Football – Euro 2016 Qualifiers – Group D
Sunday 7th September 2014 – Kickoff: 1800hrs
The Dinamo Tbilisi Stadium is the venue of my next pick as I delve into one of Sunday’s Euro 2016 qualifiers with Georgia taking on Republic of Ireland in Group D.
This is the opening round of fixtures across the various qualifying groups, and I daresay Georgia will be looking to give a much improved account of themselves in the Euro 2016 qualifying stages following a very disappointing World Cup qualifying campaign.
Georgia finished the European stages of World Cup qualification second from bottom in Group I just one point ahead of Belarus who finished bottom of a group containing Spain, France and Finland. Georgia’s one success in the group was a 1-0 win over Belarus, and they scored just 3 goals throughout the whole campaign and just the 1 goal in their four home matches.
On the debit side, they conceded just 2 goals in their four matches on home turf (Spain only scored 1 against them) while they earned a very creditable point against France in a 0-0 draw.
Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland side start their campaign on the road away at today’s hosts Georgia but they then have a home match against minnows Gibraltar to look forward to, within a group consisting of Germany, Scotland, Poland, Georgia and Gibraltar.
With Scotland and Poland being their main rivals in the group, it looks like a three-way battle between Ireland, Scotland and Poland to finish behind Germany in second place in order to avoid the qualification play-off.
O’Neill will have to do without the services of Wigan winger James McClean though as he is injured and won’t be risked for the trip to Georgia. Travelling away from home is never an easy task and with this being the opening fixture, I daresay Ireland will be keen to avoid defeat here despite holding a good record over today’s opponents.
Republic of Ireland won 4-0 in a friendly in the last encounter, and have beaten Georgia in the previous four matches to that – but I believe Georgia will try and keep things a lot tighter at the back tonight and I’m backing that goals will be at a premium in this clash. Ireland may nick this perhaps 1-0, but go the Unders here.
Pick: Under 2 goals @ 1.97 Pinnacle
