We examine all three UEFA European Championship encounters involving Groups D and E scheduled for Monday, June 17, and provide a betting suggestion for each match.
Before proceeding, let’s review the latest outright betting markets. Both England and France are joint favourites at 4/1. Hosts Germany have shortened to 5/1 after their dominant display in the opener. Portugal continues to gain support and is currently at 13/2 Alongside Spain, while the remaining field can be backed at 14/1 or better.
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ROMANIA v UKRAINE – Click here to bet
Romania will open their account against Ukraine in Monday’s Group E opener, scheduled to take place at the Allianz Arena in Munich. The Tricolours went unbeaten in the qualifiers, registering six wins and four draws to finish on top of a relatively weak field. Head coach Edward Iordanescu will be hoping to progress further than the group stages, but it won’t be easy given that they are one of the lesser-fancied teams. Leading up to the tournament, Romania participated in four warm-up matches, drawing three and losing one. Their inability to find the net in their last two consecutive fixtures, registering 0-0 score-lines against Bulgaria and Liechtenstein just before jetting off to Germany, will certainly raise eyebrows, potentially exposing a lack of firepower up front as they head into the tournament.
Romania has averaged 0.8 goals per game in their last five international appearances, with under 2.5 goals resulting in 80% of those games (4 out of 5).
Having made the quarter-finals in the previous edition of the Euros, Ukraine will be determined to replicate similar heroics three years later. The Yellow-Blues finished third in their qualifiers, which included England, Italy, North Macedonia, and Malta. As a result, Serhiy Rebrov’s men required an additional playoff route to qualify for Euro 2024, beating Iceland 2-1 in the final. Post-qualifier preparation has shown varied results, with Ukraine playing three warm-up encounters resulting in one win, one draw, and one defeat. Despite unconvincing performances, there were individual positives. Last season’s La Liga top goal scorer, Artem Dovbyk, has been in decent form for the national side, registering back-to-back goals and making it three from his last five international call-ups for Ukraine.
Ukraine has averaged 1.8 goals per game in their last five international appearances, with over 2.5 goals resulting in 80% of those games (4 out of 5).
Head-to-Head
These two sides have met a total of six times, with each team winning three matches. Their most recent encounter finished 4-3 in favour of Ukraine in an international friendly back in May 2016.
Betting
Romania 3/1
Draw 5/2
Ukraine 1/1
Prediction
In a fixture that has consistently produced a steady ratio of goals, this match could potentially follow a similar trend. Averaging five goals in their last three encounters, this looks like an ideal opportunity for Romania to break their goalless streak, especially since they have scored every time they’ve played against Ukraine. Given the high-scoring history and balanced win ratio, outright betting is best avoided. Instead, we recommend backing both teams to find the net.
Suggested Bets: Both Teams To Score, Yes at 1/1
BELGIUM v SLOVAKIA – Click here to bet
Belgium begins their European Championship quest this Monday by taking on the lowest-ranked nation in their group, Slovakia. The match will take place at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt. As the highest-ranked team in Group E, the Red Devils will undoubtedly aim for maximum points to continue their fine run of form. Topping the table in the group qualifiers with six wins and two draws, Belgium has enjoyed a lengthy spell of success, remaining unbeaten in their last 15 appearances. Their impressive record includes ten wins, five draws, and six clean sheets from their last seven encounters. This includes back-to-back wins to nil in their last two warm-up matches, with a 2-0 victory against Montenegro and a 3-0 win against Luxembourg before making their way to Germany.
Belgium has averaged 2.4 goals per game in their last five international appearances, with over 2.5 goals arriving in 60% of those games (3 out of 5).
Having lost just twice in Euro qualifications, Slovakia confirmed their place in Germany by finishing runner-up to Portugal in their respective group qualifiers, with seven wins and one draw. The Falcons will be hoping that their competitive nature will serve them well in the tournament, despite being dubbed the lowest-ranked team in the group. Given their limitations compared to other nations, it will be interesting to see whether the Falcons continue with their attacking formation or opt for a more defensive approach in Germany. With players like Lukas Haraslin on the wing and midfielder Ondrej Duda at their disposal, head coach Francesco Calzona will be hoping they can perform well against their toughest opposition in the group this Monday.
Slovakia has averaged 2.2 goals per game in their last five international appearances, with over 2.5 goals arriving in 60% of those games (3 out of 5).
Head-to-Head
These two sides have met three times, with Belgium winning once and the other two matches resulting in draws. Their most recent fixture was an international friendly in February 2013, where Belgium secured a 2-1 victory.
Betting
Belgium 5/10
Draw 7/2
Slovakia 6/1
Prediction
Despite Slovakia’s impressive qualifying campaign, this match should be a formality for the Red Devils. Belgium has been guilty of underperforming at major tournaments in the past but should start their campaign with a comfortable win in their opener.
Suggested Bet: Result and totals, Belgium and over 2.5 at 12/10
AUSTRIA v FRANCE – Click here to bet
Group D continues to unfold as we head to Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf, where upset hopefuls Austria take on our tournament favourite, France, this Monday. Under the guidance of former interim coach at Manchester United, Ralf Rangnick, Austria’s short-term achievements have been nothing short of impressive. They finished as runners-up in their qualifying campaign, just one point behind Belgium, registering six wins, one draw, and only one defeat. Austria continued to impress in their warm-ups leading to the Euros, having registered four wins on the bounce before their most recent 1-1 draw away to Switzerland prior to making their way to Germany.
Austria has averaged 2.6 goals per game in their last five international appearances, with under 2.5 goals arriving in 60% of those games (3 out of 5).
Runner-up at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, France will have another opportunity at glory under the experienced stewardship of Didier Deschamps. Having reached the final in three of their last four major tournaments, the two-time European champions will be desperate to secure silverware to reward their recent efforts. Qualifications went as expected, with France registering seven wins out of eight matches, scoring 29 goals en route to their eleventh UEFA Euros participation. Les Bleus would have learned a great deal about their squad depth, having utilized the four warm-up fixtures prior to the Euros for experimental purposes, yielding one defeat, two wins, and a 0-0 draw against Canada in their most recent outing before heading to Germany this summer.
France has averaged 1.6 goals per game in their last five international appearances, with over 2.5 goals arriving in 60% of those games (3 out of 5).
Head-to-Head
These two sides have met a total of 25 times, with France winning 13 matches, Austria winning 9, and 3 matches ending in draws. Their most recent encounter resulted in a 2-0 win for France in the UEFA Nations League back in September 2022.
Betting
Austria 5/1
Draw 7/2
France 11/20
Prediction
Austria cannot be underestimated given their impressive run heading into the Euros. Under Ralf Rangnick, they appear as a well-drilled unit capable of competing with the best on any given day. However, when you have prodigious talent like Kylian Mbappe at your disposal, alongside a wealth of experience known for their big-match temperament, France should prove to be too formidable for the Austrians to handle.
Suggested Bet: Handicap, France -1.5 at 29/20
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Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
