During the international break, with league football on hold, we’ll turn our attention to two friendly internationals taking place on Sunday and Monday. Here are suggested bets for each match.
SUNDAY 24 MARCH
ITALY v ECUADOR– Click here to bet
Italy, currently ranked 9th in the FIFA standings, are entering their second leg warm-up fixture in the States on the back of a 2-1 win over Venezuela. The Blues continue with their preparations leading up to the summer Euros taking place in June. Having qualified by the narrowest of margins, Head coach Spalletti will be aware that more will be required if they are to successfully defend their Euro title in Germany. This Sunday will provide an opportunity, though, to test their depth, having included three newcomers in the squad. The Italians are currently on a three-game unbeaten streak, with two wins and one draw and will be keen to add another South American scalp to their already successful US tour this Sunday.
Ecuador, currently ranked 31st in the latest FIFA rankings, will play Italy on the back of their recent 2-0 success over Guatemala. This particular fixture will be played in the USA, so both sides will enter the Red Bull Arena on equal footing. The South Americans will want to utilize this opportunity to test their resolve against much stronger opposition and can learn a great deal about themselves from this encounter leading up to the Copa America in the summer. In current form, the Tricolours will be hoping to continue their unbeaten run of six games, having secured four wins and two draws during that period.
Head-To-Head
It’s been a while since these two nations last paired up, they’ve played each other twice, resulting in a 1-1 draw from a friendly back in 2005 and a 2-0 win for Italy in the 2002 World Cup.
The Italians will go into Sunday’s encounter as favourites, but I’m not convinced it will be as straightforward as that. Both teams enter this clash on the back of decent form behind them. As for Ecuador, perhaps this game may just serve a bigger purpose given who they find themselves taking on. They will be keen to prove a point and with Italy already obtaining a win on this tour, it would hardly surprise me if both nations settled for a draw here.
Recommended Bet: Full Time Result, Draw at 22/10
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MONDAY 25 MARCH
SWEDEN v ALBANIA– Click here to bet
Sweden, currently ranked 26th in the FIFA standings, is gearing up to host Albania this Monday at the Friends Arena in Solna. The match presents an opportunity for Sweden to bounce back swiftly from their recent 5-2 defeat against Portugal and hit the reset button. Although newly appointed head coach Dahl Tomasson’s debut didn’t yield the desired outcome, facing Portugal was always going to be a daunting task for Sweden. Despite the setback, they managed to salvage some positives by clawing back a couple of goals, which they hope to build upon in the upcoming match.
Albania, positioned 64th in the FIFA rankings, arrives in Sweden following a disappointing 3-0 loss to Chile. With only three days between the two matches, it’s a swift turnaround for Albania. This friendly serves as a preview of what awaits them this summer. Despite their lower ranking, Albania exceeded expectations in the qualifiers, securing a spot in EURO 2024. Topping their group, which included strong teams like the Czech Republic and Poland, was a significant achievement. With just two friendlies remaining after this, head coach Sylvinho aims to fine-tune his team’s performance against higher-ranked opponents and maintain their respectable run.
Head-To-Head
The last three encounters between these two teams have resulted in a win for each, along with a draw. The most recent meeting was back in 2009 when Sweden comfortably won 4-1 in a World Cup qualifier.
Sweden will be disappointed for not qualifying for the Euros and will want to use this home game as a platform to rebuild. With very little difference between the two teams historically and Albania’s recent success, the possibility of a draw enters the equation.
That being said, Tomasson will be eager for a more positive result since this will be his first home game as manager. Considering Albania’s recent under-performance against Chile just three days ago, there’s an opportunity to back the hosts to score at least 2 goals. This is supported by Sweden’s recent average of exactly 2 goals per game in their last three appearances.
Recommended Bet: Sweden Totals, Over 1.5 at 7/10
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Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
