The second set of matches in Euro2016 conclude on Saturday and the opening match sees Belgium vs Republic of Ireland in Group E in what is a big match for both sides given Italy’s win on Friday.
Belgium go into the match knowing if they lose the best they can do is finish third in the group while Ireland will know if they can win the game they only need to better Sweden’s result in the final game to go through themselves.
If there was an award for the most disappointing team in the first set of matches then Belgium would be highly placed to receive it. Admittedly they were playing the course and distance knowledge of Italy but even so they were so disappointing.
I’ve felt for a while that Belgium are a touch overrated but the biggest problem they have is their individuals don’t make a team and we saw that in the first match when they picked four centre halves which was never going to work. Marc Wilmots really needs to find some balance to his squad.
Key Man
You need to search high and low for a Belgian who had a really good game against the Italians but Kevin de Bruyne wasn’t the worse on the pitch. He is the standout player for Belgium and all eyes will be on him here to see whether he can contribute either with goals or assists. His side need it.
It is a sign of how far Ireland have come in four years that they were disappointed to only draw with Sweden in their first match. I guess when you lead but don’t win you are always disappointed but having lost their three matches in Poland and Ukraine in 2012 it marks a significant improvement.
If there was a disappointment for Ireland in the first game it will have been a lack of creativity in the final third and they could never really get Shane Long into the game but in this format keeping it tight and taking what you’re given can take you a long way.
Key Man
Seamus Coleman is going to get the task of keeping Eden Hazard quiet but at the same time Ireland will still need him to get forward as much as he can and support their attacking play. He has already set up one goal in the tournament and if his runs forward can take Hazard with him it will really help the Irish defence.
Team News
There are reports that Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne missed training this week but neither are expected to miss this match. Romelu Lukaku didn’t do a lot against Italy and he might sit this one out while surely Wilmots can’t go with the four centre backs again.
Republic of Ireland look set to be without Jon Walters who picked up an injury in the previous game but apart from that Martin O’Neill looks to have a fully fit squad to choose from. Robbie Keane or James McClean could be favourites to replace Walters.
Head to Head
The Republic won the first three meetings against Belgium but they have only won one of the 11 matches the two have played since and you have to back 50 years for that so there is a clear advantage on the past record in the way of Belgium here. That said three of the last four ended all square so it isn’t a hugely significant one.
Betting
When this draw was made this is the match I thought Ireland would be ok in. I say that because the majority of this Belgium squad all play in the Premier League where the Irish players play so there will be no unknown qualities in this Belgian side.
That means it comes down to whether Ireland are good enough to contain them. The one thing we know about the Irish is that they revel in being the underdogs and if we did need any reminder of that then we got it when they turned Germany over in qualifying.
There were a couple of reactions from Belgium’s defeat to Italy that suggests to me not all is well in their camp. Thibaut Courtois admitted his manager was tactically outclassed and one of the players subbed was seen making gestures behind Wilmots’ back.
Ireland have none of those problems. I think this will be a tight match in terms of a lack of goals. I’m not sure if Ireland have enough about them to win the game but I do think they can get something from it and that might well suit them fine going into the last round of matches. With a +0.75 cap on the Asian markets Ireland are the call here.
Tips
Back Republic of Ireland (+0.75AH) to beat Belgium for a 4/10 stake at 1.86 with 188bet
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