BetScorer.com - Bonus Betting Previews & Picks

[BetScorer]

Date: 25/09/2011
Competition: Greek Super League
Match: Skoda Xanthi vs. OFI
Pick: Skoda Xanthi to win @ 2.00
Stake: 7 Units

Venue: Skoda Xanthi Arena, Xanthi
Kick-Off: 14:00

Three consecutive defeats have kept Skoda Xanthi at the bottom of the Greek Super League. However those three matches were against superior opponents: PAOK (Away), Olympiakos (Away), AEK (Home). To my eyes (and I believe to most Xanthi fans) the league race starts on Sunday, when they take on OFI Crete. Two teams with the same target, that is avoiding relegation, therefore it's the definition of a "six-pointer" game. A defeat today will be devastating for Marinos Ouzounidis' side, while a win will give the "Akrites" some space to breathe.

This is the second game at home within just 4 days, following the 3-4 defeat at the hands of AEK Athens. Without doubt, Skoda Xanthi needs to get their defensive plans in order, as they have conceded 7 goals already. Brazilian midfielder Marcelinho has been the talk-of-the-town in the beginning of the season, having scored three goals and he is a key-player for the performance of the team. Defender Edimar returns to the squad after a suspension, but the game will come too early for midfielder Fliskas, who remains sidelined. Coach Ouzounidis has almost a full squad to choose from, so the hosts are looking forward to celebrate their first victory of the season.

OFI Crete returned to the top-flight, after a short spell in the second division. Because of the mess regarding the match-fixing scandal and the two teams missing in order to complete the table, they have played just one match so far. It was back on August 27th, when they drew 1-1 with Atromitos at home. As you understand, it has been nearly a month without a game for OFI and the condition of the Cretans is questionable. Midfielder Chumbinho and striker Mantzios are doubtful and they will pass a late fitness test to find out whether they have fully recovered from their injuries.

Even though it's risky business, I believe that this is a golden chance for Skoda Xanthi to kick start the new season. I think that their current position doesn't reflect their potential and they will give everything they have to emerge victorious out of this clash. A tight match perhaps, but Xanthi can edge it by 1-0 or 2-1.

H2H STATS

21/02/2009 Xanthi vs. OFI: 0-0 (X)
09/12/2007 Xanthi vs. OFI: 1-0 (1)
22/04/2007 Xanthi vs. OFI: 4-1 (1)
29/01/2006 Xanthi vs. OFI: 0-0 (X)
29/12/2004 Xanthi vs. OFI: 2-1 (1)
18/04/2004 Xanthi vs. OFI: 1-0 (1)
12/01/2003 Xanthi vs. OFI: 1-4 (2)
08/05/2002 Xanthi vs. OFI: 2-1 (1)
04/03/2001 Xanthi vs. OFI: 3-2 (1)

 

[BetScorer]

Skoda Xanthi-OFI: 3-1 +7 Units

 

[BetScorer]

Date: 27/09/2011
Competition: Champions League
Match: CSKA Moscow vs. Inter
Pick: Inter (Draw No Bet) @ 2.14
Stake: 6 Units

Venue: Luzhniki Stadion, Moscow
Kick-Off: 17:00

Inter took their first Serie A win of the season on Saturday, with Claudio Ranieri in charge for the first time. Could it be the same scenario in the Champions League? The Nerazzurri suffered a shocking home defeat by Trabzonspor in the first round and a second on the trot will keep them rock-bottom in Group B, with 0 points after two matches. That would leave them a mountain to climb to secure qualification and Massimo Moratti sweating over their chances to advance in the tournament.

Claudio Ranieri may have a lot of experience, but he is no magician. What I am trying to say here is that he couldn't have transformed the team withing days, but the change of attitude and the morale boost was obvious for those who watched the game in Bologna. He left Wesley Sneijder back in Italy, as the Dutch midfielder is struggling with a thigh injury. Brazilian defender Maicon and midfielder Dejan Stankovic are also missing due to injuries, while striker Diego Forlan is cup-tied (he played for Atletico Madrid earlier this season).

CSKA Moscow defeated Volga Nizhny Novgorod 3-1 on Saturday and they are 2nd in the Russian league, trailing leaders Zenit St. Petersburg by two points. Ivorian striker Seydou Doumbia scored his 14th goal in the season and he is by far the top-scorer of Leonid Slutsky's side. CSKA avoided defeat in their last Champions League tie, coming back from two-goals down to draw 2-2 with Lille. Doumbia scored both goals in France as well and he is the major threat for Inter's defense, along with Brazilian Vagner Love. The Russians miss goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev and Japanese midfielder Keisuke Honda. Serbian midfielder Zoran Tosic is doubtful, yet he is expected to make it on time for Tuesday's match.

Playing in Russia this time of the year is not an easy task for any team in the world, even Barcelona. The Russian teams are in full form, while most of the european leagues have recently started. However, the change at the helm of Inter and the need for making-up for the unexpected defeat from Trabzonspor, are the reasons that I am backing the Nerazzurri to emerge victorious in the end.

Possible line-ups:
CSKA MOSCOW: Gabulov - V. Berezutski, Ignashevich, Nababkin, A.Berezutski - Aldonin, Sekou, Tosic, Dzagoev - Love, Doumbia.
INTER: Julio Cesar - Nagatomo, Lucio, Samuel, Chivu - Zanetti, Cambiasso, Obi, Coutinho - Pazzini, Milito.

H2H STATS

06/04/2010 CSKA Moscow vs. Inter: 0-1 (2)
23/10/2007 CSKA Moscow vs. Inter: 1-2 (2)

 

[BetScorer]

CSKA Moscow-Inter: 2-3 +6.84 Units

 

[BetScorer]

Date: 29/09/2011
Competition: Europa League
Match: Rubin Kazan vs. PAOK
Pick: Rubin Kazan (-1) A.H. @ 2.03
Stake: 5 Units

Venue: Tsentralnyi Stadion, Kazan
Kick-Off: 16:00

PAOK is flying high in the Greek League and on Sunday eased past AEK Athens in the most convincing style. It was supposed to be a tight affair, yet Laszlo Boloni's side dominated the game and the score line was 3-0 by the end of the first half. They didn't play at the same level in the second half, otherwise the score would have probably been bigger. Winger Vierinha and striker Athanasiadis are in great spirits and some of the fans are dreaming that their team might make a bid for the title this year. The crash-test event will definitely be the trip to Piraeus, when they will face champions Olympiakos. This clash comes next on Sunday, after the long journey to Russia. PAOK will be back in Salonica on Friday and coach Boloni will have less than 48 hours to prepare his team for the derby against one their fiercest rivals.

The Romanian coach acknowledges the need to rotate his players. Therefore he decided to leave defensive midfielder Pablo Garcia and striker Dimitris Salpingidis back in Salonica, to rest them. When asked about what would be a positive result out of the match against Rubin, he didn't even mention the win at all. Instead he pointed out that "I would definitely sign, if you offered me a draw." Now, I am not saying that PAOK will lose hands-down, yet I am sure that no one will feel broken-hearted about a defeat in Kazan. The derby against Olympiakos is the match that they want to win badly. The lack of motivation or focus usually leads to negative results, especially if the opponent needs the win more than you.

Rubin Kazan won their first match in Group A, cruising to an easy 3-0 victory over Shamrock Rovers. Kurban Berdyev's side has the home advantage and I think that they will try to stay clear of the Spurs, who are facing Shamrock in White Hart Lane. The Tatars have lost just one of their last 13 home games in European competitions and they come to this match from a hard-earned draw against Lokomotiv in Moscow. I admit that the price for the home win is quite low, yet I believe that the visitors will not put up a strong resistance. The (-1) Asian Handicap is my choice, looking forward to Rubin Kazan earning a clear win.

 

[BetScorer]

Date: 01/10/2011
Competition: Greek Super League
Match: OFI vs. Ergotelis
Pick: OFI (Draw No Bet) @ 1.90
Stake: 8 Units

Venue: Theodoros Vardinogiannis, Heraklion
Kick-Off: 17:30

The Battle of Crete! This is a derby between the two teams located in Heraklion, OFI and Ergotelis. OFI has been the "traditional football force" in Crete for decades, however the rise of Ergotelis during the past decade has changed the balances. The appointment of Ergotelis' President Apostolos Papoutsakis as Chairman of the Greek Super League is also a sign of that. In 2009, OFI was relegated to the second division for the first time after 33 years. They failed to return back to top-flight in their first season, but eventually managed to come back this year.

Nikos Anastopoulos's side is struggling to find its form in the first rounds and this is normal if you take into consideration that OFI was playing in the Football League Playoffs until August to get the ticket for the Super League. Not much time to rest, even less for Anastopoulos to get the team ready. A draw with Atromitos in the season opener was followed by a defeat in Xanthi and there is a tough schedule ahead awaiting them. After the Cretan derby, OFI has to travel to Salonica to face PAOK, then entertain AEK Athens at home, before making the trip to Pireaus to play against champions Olympiakos. This is a must-win situation, besides the rivalry between them and Ergotelis, because it could be November before they win again. The hosts are facing an injury crisis and there are doubts over many players: Jordi Lopez (FW), Chumbinho (FW), Jorge Lopez (MF), Zeljko Kalajdzic (MF), Christos Bourbos (MF) and Minas Pitsos (DF) are battling to overcome injuries.

Ergotelis is quite comfortable at the moment, having earned 4 points in four matches. It may not look impressive, yet in the last three rounds, Ergotelis faced PAOK (H), AEK (A) and Olympiakos (H). A late goal salvaged a point against Panionios in the season opener, and two goals in the last 5 minutes gave them a precious win over PAOK. Uruguayan forward Sergio Leal will probably miss the match due to injury, as coach Nikos Karageorgiou doesn't want to risk losing him for longer. Ergotelis' fans will not have the chance to follow their team, as the Board decided not to get tickets for the derby.

It's a "do-or-die" for OFI, plus in this situation "death" will come in the most painful way if Ergotelis wins on Saturday. Despite the missing players and the condition of the opponents, local derbies like these are often decided by "which team wants it more". I strongly believe that on Saturday OFI desperately needs a win and the odds allow me to take a safe approach of a Draw No Bet with high stakes.

H2H STATS

12/04/2009 OFI vs. Ergotelis: 0-0 (X)
30/09/2007 OFI vs. Ergotelis: 4-1 (1)
04/02/2007 OFI vs. Ergotelis: 1-3 (2)
27/11/2004 OFI vs. Ergotelis: 5-0 (1)

 

[BetScorer]

Rubin Kazan-PAOK: 2-2 :neenee: -5 Units
OFI-Ergotelis: 1-0 +7.2 Units

 

[BetScorer]

Date: 02/10/2011
Competition: Italian Serie A
Match: Cesena vs. Chievo
Pick: Draw at Half Time @ 2.05
Stake: 5 Units

Venue: Dino Manuzzi, Cesena
Kick-Off: 14:00

There is just one team in the Serie A yet to earn a point and that's Cesena. The Seahorses have suffered four defeats on the trot, although you have to consider that they have faced powerful opponents such as AC Milan, Napoli and Lazio. This is a game against a team of nearly the same calibre. Chievo may be flying high at the moment, yet I don't expect to see them in the top-half at the end of the season. Two consecutive wins (against Genoa and Napoli) have pushed the Gialloblu up to the 6th spot, trailing second-placed Juventus by one point.

Cesena boss Marco Giampaolo feels that his players haven't got what they deserved so far, expressing his confidence to his team. The problem is though that Cesena is lacking creativity and the fact that it's the team with the fewer shots on goal in the league is indicative of that. Goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli has resumed training, but this match may come too soon for him.

Chievo started the season with an unexpected draw at home with newcomers Novara and in the next round a late goal from Giovinco condemned them to a narrow defeat at Parma. The return at the Bentegodi stadium sparked new life to the Yellow-and-Blue, as they defeated both Napoli and Genoa. Coach Domenico Di Carlo has tried to keep a low profile, claiming that his team has the same target as Cesena and that is to secure a top-flight status. The visitors are expected to field the same squad like last week, with Davide Moscardelli (scored the winning goals in the last two matches) coming from the bench in the second half.

Most of the punters are expecting that it's high time that Cesena record the first win of the season. I am not so sure about it, although I believe that they will fight hard to get a positive result. Matches between these two teams have always been tight affairs and I am backing the draw at half time, rather than picking a winner.

Possible line-ups:
CESENA: Ravaglia - Comotto, Von Bergen, Rodriguez, Lauro - Parolo, Guana, Candreva - Eder, Mutu, Martinez.
CHIEVO: Sorrentino - Sardo, Morero, Cesar, Jokic - Bradley, L.Rigoni, Hetemaj, Cruzado - Pellissier, Thereau.

H2H STATS

27/02/2011 Cesena vs. Chievo: 1-0 (1)
25/08/2007 Cesena vs. Chievo: 1-1 (X)

 

[BetScorer]

Cesena-Chievo: 0-0 (HT) +5.25 Units

 

[BetScorer]

Date: 03/10/2011
Competition: German 2.Bundesliga
Match: Braunschweig vs. Dusseldorf
Pick: Fortuna Dusseldorf (Draw No Bet) @ 2.13
Stake: 5 Units

Venue: Eintracht Stadion, Braunschweig
Kick-Off: 19:15

Fortuna Dusseldorf goes top of the 2.Bundesliga tonight with a win at Braunschweig. They are on an undefeated run, boasting an impressive scoring record in the last rounds: each one of the previous three matches (vs. Energie Cottbus, Erzgebirge Aue and Karlsruher) ended with a 4-2 win for Norbert Meier's side.

Fortuna was particularly impressive in the previous match at Esprit Arena, demolishing Cottbus within the first 30 minutes. They switched off their engines after the 3-0 lead, giving the right to the opposition to come back in the game with a quick-double in the second half, before sealing victory deep into injury time. Goalkeeper Michael Ratajczak (7 apps) returns to the squad, after serving a suspension. Defender Adam Bodzek (9 apps / 0 goals) is suspended, while midfielder Oliver Fink (7 apps / 1 goal) and striker Thomas Broker (8 apps / 5 goals) remain on the sidelines.

Eintracht Braunschweig salvaged a point at FSV Frankfurt thanks to a late goal from Pierre Merkel. Torsten Lieberknecht's side remained unbeaten for a sixth consecutive match, which is a fine start to the season for the newcomers. Having ruined many chances at Frankfurt, it would be fair to say that Braunschweig should have taken all three points from their last game. The Yellow-and-Blue are missing again goalkeeper Petkovic (3 apps), defender Deniz Dogan (0 apps) and midfielder Steffen Bohl (2 apps / 0 goals). Bosnian midfielder Damir Vrancic (9 apps / 1 goal) is struggling with an injury and he is rated as doubtful.

The odds are wrong in my opinion, as Fortuna Dusseldorf should be the favorites in this clash. That's OK with me of course, since I can get the Draw No Bet on the visitors at a lucrative price.

Possible line-ups:
EINTRACHT BRAUNSCHWEIG: Davari - Kessel, Correia, Henn, Reichel - Kruppke, Vrancic, Pfitzner, Zimmermann, Boland - Kumbela.
FORTUNA DUSSELDORF: Ratajczak - Levels, Lukimya, Langeneke, J. van den Bergh - Lambertz, Juanan, Beister, Ilso, Dum - Rosler.

H2H STATS

10/05/2009 Braunschweig vs. Dusseldorf: 5-5 (X)
17/05/2008 Braunschweig vs. Dusseldorf: 1-1 (X)
11/12/2004 Braunschweig vs. Dusseldorf: 0-2 (2)
03/11/2001 Braunschweig vs. Dusseldorf: 1-2 (2)
28/10/2000 Braunschweig vs. Dusseldorf: 2-1 (1)

 

[BetScorer]

Braunschweig-Dusseldorf: 1-1 BET VOID

 

[BetScorer]

Date: 07/10/2011
Competition: EURO 2012 Qualifiers
Match: Slovakia vs. Russia
Pick: Draw at Half Time @ 2.05
Stake: 5 Units

Venue: Stadion pod Dubnom, Zilina
Kick-Off: 19:15

A crucial match for both teams, as Slovakia is seeking to keep their qualification chances alive, while Russia can seal the first place of Group B if they escape Zilina with the three points in their bags. I have always said that the probabilities of a team completing a double over their opposition, when of course we are talking about teams at about the same level, are quite low. Slovakia managed to grab a shocking win in Moscow last year and they will be all out for the win tonight. Should they fail to grab the three points, they will be out of the tournament. Remember that Ireland is facing helpless Andorra and in the last round they are playing Armenia at home. Six points out of these games is a probable scenario for Giovanni Trapattoni's side, which will take them to 21 points.

Russia's last game is against Andorra, so tonight's clash is the crucial one for Dick Advocaat. They have the advantage of deciding their own fate. They win and they are already through, simple as that. Kerzhakov is out, yet there is still plenty of firepower available. Russia's recent games have been tight affairs and this one should not be different. The stakes are high and the possibility of a draw at half time is quite high to my eyes.

H2H STATS

12/10/2005 Slovakia vs. Russia: 0-0 (X)

 

[BetScorer]

Slovakia-Russia: 0-0 (HT) +5.25 Units

 

[BetScorer]

Date: 11/10/2011
Competition: EURO 2012 Qualifiers
Match: Georgia vs. Greece
Pick: Draw at Half Time @ 2.15
Stake: 5 Units

Venue: Mikheil Meskhi, Tbilisi
Kick-Off: 18:00

In a tense game, as you can tell by the picture, Greece edged Croatia 2-0 and climbed at the top of Group F. It was a crucial win for the Greeks, who moved two points clear of their rivals. All they need now is just one point in Georgia, in order to seal the ticket to the EURO 2012 finals. That is of course if Croatia gets the three points, but it's the most probable scenario since they face Latvia at home. You might say that it's all over and everything has been decided, but I am not certain that Greece will cruise to an easy victory in Tbilisi.

It's always a tricky situation, when a team is playing for two results. The Croats came in Athens to play for the win or at least a draw. Their quality is obviously higher than the Greeks, but they failed to deliver on their fans expectations. They found themselves playing the "cat-and-mouse game" that Greece wanted and they paid for it dearly. Two goals in the second half gave the hosts a priceless victory and Fernando Santos a record 15-games unbeaten run. The difference in this case is that Georgia has nothing to play for. Friday's win came at a cost for coach Santos, who will miss Giorgos Samaras (FW), Avraam Papadopoulos (DF) and Giannis Zaradoukas (DF) due to suspension. Moreover, full-back Vassilis Torosidis suffered an injury and he is sidelined.

Temuri Ketsbaia is no stranger to the Greeks, he played for AEK Athens during his career and he also had a short-spell as Olympiakos' coach. Georgia enjoyed a great start in these qualifying series, holding Greece to a draw and defeating Croatia in Tbilisi. However they lost every hope in the last matches, dropping a whole lot of points. Their last game was a month ago, when they handed Malta their first point in the tournament. Even though, I cannot see them defeating Greece (thus making a gift to Croatia), I really don't think that they will let their opponents have a walk around the park. A draw will not hurt anybody's pride and it's quite a probable outcome. Still, I prefer to go for the draw at half-time, as the visitors will first and foremost try to control the rhythm and avoid any unpleasant surprises.

H2H STATS

26/03/2005 Georgia vs. Greece: 1-3 (2)
05/06/1999 Georgia vs. Greece: 1-2 (2)

 

[BetScorer]

Georgia-Greece: 1-0 (HT) :neenee: -5 Units

 

[BetScorer]

A quick look on the performance after the first 20 picks posted in this topic:



It would be interesting to see the stats for this record:



:toast:

 

[BetScorer]

Date: 14/10/2011
Competition: French Ligue 2
Match: Metz vs. Le Havre
Pick: Le Havre (+0.5) @ 1.92
Stake: 7 Units

Venue: Saint-Symphorien, Metz
Kick-Off: 19:00

Despite the fact that it's still the beginning of the season, the two teams face each other for the second time already. Le Havre knocked FC Metz out of the League Cup after a nine-goal thriller back in July. Les Grenats had a 1-4 lead early in the second half, yet Le HAC managed an astonishing come back to send the match to extra time. Mendes' goal on the 111th minute earned Le Havre qualification to the next round, where his team got eliminated at the hands of Amiens.

FC Metz are facing an injury crisis and the list of missing players is quite long. Top-scorer Mathieu Duhamel (10 apps / 5 goals picked up an injury and he will most likely be sidelined for this match. Defender Fallou Diagne (7 apps / 1 goal) and Kalidou Koulibaly (4 apps / 0 goals) are suspended, while goalkeeper Joris Delle (9 apps) and Senegalese striker Diafra Sakho (8 apps / 0 goals) are injured. Coach Dominique Bijotat is forced to make a lot of changes both in the front line and his defense. The future looks grim, as Metz may soon find themselves in the danger zone, since they will face Troyes and Reims in the coming rounds.

Contrary to the hosts, Le Havre is welcoming back some missing players, starting with defender Benjamin Genton (6 apps / 0 goals) and Cedric Daury is aiming to start pushing up to the table after a four-game winless run. HAC have had tough times when visiting Saint-Symphorien in the past, yet I believe that this is a golden opportunity to take a positive result on Friday. The (+0.5) Asian Handicap is looking safe to my eyes, but I will also have a slice of the Draw No Bet at odds above 3.00

H2H STATS

10/05/2011 Metz vs. Le Havre: 2-0 (1)
01/03/2010 Metz vs. Le Havre: 2-0 (1)
27/04/2007 Metz vs. Le Havre: 1-0 (1)

 

[BetScorer]

Metz-Le Havre: 0-2 +6.44 Units

 

[BetScorer]

Date: 16/10/2011
Competition: Dutch Eredivisie
Match: Roda vs. ADO Den Haag
Pick: Roda (-0.25) @ 1.93
Stake: 6 Units

Venue: Parkstad Limburg Stadion, Kerkrade
Kick-Off: 13:30

After the heavy beating at PSV Eindhoven, Roda showed resilience and bounced back to success, edging NAC Breda 4-3 at Kerkrade. A second consecutive match at home offers the Limburgers the chance to climb further up the ladder of the Dutch Eredivisie. Tough tests lie ahead, against superior opponents such as AZ Alkmaar and Ajax (twice, Cup and League). Therefore this is no time to take it easy, on the contrary they have to build on the momentum and get back-to-back victories for the first time this season. Coach Harm van Veldhoven has a nearly full strength squad to choose from. Serbian defender Vucovic (3 apps / 0 goals) is suspended and Belgian defender is doubtful, although chances are that he will make it.

ADO Den Haag's away performances have been a rollercoaster: They lost 4-2 at Groningen, then eased past De Graafschap 3-0, got thrashed at Twente 5-2, then humbled Feyenoord 3-0 at De Kuip. Now what? It's time to lose, right? Well, ADO Den Haag haven't had pleasant memories whenever they took on Roda JC. Take last year's win in the playoffs aside and you'll notice that Den Haag's last win in Kerkrade was back in the 1973/1974 season. In addition, they defeated Roda just once in the last 14 matches (regardless of the home ground). German defender Christian Kum (7 apps / 0 goals) will miss the match because of a hamstring injury and he will join left-back Supusepa (4 apps / 0 goals) on the sidelines.

Maurice Steijn's side travels to Kerkrade, following two wins on the trot. However getting a third one is not very likely. Roda JC may be weaker than in previous seasons, but they have to get this three-pointer to avoid a plunge in the standings in the coming rounds. My vote goes to the Asian Handicap (-0.25) on Roda, which is quite safe given the fact that you get half your stake back in case of a draw.

H2H STATS

11/12/2010 Roda vs. Den Haag: 1-1 (X)
04/12/2009 Roda vs. Den Haag: 1-1 (X)
22/03/2009 Roda vs. Den Haag: 2-0 (1)
25/08/2006 Roda vs. Den Haag: 1-0 (1)
27/12/2005 Roda vs. Den Haag: 3-1 (1)
19/11/2004 Roda vs. Den Haag: 1-1 (X)
31/10/2003 Roda vs. Den Haag: 5-1 (1)

 

[BetScorer]

Roda-ADO Den Haag: 4-1 +5.58 Units