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Greece vs Scotland Betting Tips:
scotland Travel to Piraeus to face Greece in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday night steve clarkThe team needs a win to keep the dream of automatic qualification alive.
Scotland’s dramatic 3-1 win over the Greeks in October condemned the visitors to failure in their own qualifying campaign, and now the return situation is that Greece have nothing to play for except pride, with Scotland and Denmark having secured the top two spots.
Nevertheless, that win at Hampden Park would have shown Scotland that Greece posed plenty of threat, with the visitors dominating large parts of the game before goals from Lewis Ferguson and Lyndon Dykes put the Scots’ qualification campaign back on track.
The performance in that match explains why to some extent betting sites Greece is the favorite in the latest football odds,
However, with Scotland and Denmark both entering the final two matches on points, the final game will see them thrown together in a potential winner-take-all decider at Hampden next Tuesday (November 18).
So, the least that Scotland need if they are to avoid a potentially difficult play-off is a draw with Greece – they have already sprung a few surprises this campaign, so can they spring another surprise in Piraeus?
Greece vs Scotland Prediction: Scots to draw
This match could have been crucial for the hosts had they managed to beat Scotland at Hampden, but as it happened, they suffered a surprise defeat despite leading 1–0 in a match that tells the story of their qualification campaign.
That result and Scotland’s subsequent win over Belarus means it is the Scots and Denmark who will compete for the automatic qualification spot, but with Denmark facing Belarus in their final match and having a significantly superior goal difference, it is likely that Steve Clarke’s side will need to overhaul them by beating the Danes on the final matchday – regardless of whether they win or draw in Greece.
That means they need a result in Piraeus, where the hosts have nothing to play for, and despite being the better team on paper, it may be that Greek hearts are not in it this weekend – as was the case when they lost 3-1 to Denmark last time out.
Scotland have traveled across the continent having won four of their last five games – including last month’s 3-1 win – with those results leading to 11 goals and just two goals conceded, while Greece came into the game with just two wins in their last five, one of which came against Belarus and the other in a friendly against Bulgaria.
The hosts scored 11 and conceded 10 in that time, although five of the scores came against Belarus and the other four against Bulgaria.
Greece have won only once in their qualifying campaign, and have yet to keep a clean sheet, although they did beat Scotland 3–0 at Hampden in the Nations League in March to underline the difference in quality between these two sides.
However, despite the visitors’ dominance at Hampden in October, that expected quality has not been on display for the rest of the year, and instead it is the Scots who could make history by earning qualification for the World Cup this month.
Still, the Scots are desperate for a result While Greece have a lot to prove – and are the ‘better’ team on paper as well as having home advantage – we think betting on a draw and both teams scoring may be the best value football betting sites,
Greece vs Scotland Prediction 1: Draw and both teams will score – 7/2 Ladbrokes
Greece vs Scotland betting tip: McTominay will perform again
Scott McTominay emerged as Scotland’s talisman during their qualifying campaign for Euro 2024 and the former Manchester United midfielder remains arguably the team’s most important player as they look to seal a World Cup berth for the first time since 1998.
The midfielder has scored five goals and two assists for club and country so far this season, and scored the winner in a poor performance against Belarus last time out.
Although he has not managed to recapture the same explosive form that saw him named Serie A MVP last season, the Napoli man remains vital to Scotland’s qualification hopes, and thankfully he continues to perform well on the big occasions.
McTominay scored the only goal in Scotland’s 1-0 win when these two teams met in Athens in March and the Tartan Army will be praying he can do it again this weekend.
The 28-year-old has been in good form this season, and having scored for his country last time out – plus the added bonus that he is usually on penalty duty – we think a bet on McTominay to score or assist could offer good value.
Greece vs Scotland Prediction 2: Scott McTominay will score or assist – 2/1 bet365
greece vs scotland team news
Greece: Konstantinos Mavropanos and Fotis Ioannidis will miss the match through injury, although usual starters Vangelis Pavlidis, Kostas Tsimikas, Christos Tzolis and Tasos Bakasetas are expected to feature. Ex-Hibs midfielder Nectarios Triantis and Brighton’s Charalampos Kostoulas could both make their debuts.
Scotland: Udinese midfielder Lennon Miller and Bristol City defender Ross McCrorie were forced to withdraw from the Scotland squad this week, while Billy Gilmour is out of the match Against Greece.
Craig Gordon could start in the absence of the injured Angus Gunn, with the 42-year-old potentially earning his 82nd cap.
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