Group D Teams Play Decisive Matches at the Euro 2020 on Friday
Published June 18, 2021 by Florin P
England and the Czech Republic seek first place in Group D, as they take on Scotland and Croatia in the Friday matches at Euro 2020.
Action heats up in the Euro 2020 group stage, where any mistake can lead to the untimely elimination from the competition. The Czech Republic and England are tied for the first place in Group D and one victory is enough to advance to the playoffs. Meanwhile, Croatia and Scotland fight for their lives in the tournament, something that Slovakia and Sweden also do in Group E.
Must-Win Game for Croatia at Euro 2020
Croatia was expected to put up a fierce opposition to England and they didn’t disappoint the fans. Sadly for those cheering for this team, they ended up losing by the odd goal and are now in danger of missing the playoffs. Nothing is lost yet and victory over the Czech Republic will be enough to bring them back into the race. The two teams are evenly matched and have split points the last time they met.
Croatia has the more experienced squad and with no players missing, it can field a competitive starting formation. The inability to score goals in recent matches is the biggest concern for the team ahead of this match. Odds of 11/10 offered by bet365 Sports are tempting, but the Croatians will be under a lot of pressure. A Czech Republic win is priced at 5/2, but the visitors would gladly settle for draw.
Battle of Britain: England vs Scotland
England extended its winning streak to seven consecutive games after defeating Croatia to nil. Another victory over Scotland will be enough to see them through the group stage and into the playoffs. Grealish is the only player missing ahead of this fixture and he is not an essential one. Tierney won’t play for Scotland, as he is nursing an injury but his absence will also go unnoticed.
Scotland lost the opening match against the Czech Republic and can’t settle for a draw. The prospect of pushing against England is frightening, hence the odds of 9/1 offered by bet365 Sports. An England win makes more sense under these circumstances and this outcome is priced at 3/10 by the same bookmaker.
Slovakia and Sweden Play for the 2nd Place in Group E
Spain and Poland were the main favorites in Group E, yet it is Slovakia and Sweden that rank higher. They will try to consolidate disadvantage to improve the odds of advancing to the playoffs. This will lead to a prudent approach from both teams and the match is likely to result in a low-scoring affair.
Sweden is better positioned ahead of this match, as the scoreless draw against Spain recommends them. Punters willing to bet on the Scandinavian nation will be paid at 17/20 by 888 Sport. Slovakia won the opening match and if it does it again, those who bet on their victory will enjoy odds of 37/10.
Disclaimer:
The odds mentioned here were accurate at the featured bookmakers at the hour the article was written, respectively on Thursday, June 17 at 8 A.M. UK time.
