Croatia v Wales Betting Tip Draw Ht/Croatia FT – 8 June 2019

Croatia v Wales
Saturday 8^th June 1400hrs 
Football – International – Euro 2020 Qualification
Pick Draw HT/Croatia FT  
Bookmaker Marathon Bet
Odds: 7/2 (odds taken 18.20 GMT, Friday 7^th June)

World Cup finalists Croatia are in need of a win and three points on Saturday as they face Wales in what has the potential to be the most competitive sections in this qualification campaign.

Euro 2020 Qualifying Betting at Marathon Bet

Croatia Preview – Can Croatia bounce back from disappointing defeat?

Croatia achieved their best ever performance by reaching the World Cup final last year. Zlatko Dalic and his players were hailed as national heroes for their performances despite losing to France. They were brought back down to earth shortly after by being whipped 5-0 by Spain in the Nations League and ended up finishing bottom of their section in that competition. Hopes are high that they will again be successful in the next major tournament, next summer’s Euros. It’s a testing qualification group comprising nations on a similar level and that’s been the story so far. The Croats have already been defeated in this section, losing 2-1 away to Hungary in their second match. Dalic’s men did open up with a narrow win over Azerbaijan but they will know they are in a battle to qualify, along with Slovakia and Wales.

Croatia’s record in recent qualifying campaigns has shown they are rarely at their best. It’s a squad that very much peaks at the finals so they are liable to be vulnerable at times. That was the case in Hungary but the fact the loss has come so early in qualifying should focus their minds.

Wales – Will Giggs’ Wales take control of this group?

As starts go in qualification campaigns, it could not have been any better for Ryan Giggs’ Wales. One game in, one win, one goal scored and a clean sheet. That win came over Slovakia who it’s widely expected will be a main rival for Wales in this section. Giggs has made it clear from taking over the job that he’s going to give younger players a chance and it was one of those, Daniel James, who got the winner over the Slovaks. James is on the verge of joining his national team’s managers old club with a move to Manchester United set to be completed. That will be a real shot in the arm for the squad as a whole as they look to share the responsibility and not be as overly reliant on Gareth Bale. Games such as tomorrow’s will be another test for James and his team-mates, though.

The Welsh have had a taste of playing in majors finals after their heroics at Euro 2016. The challenge for Giggs is to make that a more regular thing starting by reaching next summer’s finals. It’s been a good, solid start but there are plenty of hurdles to overcome still.

Croatia v Wales Betting Advice

There will be no panic in the Croatian camp just yet following that defeat to Hungary. They are experienced enough to know that winning the next game after losing a game in qualification is important, though, and will be determined to get three points on Saturday. Wales will be realistic enough to know that they are up against it in Osijek. Their fate will not be decided by what happens in this game but any result would be a welcome one and give them significant belief and confidence for their match away to Hungary a few days later.

Croatia have been a tough nut to crack in home matches with their last defeat all the way back in October 2013. It’s a total of 24 matches where they have won all but four of them and a sign of their tremendous consistency. The Welsh still need experience in these sorts of games with the emerging talent they have. That lack of experience could well be a decisive factor in this game. Croatia have struggled for fast starts of late, though, and the value selection could well be for the game to be a draw at half time before the hosts superior quality tells later in the game.