Russia v Slovakia: Group B clash could produce a lucrative 0-0
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Euro 2016 has already witnessed some stunning goals and gripping matches, but Russia’s Group B encounter with Slovakia has all the potential to be a stinker.
Although both sides have to go for victory given what passed off in opening draws and losses respectively, neither Russia nor Slovakia offered much encouragement to their supporters against England or Wales.
Slovakia were mildly more cohesive and at least had some attacking threat which doesn’t simply resemble lumping speculative balls forward to a lumbering centre-forward.
As such, Jan Kozak’s men are definitely the value bet in the match market at 12/5 to win, while Leonid’s Slutsky’s team should be swerved at shorter odds of 7/5.
Russia’s last-gasp equaliser to deflate England was richly undeserved and if Slovakia’s dangerous players such as Marek Hamsik click then a crucial win could be theirs.
The only scoreline which greatly appeals in that respect is the 1-0 at 7/1. It’s not just the turgid nature of their initial displays in the competition which suggest a low score either.
In seven meetings historically there has been the grand total of seven goals scored. The most goal-laden of these clashes were a pair of 1-1 draws, but since then a 0-0 has been followed by three 1-0s.
There is plenty to like about the 0-0 therefore (other than the dullness as a spectacle) priced up handsomely at 7/1 in the correct score market.
A bet on the under/over total goals market feels even more rudimentary for this contest. Under 2.5 goals is understandably the other side of evens at 4/7, but under 1.5 total goals – which would have landed in all of the last three collisions not forgetting – is bathed in appeal at 7/4.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
