Brazil Tipped to Win Football Friendly

Brazil is the sports books favorite to beat fellow soccer superpower Italy when the two teams meet in an international friendly match on neutral ground at London's Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

Brazil is 2.20 at Ladbrokes and Italy is 3.00. A draw is also 3.00. Manchester City star Robinho, who has scored 11 goals in 19 appearances in the Premier League this season, is most likely to score first at odds of 7.00, while Bayern Munich's goal machine Luca Toni is Italy's best candidate to score the first goal, at 8.00 odds.

Spain is a firm favorite to beat England in Seville in the pick of the international friendly matches Wednesday. The reigning European champions go into the match 1.90, versus England at 3.50.

In World Cup Qualifying Wednesday, the Republic of Ireland, 1.33, shouldn't have too much trouble getting past Georgia, 8.00, if the odds are anything to go by. Robbie Keane, fresh from his move back to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, is 1.61 to hit the back of the net at some stage in the math.

In Columbus, Ohio, the United States is carrying 2.10 odds to get past its major rival in the CONCACAF region, Mexico, 3.20. And in the match of the day in Asian qualifying, Japan is a 2.37 favorite beat undefeated Australia, 2.75 in Tokyo.

Five-time World Cup champion Brazil is overall favorite 18 months out from the tournament in South Africa, with most bookmakers - including Ladbrokes, William Hill and Betfair, offering odds of around 5-5.5. Argentina and Spain are second third in the odds.