Israel vs Croatia – Unbeaten Group F records on the line
Published:Israel and Croatia have both made unbeaten starts to their Euro 2012 qualifying campaigns, but both have been blunted by injuries for their crunch clash in Group F.
Croatia currently top the standings on goal difference, but coach Slaven Bilic will have to gain three points in Israel without injured forwards Nikica Jelavic and Mladen Petric, while Darijo Srna is suspended.
Bilic’s team are 7/5 to beat Israel and can take confidence from the 4-3 victory they claimed away when the pair met in a Euro 2008 qualifier.
Israel have their own injury problems as Yossi Benayoun is a long-term casualty, while Beram Kayal and Omer Damari have also been ruled out.
Luis Fernandez will still be confident that Israel can maintain their 100 per cent winning start in the group at home and they are 2/1 to beat Croatia, despite never have claimed victory against their opponents in six previous meetings.
Greece did the double over Latvia during qualifying for this year’s World Cup and will want to win again to gain their first success in Group F.
Theofanis Gekas scored six times in these two meetings, including four in the 5-2 home victory.
Greece are 2/5 to beat Latvia and build on the decent goalless draw they gained in Croatia in their last qualifier.
The other Group F clash sees Georgia host Malta and coach Temuri Ketsbaia has remarked that it will be a “catastrophe” if the home side do not collect the three points.
Georgia are 4/11 to beat Malta, although the visitors claimed a surprise 2-0 victory when the pair met in a friendly last year.
Malta are 8/1 to cause another surprise and emerge victorious, which would also give them their first points in the group.
Croatia are the 4/6 favourites to finish atop Group F, with Greece next best at 9/4. See the full Group F winners betting odds market.
