EURO RECAP: MATCH DAY 01

SportsBeat!

Written by Aaron Cantin

Matchday 1 is in the books as every team has played their first game of the tournament. Surprises? Plenty. Upsets? Yup. And of course, the tragic moment involving Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen when he suffered an apparent heart attack on the field during their opening match against Finland. Eriksen is stable and in good condition thank goodness. Back to the pitch though, where I recapped what has happened in the first week and where the money lies in each group.

Group A

Italy opened the tournament as a -186 favourite and improved to -770 following its 3-0 victory over Turkey in its first group stage match. Turkey doesn’t seem to be much of a threat after tallying three shots against Italy and proved that after falling to Wales yesterday. Switzerland was supposed to be the next team up however Wales seems like the best betting option to finish second now. Wales will face their stiffest competition on matchday 3 however when they square off against Italy and as odd as it may seem, can win Group A with a win. Don’t bet on it though. The Italians have been the most impressive team so far and are showing they can be a real threat in the final stages.

Group B

Group B is more wide open than it should be. Belgium jumped from -139 to -480 following its 3-0 victory against Russia and could continue to get stronger now that Kevin De Bruyne has returned to training. The 29-year-old playmaker takes an already world-class squad to another level with his distribution and shot placement. Denmark, Finland, and Russia will be playing for second place if De Bruyne gets back on the pitch soon. Denmark’s odds to finish inside the top two are -295 despite Christian Eriksen’s heart issues. They are the second-most talented team in the group, but their loss of a key midfielder could give Russia (+190) a good chance to creep in behind Belgium. As sad as it is, I don’t think Denmark will overcome the loss of Christian Eriksen, I know they still have not mentally.

Group C

The Netherlands (-400) and Austria (+360) have the best odds to win Group C. The favorite won a 3-2 thriller against Ukraine (+3000) over the weekend, and its defense should get a bump for the rest of the group stage with the return of star center back Matthijs de Ligt. The 21-year-old missed the opening game because of a minor groin injury and will make his country far more formidable. North Macedonia (+20000) shouldn’t be much of a factor in this group. Ukraine’s odds to finish second (+100) are worth considering, though. If they beat North Macedonia easily in their second group stage game, a win against Austria will likely secure a spot in the next stage. Look at Ukraine to qualify over Austria as a solid underdog bet.

Group D

England (-455) and the Czech Republic (+500) are firmly ahead of Croatia (+2400) and Scotland (+4500) in Group D. The England side, which is loaded with notable Premier League faces, seems likely to go unbeaten now that it’s taken down its toughest competition. Croatia has a huge game against the Czech Republic on Friday, and trailing by three in goal differential could be problematic even with a win. Saying that Croatia can certainly beat Czech Republic by at least two goals. Scotland also deserved more against Czech Republic, perhaps even a win. I still back Croatia, finding a way to finish second in this group.

Group E

Only group F is more wide open than Group E at this point. Spain is still the favorite at -265 despite their draw against Sweden (+525) this week, but dominated possession and created plenty of quality chances. A lineup change might be needed to maximize their potential, as there’s no clear-cut, go-to finisher at forward. Slovakia (+575) turned heads by knocking off Poland and could be a sneaky good top two bet at +125 because of the upset. Playing for draws the rest of the way could even result in Slovakia finishing atop the table, so there’s plenty of value in placing a smaller bet on the underdogs now.

Group F

One team in the group of death took a giant step in the right direction on Tuesday. France was favored to finish atop the table and took down Germany courtesy of a Mats Hummels own goal in the first half of the match. France won 1-0 and Germany’s odds took a big hit with the loss. It seems like the winner of next week’s Portugal-France game will win the group. Portugal handed Hungary a 3-1 romping on Tuesday, and Cristiano Ronaldo netted two goals in his team’s victory. This group is far from over though. Germany will be playing for their lives on Saturday when they square off against Portugal. Portugal knows a win in this one will guarantee them a top-two finish. Germany impressed me in their match against France and I back them to get a result. I like a tie between Germany and Portugal. Ultimately, I see France winning the group with Portugal finishing second and Germany placing third but still qualifying.