Netherlands Vs Austria
Netherlands Vs Austria Thursday 17th June, 2021 – 20:00
UEFA European Championships, Group C
Pick: Over 2.5 Goals
Odds: 3/4
Bookmaker: Betfair
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 15th June 2021)
Preview: With both sides making winning starts to Euro 2020, Thursday’s clash at Johan Cruyff Arena could play a decisive role in determining which of Netherlands or Austria goes on to top Group C. Recent meetings, however, suggest the latter have their work cut out in Amsterdam.
UEFA Euro 2020 Betting at Betfair
Table of Contents
Netherlands – Dormant Depay to come alive?
The Netherlands failed to win a single game the last time they featured at the finals of a European Championship, but they are already up and running at Euro 2020 thanks to Denzel Dumfries. The full-back starred before scoring a late winner in a thrilling 3-2 win over Ukraine in Amsterdam on Matchday 1. Next up are the Austrians, who, if recent meetings are a reliable gauge, are easy prey for Frank de Boer’s men.
The Dutch, boasting home advantage once more, have won their previous five meetings with Austria. They scored three or more in the first four of those, before a 2-0 success in a 2016 friendly encounter. Consequently, the 9/5 with Betway about Over 2.5 Netherlands goals – a bet they have covered in each of their past eight matches, winning six – looks enticing.
In the defensive third of the pitch though, it is now two goals conceded in four of the last seven games, and only three clean sheets in ten. Ukraine caused them all sorts of problems, despite only creating 0.6 worth of xG. Surprisingly, considering they scored three, it was a quiet evening from Memphis Depay. So often the fulcrum of this side, Depay failed to score or assist for the first time in Oranje colours in eight games.
Austria – Das Team to double up in Amsterdam?
Stefan Lainer’s sublime effort to open the scoring had appeared to hand Austria the initiative in their Group C opener with North Macedonia, only for the tournament debutants to strike back after capitalising on a moment of confusion among the Austrian defence. However, a strong finish to the contest in Bucharest, scoring twice beyond the 78th minute, sealed a 3-1 win for coach Franco Foda and his team.
That triumph will have been a relief as much as anything. Das Team were previously winless in nine matches at European Championships, but are now seeking successive wins at a major tournament for the first time since the 1982 World Cup. They certainly made hard work of what looked a simple enough assignment, though, even if they did ultimately dominate in terms of quality of chances created.
As such, they top this group, ahead of the Dutch on goal difference. Another win here would almost certainly see them progress, something they have never before achieved in this competition, although this would require them beating the Netherlands for the first time in nearly forty years. Their form in 2021 has also been underwhelming, producing only two wins (vs Faroe Islands and North Macedonia) in six.
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Netherlands Vs Austria Betting Advice
From a personal point of view, I am having a terrible tournament prediction-wise. I’m fairly confident that this game will produce goals, though. The last seven matches between these teams has seen 30 goals, which works out at 4.3 per game. Furthermore, Austria have always found the net when playing the Dutch in their own backyard (8 games), but only once ended up on the winning side, which tells us both teams scoring is a distinct possibility too.
Netherlands Vs Austria – Key Facts:
- All of the past five meetings between the Netherlands and Austria were won by the former, the Dutch scoring at least three times in all but one of these encounters.
- After edging Ukraine 3-2 at this venue on Matchday 1, the Netherlands have now scored 2+ goals in eight consecutive games, winning six.
- A 3-1 victory over North Macedonia on Matchday 1 ended a nine-game winless run at European Championships for Austria, who produced just their second win of 2021 (D2 L2) in the process.
There is also every chance the Netherlands can cover the goal line all on their own. The Dutch have scored two or more in each of their last eight games, with these contests seeing an average of 4.25 goals. It is also just three clean sheets in ten for Frank de Boer’s gung-ho outfit. Austria are no slouches either. Das Team had scored in ten straight matches prior to a three-game drought pre-tournament.
Best Betting Odds – Netherlands Vs Austria
Netherlands – 4/7 (BetFred)
Draw – 16/5 (BetVictor)
Austria – 5/1 (PaddyPower)
