table with 81 points, 15 ahead of Bolton after 42 games. | |||
| M3: Bristol City vs Sunderland | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Bristol have avoided defeat in nine of their last 10 games, while Sunderland have won four of their last eight. The teams drew 0-0 in December. In the last seven meetings Bristol have won twice and Sunderland once with four draws. Sunderland are fourth in the Championship table, 12 points ahead of Bristol. | |||
| M4: Coventry City vs West Brom | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Coventry have won six of their last 10 Championship games, while West Brom have lost three of their last four. West Brom won the last clash between them 2-0 in December. Coventry are sixth with 63 points, three more than West Brom. | |||
| M5: Middlesbrough vs Plymouth Argyle | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Middlesbrough have lost two in a row and bottom-of-the-log Plymouth have lost five of their last nine but scored a shock win over Sheffield United last time. Middlesbrough are eighth in the table with 60 points, 20 more than Plymouth. | |||
| M6: Norwich City vs Portsmouth | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Norwich are winless in their last three games, while Portsmouth have lost five of their last eight. They last met in December and drew 0-0. Norwich are 13th with 53 points, seven ahead of 19th-placed Portsmouth. | |||
| M7: Preston North End vs Queens Park Rangers | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Preston are winless in their last five games, while QPR are unbeaten in their last three and won the last clash between them 2-1 in December. QPR are 15th on the table with 50 points, just one more than Preston. | |||
| M8: Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Stoke are unbeaten in their last four games, while Sheffield are winless in their last five. Sheffield won the last encounter with Stoke 2-0 and are 14th with 53 points, six more than Stoke. | |||
| M9: Swansea City vs Hull City | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Swansea have won three in a row and Hull have avoided defeat in seven of their last 10. Hull won the last meeting between the sides 2-1 in December, but are 10 points behind Swansea on the log. | |||
| M10: Watford vs Burnley | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Burnley are unbeaten in their last eight Championship games and are second to Leeds on goal difference only in the table. Watford have lost four of their last seven and are 32 points behind Burnley. | |||
Suggested R96 perm: 1,2 x 1,2,3 x 1,2 x 1,2 x 1 x 1 x 1,2 x 1 x 1 x 3.
| M1: Mamelodi Sundowns vs Al Ahly | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Cracker Saturday afternoon bet made even more enticing by a R150,000 carryover. Sundowns have won six of their last 10 games, while Al Ahly are unbeaten in their last three. The teams drew 0-0 when they last met two years ago, with Sundowns winning four of the last six clashes (all at home with away draws in the others). | |||
| M2: Orlando Pirates vs Pyramids FC | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Pirates are unbeaten in their last eight games while Pyramids have won six of their last 10. The teams have not played each other before. | |||
| M3: Marumo Gallants vs Golden Arrows | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Gallants have won four of their last eight games, while Arrows have been unable to win in eight of their last 10. Arrows won the last meeting 2-0 in September last year and are 10th on the table with 28 points, two more than Gallants. | |||
| M4: Brentford vs Brighton | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Brentford are winless in their last three EPL games, while Brighton are winless in their last five. The teams last met in December and drew 0-0. Brighton are ninth on the log with 48 points, five ahead of 11th-placed Brentford. | |||
| M5: Crystal Palace vs Bournemouth | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Palace have won seven of their last nine games in all competitions, while Bournemouth got back on the winning trail against Fulham on Monday. The last meeting between them ended 0-0 in December. Palace are 12th with 43 points in the table, five behind Bournemouth, but have a game in hand. | |||
| M6: Everton vs Manchester City | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Everton have avoided defeat in eight of their last nine EPL games and City are unbeaten in their last five games across all competitions. The teams drew 1-1 in December in their last clash. City are fifth with 55 points, 17 ahead of 13th-placed Everton after 32 games. | |||
| M7: West Ham United vs Southampton | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| West Ham are winless in their last five EPL matches, while already relegated Southampton are winless in their last nine. West Ham are 17th with 35 points and Southampton 20th with 10 points. | |||
| M8: Barcelona vs Celta de Vigo | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Barcelona are unbeaten in their last 10 games and Celta have avoided defeat in eight of their last nine LaLiga fixtures. The teams last in November and drew 2-2. Barcelona lead Celta by 27 points in the league table after 31 games. | |||
| M9: Chippa United vs Kaizer Chiefs | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Chippa are unbeaten in three games, while Chiefs have lost four of their last nine but knocked Sundowns out the Nedbank Cup recently. Chiefs are eighth on the table with 30 points, one ahead of ninth-placed Chippa. | |||
| M10: Sekhukhune United vs Polokwane City | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Sekhukhune have won five of their last nine games, while Polokwane have lost six of their last nine. The teams drew 1-1 in their last clash. Sekhukhune are third in the table with 37 points, three more than Polokwane. | |||
Suggested R108 perm: 1 x 1 x 1,2,3 x 1,2,3 x 3 x 3 x 1 x 1 x 1,2,3 x 1,2.