STAR PREVIEW: Cyprus v Wales

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he times they are changing.

How much faith people put in the FIFA World Rankings is highly debatable but you won’t a Welsh supporter who doesn’t treat them as gospel now.

For the first time ever Wales (9th) are rated a better team than England (10th) with both rated ahead of current European Champions Spain (11th) and the Netherlands (12th).

Wales manager Chris Coleman said: “We’ve been low in the rankings and had that rubbed in our face many a time. Now we’re doing very well, certain people want to say the rankings are this and they’re that, but the players deserve it.”

Even more important than the rankings though are the performances on the pitch and Wales will move to within one win to make certain of qualifying for next year’s Euro 2016 tournament in France if they can beat Cyprus in Nicosia this evening.

The two teams have met four times previously with honours shared at two wins each. It was 2-1 to Wales in the reverse leg back in October.

The Welsh are arguably in their best ever form now though having lost only one of their past 11 matches and sit at the top of Group B. They have also not conceded a goal over their last three matches.

Cyrpus Cyprus coach Charalampos Christodoulou: “Wales is not Gareth Bale, they are a very good team in general and we will focus on the whole team and not on Bale. I don’t agree with (what’s been said about Cyprus targeting Bale in their previous game in Cardiff). If memory serves me right there were fouls from both teams in that game. In the first match it was Wales who ended playing with 10 players not Cyprus, we never play like this, we are not a dirty side that go above the limits. My team plays clean football, that’s how we always play.”

Cyprus v Wales
UEFA EURO 2016 Qualifier
7.45pm SKY

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD
(Maximum 10 matches)
Oct 2014 EURO CHAMPIONSHIPS Wales 2-1 Cyprus
Oct 2007 EURO CHAMPIONSHIPS Cyprus 3-1 Wales
Oct 2006 EURO CHAMPIONSHIPS Wales 3-1 Cyprus
Nov 2005 INTERNATIONAL Cyprus 1-0 Wales

Wales can get the win and move a step closer to France in 2016. I’m on at 5/6 with Star Sports.

RECOMMENDED BETS (scale of 1-50 points)

BACK WALES for 10 points at 5/6 with Star Sports

RETURN SINCE START OF WORLD CUP: PROFIT 172.39 POINTS

What’s your view? CALL STAR SPORTS 08000 521 321