STAR PREVIEW: Germany v France (Euro 2016 Thursday)
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t’s officially a semi-final tonight but it’s as good as the final for my money as I can’t see Portugal troubling either France or Germany on Sunday night.
Despite all the excitement ahead of Portugal v Wales last night it proved to be a real damp squib of a game.
The markets are really struggling to split the pair tonight and it’s the first serious test for the host nation after enjoying a relatively easy run through to the last four with games against Iceland, Ireland, Romania, Albania and Switzerland.
Germany are without equal at this stage of major tournaments but even for them the loss of suspended defender Mats Hummels and the injured pair of Sami Khedira and Mario Gomez is a big blow. Whilst Germany (as usual) won a penalty shootout to get here against Italy the usual clinical finishing was missing and the penalties were more the stuff of tin pan alley.
France have never kept a clean sheet in their four meetings with Germany at major tournaments and I expect goals again tonight. Even though it’s a tight game on paper I’m not sure it will be a case of the teams cancelling each other out and I am expecting goals at both ends.
Germany v France
UEFA EURO 2016 Semi-Final
20:00 BBC One / BBC One HD
HEAD TO HEAD RECORD
(Maximum 10 matches)
Nov 2015 INTERNATIONAL France 2-0 Germany
Jul 2014 WORLD CUP France 0-1 Germany
Feb 2013 INTERNATIONAL France 1-2 Germany
Feb 2012 INTERNATIONAL Germany 1-2 France
Nov 2005 INTERNATIONAL France 0-0 Germany
Nov 2003 INTERNATIONAL Germany 0-3 France
Feb 2001 INTERNATIONAL France 1-0 Germany
Jun 1996 INTERNATIONAL Germany 0-1 France
Mar 1937 INTERNATIONAL Germany 4-0 France
Mar 1935 INTERNATIONAL France 1-3 Germany
Both teams to score at evens and over 2.5 goals at 5/4 are my Star Sports plays.
RECOMMENDED BETS (scale of 1-100 points)
BACK BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE 75 points at evens with Star Sports
BACK OVER 2.5 GOALS 75 points at 5/4 with Star Sports
Euro 2016 Profit/Loss: -59 points