Euro 2016 Qualifier preview: Cyprus v Wales

Group B - Thursday, September 3 19.45pm

With Wales on the verge of qualifying for their first for their first major international tournament since the 1958 World Cup, Thursday’s game against Cyprus takes on extra significance.

Pole position

Chris Coleman’s team remain unbeaten at the top of Group B ahead of a Belgian side who were many people’s pre-tournament favourites. Victory in Nicosia could move the Welsh team to within touching distance of their first major tournament in nearly 60 years. However, there is still plenty of work to do and the Dragons boss will be keen to avoid any complacency heading into the final matches. Having come so far, failure to qualify would be utterly devastating for the team that has moved from 112th place to 9th in the FIFA rankings in just five years.

A physical encounter

The last time the teams met in October, Wales ran out 2-1 winners in an ill-tempered game. During that encounter, the Cypriots were criticised for their heavy-footed treatment of Wales’s star player, Gareth Bale. The world’s most expensive football player was clattered to the ground on more than one occasion during the opening exchanges of the clash, setting an unpleasant tone for the rest of the game.

The toxic vibe continued in the second half when a late lunge by Leicester midfielder Andy King resulted in a red card, leaving the frustrated Welsh team with just ten men. Despite the controversial nature of the game, Wales came away with all three points thanks to goals from David Cotterill and Hal Robson-Kanu.

Team news

King has now returned from suspension and will be full of confidence after playing a vital role in Leicester’s stunning Premier League start. Meanwhile, the Welsh team will have to cope without Liverpool’s Joe Allen, who is injured as well as suspended while Robson-Kanu is also a doubt. Cyprus could be without joint top-scorer Georgios Efram who received a knock while playing for APOEL in the Champions League Qualifier against Astana on August 18 and hasn’t featured since.

Betting tips

This should be a very physical game which could lead to numerous bookings and possibly a red card. If the Welsh players can keep their cool, they should have the quality to grab all three points. The only weak point for Wales has been their goal-scoring ability. In Group B, only minnows Andorra have scored fewer goals than the British team. Of the eight goals that they have scored, Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale has scored five of them, which indicates just how important he is to this team. Bale can be backed at 5/4 to score anytime with Betvictor.

In contrast to Wales, Cyprus are the Group’s second top scorers having netted a total of 12 goals in their six games to date. However, due to injuries, Apollon Limassol striker Georgios Kolokoudias may be drafted in for this game and he is unproven at this level. Meanwhile at the other end of the pitch, the Cyrpiot defence has leaked goals with equal consistency, having conceded a total of 11 during the qualifying campaign.

In the betting markets, the unbeaten favourites can be backed at 4/5 with bet365 to come away with a victory. Having already drawn in Belgium and won convincingly in Israel, Coleman’s team have already proved that they have what it takes to perform well on their travels.

Prediction

Wales to win and Gareth Bale to score.

Go To bet365

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03/09/2015     © Frixo 2024