Belgium Vs Russia
Belgium Vs Russia Saturday, 12th June 2021 – 20:00
UEFA EURO 2020, Group A
Pick: Both Teams to Score
Odds: Evens
Bookmaker: Betfair
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 10th June 2021)
Preview: In a repeat of their clashes from the qualifying, which the Belgians won both times and by an aggregate score of 7-2, Russia will be well supported inside Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, for this Group B opener against the highest ranked team at these finals, Belgium.
UEFA EURO 2020 Betting at Betfair
Table of Contents
Belgium – Lukaku can inspire in De Bruyne’s absence?
Third favourites to win the tournament. Can Belgium’s Golden Generation – expect to hear that banded around an awful lot over the next few weeks – finally deliver on their enormous potential? As the highest ranked team at the finals, boasting one of only two perfect records during qualifying in which they scored more (40) and conceded fewer (3) than any other side, there are plenty who certainly think so.
Belgium are also ultra consistent. They, along with 2018 World Cup winners France, are the only teams to have reached the quarter-final stage at each of the last three major tournaments. Romelu Lukaku similar. Coming off the back of an outstanding domestic season in Italy, Lukaku has more goals in tournament football than any other Belgian – netting 7 in his 15 such appearances (six of those in the group stage).
Perhaps the only blow for manager Roberto Martinez is the apparent loss of talisman Kevin de Bruyne, who is expected to miss the Group B opener. That lack of creativity and thrust from the middle of the pitch was evident in the warm up matches, as the Red Devils laboured against Greece (1-1) and Croatia (1-0) but ultimately stretched their unbeaten run to nine games (W7 D2).
Russia – Captain Dyzuba still influential as ever?
Stanislav Cherchesov has a big problem to solve in his second tournament as Russia manager. That is because his team were overpowered and outplayed across both meetings with the Belgians in qualification, and actually suffered a heavier defeat here in Russia when going down 4-1 at this very venue in November 2019. Having lost 3-1 in Brussels earlier in the campaign.
With the opposition without their star man, are The National Team in any sort of position to capitalise? Three wins from their last eleven internationals (D4 L4) would ordinarily suggest not. All three have come since the turn of the year, though, since when they have only been beaten the once: losing 2-1 to Slovakia in March in a 2022 World Cup qualifier. Although putting the ball in the net remains an issue.
Despite boasting the vastly experienced Artem Dzyuba, who contributed more goals (9 goals & 5 assists) in qualifying than any player bar England’s Harry Kane, Russia have not scored more than once in eight of the past eleven matches. Cherchesov’s men could only muster a goal apiece across warm up games with Poland (1-1) and Bulgaria (1-0). However they did at least register a rare clean sheet in the latter.
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Belgium Vs Russia Betting Advice
Although they struggled to score in large quantities recently, Russia do invariably score, doing so in 10 of 13 games since scoring in all 10 EURO 2020 qualifying matches. This includes home and away in losing efforts to the Belgians. The loss of Kevin de Bruyne for Belgium was keenly felt in the warm up games, but we are still talking about a prolific a side – one which top-scored in qualifying with an average of four goals.
Belgium Vs Russia – Key Facts:
- During EURO 2020 qualifying, Belgium won home (3-1) and away (1-4) against Russia. The Red Devils have also won each of the last three meetings between the countries at major tournaments.
- None of the Belgium‘s last 12 EURO finals games finished in a draw (W5 L7), while no player has more tournament goals than Romelu Lukaku (7 in 15 apps, six coming in the group stage).
- Only Harry Kane was involved in more goals during EURO 2020 qualifying than Russia Artem Dzyuba (14, 9 goals & 5 assists).
I think Both Teams to Score is worth chancing. Belgium have scored in each of their past 30 internationals but looked a little suspect defensively, keeping just three clean sheets across their last twelve fixtures. Meanwhile Russia have found the net in 20 of their last 23, including home and away versus Belgium during EURO 2020 qualifying. The Red Devils prevailed both times though, and are 3/1 to do so again without a clean sheet.
Best Betting Odds – Belgium Vs Russia
Belgium – 7/10 (Betway)
Draw – 27/10 (BetVictor)
Russia – 4/1 (Betfair)
