WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 7 - 9 June

FABULOUS FOOTBALL AHEAD AND LOADS OF CASH TO BE WON 

Get set for another fabulous weekend of football that encompasses some fascinating clashes, a guaranteed R12-million Soccer 13 pool and two cash-added Soccer 10s that could all yield mega payouts. And then a week today EURO 2024 kicks off in Germany with the 24-team finals certain to keep soccer fans royally entertained for a month. Have a few bets with TAB - they will add to your enjoyment and you could win piles of cash.

DON’T WRITE OFF A BAFANA WIN IN TONIGHT’S BIG SOCCER 10

Nigeria are favourites to beat Bafana Bafana in tonight’s World Cup qualifier in Uyo, but are no certainties! The match is included in TAB’s R150,000-added Soccer10 pool for the night, which is likely to total nearly R2 million.

South Africa return to a venue where they have sprung a surprise before and will take much confidence into the Group C clash after their performance against the Nigerians at the Africa Cup of Nations finals in the Ivory Coast in January.

They did eventually lose in the semi-final to Nigeria, but they dominated the match and would have won had they taken their chances, rather than losing on post-match penalties.

One other factor that could prove important tonight is the absence in the Nigerian team of Victor Osimhen. The reigning African Footballer of the Year provides much energy for the side and will be missed. But they will have Ademola Lookman, the hero for Atalanta in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen a fortnight ago when he scored a hat trick to win a European title for his Italian club.

There is also an important game for Morocco tonight, against Zambia in Agadir in Group E. They must rid themselves of the cobwebs of their Cup of Nations campaign in which they were eliminated in the last-16 stage by South Africa, having gone into the tournament in the Ivory Cast as favourites.

Final preparations for the European Championship are on the menu this weekend with some of the pre-tournament contenders looking anything but ready.

Holders Italy were meek in drawing with fellow finalists Turkey in Bologna this week, but get another chance to boost their confidence on Sunday, when they play Bosnia-Herzegovina in Empoli on Sunday.

England play a second warm-up game tonight against Iceland at Wembley, while hosts Germany go up against Greece in their last test before next week’s opening game of EURO 2024 against Scotland in Munich.

France were also far from convincing against tiny Luxembourg although they did experiment with squad selection. They will probably do the same when they play Canada in Bordeaux on Sunday.

Also coming up is the Copa America, which is an expanded tournament in the USA. World Cup winners Argentina meet Ecuador in Chicago on Sunday in their warm-up and Brazil have games against Mexico and the Americans to sharpen their chances.

R150,000-ADDED SOCCER 10 POOLS MATCH BY MATCH

Friday 7 June S10 V1

SOCCER 10 V1 SUGGESTED BET:

Suggested R72 perm: 1 x 1 x 2,3 x 1 x 1 x 1,2,3 x 1 x 1,2,3 x 1 x 2,3

Saturday 8 June S10 V2

SOCCER 10 V2 SUGGESTED BET:

Suggested R64 perm: 2,3 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 2,3 x 1,2 x 1,2 x 1 x 1 x 1,2.

4 GREAT TAB BETS TO PLAY ON EURO 2024

The EURO 2024 finals kick off in Munich next Friday 14 June and TAB soccer customers will have chance after chance to cash in big on the 24-country tournament. There are four grand bets you can play before the action gets under way, plus EURO 24 matches will be included in most Soccer 4, 6 and 10 pools over the next few weeks.

The four pre-tournament bets comprise:

* Pick the winner (Win bet)

* Pick one semi-finalist (Place)

* Pick the two finalists (Exacta)

* Pick the four semi-finalists (Quartet)

Each of the above pools contains a R20,000 add-in from TAB, so inflated payouts are guaranteed and the bets will enhance your enjoyment of the action as the tournament progresses.

MAKE THE MOST OF THE EURO FOOTBALL FEAST WITH TAB

The last European Championship was spread around the continent in a bizarre bid to celebrate European unity and then delayed for a year by the COVID-19 pandemic, but things are back to normal for the 2024 edition.

It promises to be a rollicking tournament in Germany, whose hosting of the 2006 World Cup proved memorable and was infused by the summer weather, copious kegs of beer and fans from all over, even if they did not have tickets.

This is the third time the tournament features 24 teams and while critics initially suggested it would lead to many mismatches, it actually produced a sequence of shock results at EURO 2016 in France that included Iceland beating England. There could be more of that in Germany, where there are also many serious contenders for the trophy.

Certainly, Italy were not among the fancied sides at the last finals, having missed out on World Cup qualification, but won it on post-match penalties from England at Wembley. The Three Lions have never won the Euros, but they have strong claims this time round.

Germany’s form in recent years has been among the worst yet, but they too can never be discounted, especially in a month-long tournament, which starts with the hosts up against Scotland in Munich on 14 June and culminates with the final in Berlin on 14 July.

The 24 teams are split into six groups with the top two teams in each group and the four best third-placed teams advancing to the round of 16. It means only eight teams go home after the pool matches. The knockout draw ensures all four quarter-finals could be deciders in themselves given the quality of teams, but expect Spain, Portugal, France and England to reach the last four with France tipped to clinch the title. Here’s a brief guide to the groups:

GROUP A

After three disastrous tournaments in a row, Germany go into the finals on home soil under immense pressure. But a win over France in a friendly in March hinted at their potential to come right quickly under coach Julian Nagelsmann, who was parachuted in when Hansi Flick became the first man ever fired by the German federation.

Scotland impressed in the qualifiers by beating Spain and are participating in back-to-back tournaments after 22-years without reaching the finals of a major tournament. Hungary failed to reach tournament finals from 1986 to 2016, but now play in a third successive European Championship. Switzerland can play a role as spoilers, but key members of their squad are getting older and will have in the back of their minds the 6-1 loss to Portugal in the last-16 of the World Cup in Qatar.

GROUP B

Holders Italy were on a high after winning last time out, but then botched World Cup qualification and had a nervy qualifying campaign for the tournament in Germany. Coach Luciano Spalletti has found it tough to rebuild a side in need of an injection of youth.

The group favourites are Spain, perennial contenders who have much to prove after Morocco knocked them out at the World Cup. But since that tournament, they have a new coach is Luis de la Fuente, who has freshened the squad and got them buzzing again.

Croatia have midfield maestro Luka Modric for a last tournament, but it is doubtful he can produce the inspiration of the last two World Cups in which they were second in 2018 and third in 2022. Albania are the underdogs in the group and play with fanatical defending and deadly counterattacks, which makes them capable of a shock or two.

GROUP C

Denmark are always popular underdogs and their success in EURO 1992 remains one of the great upset triumphs in football history. And at the last Euros they were semi-finalists while dealing emotionally with Christian Eriksen’s on-field collapse.

England have key experience with the likes of Harry Kane and John Stones, but their hopes lie with the likes of Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Kobbie Mainoo and Bukayo Sako. On the back of these exciting youngsters, they could win a trophy for the first time since the 1966 World Cup.

Serbia have qualified for three of the last four World Cups, so it is a quirk that this is their first Euros since 2000. Slovenia have nothing to lose from their first appearance at a major tournament since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

GROUP D

France and Netherlands headline this pool, but they have two tricky opponents.

Austria have been in excellent form over the last 18 months, losing only once in 14 games, and in March slammed a handy Türkiye side 6-1. They may not have a superstar, but they are a workmanlike and efficient outfit.
Poland can also match anybody on their day and have beaten Germany in the last 12 months. Their talismanic forward Robert Lewandowski is coming off a strong season for Barcelona in which he scored 26 goals in all competitions.

France and the Netherlands are always in contention, though both can be temperamental at big tournaments and implode. France won the last of their two Euros titles in 2000 and were runners-up in 2016. The Dutch’s only win came in what was then West Germany in 1988.

GROUP E

Belgium are the stand-out team in this pool, but will have to put behind them the bitter disappointment of the World Cup in Qatar, where they bombed out in the first round amid squad squabbles. Keeping Kevin De Bruyne fit and motivated will be key as he has the tendency to drift out of games when the heat is on but can also be a genuine match-winner.  
Ukraine are riding a wave of emotion with the country at war, but have several useful players in Oleksandr Zinchenko, Mykhailo Mudryk and Vitaliy Mykolenko. They reached the quarter-finals in the last tournament.

Slovakia are most likely along for the ride - their coach Francesco Calzona had a second job in the dugout at Napoli in Serie A this season, so how focussed he has been on the national team remains to be seen. Romania are a side of few stars, but have lost only once since November 2022 and can grind out results.

GROUP F

Portugal were champions in 2016 and still rely on the talent of veteran Cristiano Ronaldo, who was in their side when they were runners-up in 2004. They have other top talents too and came through the qualifiers with a perfect 100% record and 10 wins, scoring 36 goals and conceding only two to suggest they are potent in both defence and attack.
The Czech Republic have qualified for all finals since 1996, when they were runners-up, and made the quarterfinals in two of the last three. They will again rely on Bayer Leverkusen forward Patrik Schick.

Türkiye were semi-finalists in 2008, but have gone out in the pool stages in the last two tournaments and are probably a little lightweight again. Georgia are the only country making their debut at the finals and rely heavily on Napoli forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in what is an otherwise limited team.

LATEST FIXED-ODDS BETTING ON EURO 2024 

3-1 England; 4-1 France; 11-2 Germany; 8-1 Portugal, Spain; 14-1 Italy; 16-1 Belgium, Netherlands; 40-1 Croatia, Denmark; 50-1 Turkey; 66-1 and better other countries.