Wales vs Slovakia
There likely won’t be too much Euro 2020 qualifying news emanating from Cardiff City Stadium over the next 12 months.
But this is where Wales start their campaign to qualify for a second successive European Championships and what would be a first major international tournament for boss Ryan Giggs.
SBOBET fans know him as an all-time Manchester United great and someone who played 64 times for his country, scoring 12 goals, before retiring from international football in 2007 after three years as captain.
What many of them won’t know is that Giggs was never able to parade his talent at a major tournament for his country.
Now could be the next best thing – to lead his beloved nation to Euro 2020 as manager.
Talking Points
Slovakia opened their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign with a 2-0 home win over Hungary, courtesy of goals from Ondrej Duda and Albert Rusnak.
Wales were winners after a late Ben Woodburn goal gave them a friendly victory over Trinidad and Tobago.
Now after 58 years waiting to qualify for a major tournament, how they would love to be involved in another European Championships.
For the modern day world class talent that Giggs was as a player, now there is another in the Welsh ranks.
And it is Gareth Bale upon which so much will depend.
He sat out that friendly victory over T&T, with Giggs’ blessing, as did arguably their other top class performer, Aaron Ramsey with a thigh injury.
Giggs will be hopeful he can call on both, Bale returning to form in recent weeks after an up and down and injury hit season at club level with Real Madrid.
Ramsey has also performed well for an improved Gunners in recent weeks, a swansong perhaps before he heads to Juventus this summer.
Slovakia are ranked 10 places below Wales in 29th and start the Euro 2020 qualifiers after a disappointing Nations League campaign which saw them relegated from League B.
Wales have hardly set the world alight themselves over the past year but, with full respect to the UEFA Nations League, this is Giggs’ first major international after a series of friendlies and semi-competitive encounters since he succeeded the popular Chris Coleman in the role.
Harshly, Giggs received some criticism from Wales fans for his record as a player for being absent for friendlies.
Instead, he focused on the important matches for club and country.
He will have no regrets and that hostility will soon be forgotten if he guides Wales to next summer’s spectacle.
History
This will be the fourth meeting between the nations.
Considering Slovakia only became an official country in January 1993 that is no surprise.
The first meeting in 2006 saw Slovakia record a shock 5-1 rout in Cardiff, led by a Marek Mintal double.
By the time they met a year later – also in a qualifying match for Euro 2008 – Wales avenged that defeat with a 5-2 success in Trnava as Craig Bellamy scored twice with Mintal again grabbing both goals for the hosts.
John Toshack was then in his second spell in charge of Wales.
Their most recent meeting came at Euro 2016 when Gareth Bale and Hal Robson-Kanu sealed a 2-1 Welsh success – Ondrej Duda was on target for Slovakia – to see Wales top the group and reach the last 16 of the tournament.
They would go onto reach the semi-finals.
Betting Tip
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Wales vs Slovakia | Wales, Asian Handicap -0.50 @ 2.08 |
| March 24, 22:00(GMT+8) |
Wales have a distinct edge with Euro 2020 qualifying betting odds.
If we are to look at previous history, then don’t bet on a correct score of 0-0 @ 6.20, whatever you do!
A repeat of a Welsh 2-1 score from Euro 2016 will payout @ 7.80.
Total goal 0-1 @ 2.29, total goal 2-3 @ 1.85 and over 2.25 goals @ 2.20 have fairly low odds in truth, although total goal 4-6 @ 5.20 goes the other way again.
Asian Handicap betting on the Welsh will provide a small payday if successful.
You can find odds of Asian Handicap -0.25 Wales @ 1.78 and -0.50 Wales @ 2.08.
Slovakia, meanwhile, +0.25 @ 2.16, will be worth a punt for die-hard supporters of Pavel Hapal’s team.
If you back them to lead at the break, you can get First Half Asian Handicap on the visitors @ 3.80 and the same on the Welsh @ 2.77.
1X2 odds offer Slovakia @ 3.55, the draw @ 3.25 and Wales @ 2.05.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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|---|---|---|---|
 = €20 (Highly confident) |
= €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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