Tuesday's European Qualifier Betting Tips: Ukraine handed huge opportunity against Italy

It’s almost time for the return of club football, but before that there is still one matchday of European Championship qualifiers to take place.

Tuesday night sees four different groups in action as the latest international period wraps up around the continent, and there are big points on the line given how tight things are now that we’re past the halfway point for most nations.

In Group A, the Spanish are looking to make up some ground on surprise leaders, Scotland, who show no signs of slowing down after their perfect start. Elsewhere, Ukraine’s point against England has handed them a huge opportunity to take a step closer to Germany 2024.

We’ve picked one game from each group to zone in on as the race for the top two spots heats up.

Spain v Cyprus

Kick off: 7.45pm Tuesday

The fact that Cyprus are at 110 to win this game says a lot about the mismatch in quality, and La Roja’s 7-1 thrashing of Georgia last week certainly won’t have helped matters on that front as they prepare to face Group A’s only winless outfit.

Cyprus have actually only won five games in all competitions since the start of 2020, and have conceded 3+ against the Scots (twice), Norway and Kosovo in the last 12 months alone. It’s why you can only get 1.55 for over 3.5 in this one.

Prediction: Second half highest scoring @ 1.82

Italy v Ukraine

Kick off: 7.45pm Tuesday

Oleksandr Zinchenko’s goal against the Three Lions last week proved to be enough to secure a valuable point that took the Ukrainians three points clear of Italy in Group C, and while they’ve hardly been free-scoring they have managed to avoid defeat on all but one occasion.

Italy, meanwhile, continued their struggles a few days ago when they faced North Macedonia, conceding late to draw 1-1 and miss out on their second win of the campaign. Home advantage sees them as 1.53 favourites, but Serhiy Rebrov’s side have scored in all of their last four games so can’t be ruled out against an Italian defence that has just one clean sheet in their last seven.

Prediction: Both teams to score @ 2.24

Sweden v Austria

Kick off: 7.45pm Tuesday

Though Belgium are expected to win Group F, a bright start for the Austrians sees them head into game five level on points with them and four ahead of the third-placed Swedes – victory in Solna would make it seven with three games to play.

Das Team are the slight underdogs at 3.2 for this one, but Ralf Rangnick’s outfit find themselves on a seven-game unbeaten run that includes a win against Italy and a very respectable draw with Belgium. They also won the reverse fixture of this encounter 2-0 in June.

Neither side has been particularly good at keeping clean sheets of late, and this is a tight one to call.

Prediction: A draw @ 3.4

Switzerland v Andorra

Kick off: 7.45pm Tuesday

The Swiss are one of two teams in Group H that remain unbeaten at this point, and you wouldn’t expect that to change against an Andorran outfit that have only managed to avoid defeat four times in the last year – their 0-0 draw with Belarus last week was their first in eight games.

Murat Yakin’s Switzerland are heavy favourites at 1.02, and if you back them to win both halves things don’t change too much either (1.24) – the value in this one could well be in the goals.

Prediction: Over 3.5 goals @ 1.73

Recommended Bets

Spain v Cyprus: Back second half highest scoring @ 1.82
Italy v Ukraine: Back both teams to score @ 2.24
Sweden v Austria: Back the draw @ 3.4
Switzerland v Andorra: Back over 3.5 goals @ 1.73