Tuesday’s Group A clash from the National Stadium in Warsaw is Poland v Russia. Read out best betting tips here.
Tournament co-hosts, Poland, come into this game off the back of a 1-1 draw against Greece in the opening game of the competition.
After dominating the game in the first 20 minutes and creating enough chances to put the game to bed by half time, Poland will be disappointed that they let Greece back into the game and were in-fact lucky to come away with a draw after a missed Greek penalty in the second half.
The one positive they will take from the game is that performance of front-man, Robert Lewandowski’s whose powerful first half header and all-round play showed us why the Premier League’s biggest clubs are enquiring about his services.
Russia were the comfortable 4-1 victors over Czech Republic in their Group A opening match. After taking an early 2-0 lead, doubts were raised when the Czechs pulled it back to 1-1 but the Russians slick passing and fast movement were too much to handle for a weak Czech defence and they would add two more goals before the final whistle blew.
As the group betting for Group A shows, Russia are 1/4 favourites to win the group outright while Poland can be backed at 5/1 to do the same. A more realistic bet might be the 1/1 about Poland qualifying from the group.
Facts
• Poland won their only previous home game against Russia 3-1 in a friendly in Chorzow in 1998.
• Poland are still awaiting their first victory at a Euro finals. In their only previous appearance four years ago, they drew one and lost two of their group games.
• The goal conceded by Poland in the opening match was the first the Poles have conceded in their previous five matches.
• Russia’s are unbeaten in 15 matches in which they have conceded just five goals.
• Russia’s Alan Dzagoyev, who hit the net twice against the Czechs, has scored five goals in his last three competitive internationals appearances.
Team News
Poland will be without goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczęsny, who serves a one match ban for his dismissal in Poland’s opening game. Despite the offence being a straight red card, the UEFA disciplinary committee declined to extend the one match ban. PSV Eindhoven’s, Przemyslaw Tyton, will take his place between the sticks infront of the home fans.
Apart from this one forced change, manager Vyacheslav Malafeev is thought to be happy to keep the 10 outfield players who started against Czech Republic.
Russia manager, Dick Advocaat, should have a full suit to choose from and will likely name the same eleven as started the victory of Czech Republic.
