Empoli vs Ascoli

Today’s featured game is the Italian Serie B match between Empoli and Ascoli. Hosts Empoli were amongst the pre-season favourites to achieve promotion to Serie A this season and have partially indicated why in their present campaign. Their away form is their biggest problem as they’ve failed to win in five away games, losing three times and scoring just one goal along the way. However, at home, Empoli look every bit a Serie A side in the making with four wins from four games. Nobody has scored more than them at home in Serie B and their average of nearly three goals per home game is a daunting statistic for any away side. Empoli carry a decent amount of momentum into this game as they’re unbeaten in three games and they know that they’ve won this exact fixture for the last two seasons running now, each win by a goal margin of at least three goals. Visitors Ascoli aren’t much of an away side despite their unbeaten start to this season on the road. They’ve currently played four away games, won once and drawn three times. Last season was a much better indication of Ascoli’s actual ability on the road as just four teams lost more away games than they did and two of those sides ended up being relegated to Serie C! To put it bluntly; Ascoli aren’t playing well per se – they’re just making themselves hard to beat. I’ll give credit where it’s due but no wins in five games leaves Ascoli looking a little exposed and perhaps ready to taste their first away defeat of the season at the fortress that Empoli call Stadio Carlo Castellani. Had Ascoli not remained unbeaten on the road so far this season then I’d expect to see lower odds but as it happens, fortune appears to have favoured us by granting us odds of 4/5 so I thoroughly recommend taking them whilst they’re worth it!

Saturday’s Picks

My tips:

As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:

Empoli vs Ascoli - home win at 4/5 – see introduction for full details.

Racing Club Avellaneda vs Lanus – away win at 7/5. Hosts Racing Club Avellaneda are enduring a torrid time in the Primera Division at the moment. Claiming a third-bottom place in the table, Racing Club Avellaneda have shown little desire to get out of that position as they’ve now lost four consecutive games and yet again are leaking too many goals and not scoring enough. Currently the only winless side in the Primera Division, Racing Club Avellaneda’s fortunes don’t look likely to improve as they host a rejuvenated Lanus with the visitors unbeaten in their last four games. My only concern for Lanus in this game is that they’ve only one won of their last four unbeaten games, which tells me they’re not playing their games efficiently enough, although they’re a good deal better than they were at the start of the season. Still, today looks as good a day as any to amend their record. We also have to bear in mind that Lanus are one of just four sides in the Primera Division that have yet to lose a game away from home, too. With all of the above in mind, it’s difficult for me to look beyond the away win for Lanus at 7/5.

Neman Grodno vs Shakhtyor Soligorsk – away win at 3/4. Despite losing their last match at home to champions BATE Borisov, Shakhtyor Soligorsk still remain in the hunt for a European place in next season’s competition. They’re also back to the place where they do what they do best – away from home. It’s hard to look beyond a Shakhtyor Soligorsk away win not only because you know they’re the better side but also because only BATE Borisov have won more (or even matched) Shakhtyor Soligorsk this season. With six wins from eleven away games, accumulating just two defeats along the way, it becomes more than apparent how potent Shakhtyor Soligorsk actually are on the road. They’ve won two of their last three games and today travel to a woeful Neman Grodno that have lost five from their last six games and haven’t won a game in their last eight. The hosts are short on morale and are hosting a better side, which immediately places the hosts in an awkward position. With all this in mind, the away win at 3/4 starts to look very promising indeed.

Deportes Tolima vs Deportivo Pereira – home win at 10/11. It’s taken far too long for Deportes Tolima to awaken in this campaign but at last they’ve done so with zero defeats in their last six games and by winning their last two games consecutively. The hosts are aiming to secure their place in the last eight earlier rather than later and appear in good stead to do so. Visitors Deportivo Pereira have also been playing well lately and are also unbeaten in their last four games. That said, however, they’re still winless on the road this season which indicates how much they struggle away from home. Against a rejuvenated and very much in-form Deportes Tolima, it’s hard to see Deportivo Pereira taking anything off their superior opponents so the home win at 10/11 looks good value to me.

Istra 1961 vs Sibenik – away win at 6/4. Crazy odds! Newly-promoted Istra 1961 are now without a win in five games and have lost three of those games too. They’ve managed just two wins in eleven games and find goalscoring much harder than they do conceding goals. Sibenik might not be the best of away sides on a general level but you can be forgiven for being swayed by their current excellent away form. Why? Well, nobody has won as many games on the road this season as Sibenik, and that includes giants Dinamo Zagreb. Sibenik have won four times, drawn once, and lost one in their six away games this season. Their biggest strength is not conceding many goals, which is handy when you consider that they don’t appear fond of goalscoring. However, three wins in four games indicates just how in-form Sibenik currently are and that really should be enough to see the away win occur here at 6/4.

Slovacko vs Kladno – home win at 10/11. After finally managing to end their winless drought last match, Slovacko enter this game brimming with confidence, particularly as they know that they can at least match Kladno on their day and will be eyeing up three points hungrily. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be surprised if Slovacko stay in the Gambrinus Liga this year but I’ll be even more surprised if it’s not Kladno who are going down with them. The visitors were on an excellent run but a defeat and a draw in their last two games will have affected their confidence so their heads will have dropped, which ultimately leads to poorer performances. For me, although it should be a close call, the home win at 10/11 does indicate some value in the home win.

Teplice vs Mlada Boleslav – home win at evens. League leaders Teplice today entertain Mlada Boleslav with the knowledge that nobody has scored more Gambrinus Liga goals this season than Teplice and also the fact that they’re unbeaten does much to impress. Having just conceded one goal at home so far this season, Teplice have managed to win three of their five home games, drawing the other two. Four wins in their last fives games gives Teplice all the momentum they need to win this game and it looks unlikely that an out-of-form Mlada Boleslav will contribute much in the way of opposition today. Why? Well, they’ve won just once in their last five games, losing twice and drawing twice. They’ve lost three from five away games so far this season and generally look prone to not turning up. For me, taking evens on the home win bears significant value in this game today!

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Aston Villa – away win at 11/10. After an impressive 2-1 win against Chelsea, Aston Villa enter this game with renewed vigour and purpose and face local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers in a game that the away side know they need to win to maintain their momentum. There’s no doubt that Aston Villa have the quality to do so, too, although their defensive mishaps need to cease as it won’t be too long before errors start costing them a lot of points. Wolverhampton Wanderers have played some tenacious football this season but the fact remains that they’ve lost two of their last three games, drawing the other. The hosts simply don’t score enough goals and against a free-flowing side like Aston Villa, this kind of record can prove fatal. For me, the away win at 11/1o has some good value in it today.

Derby County vs Queens Park Rangers – away win at 8/5. Queens Park Rangers have really caught my eye lately with three wins in their last five games. Only three sides in the Championship have scored more goals than Queens Park Rangers have so far this season as the visitors seek to finally prove that they’re not just a rich club but also a talented club. Hosts Derby County get from bad to worse whenever I see them with two defeats in their last four games. The hosts are only playing well at home but I still think Queens Park Rangers simply have too much firepower and too many alternatives to not win this game so the away win at 8/5 looks good value to me.

Stade Rennais vs Montpellier HSC - home win at 4/5. Although having been poor lately, Stade Rennais will be looking to recapture some form today against high-flying Montpellier HSC. The hosts haven’t won in three games, losing two games and drawing the other. That said, I still rate Stade Rennais’ attack as one of the best in the country so it’s only a matter of time before they nip it in the bud. Visitors Montpellier HSC are drastically over-achieving and although I respect them immensely for the tremendous form they currently boast, the fact remains that they’re punching above their weight and I fully expect to see that indicated in tonight’s game by a very strong Stade Rennais with a home win at 4/5.

Jaguares vs Santos Laguna – away win at 17/10. This one’s a bit of a no-brainer for me, which leaves me stumped as to why the odds are so good but whatever! Visitors Santos Laguna are unbeaten in their last five games, winning four and drawing the other. They’ve played some great football of late and don’t appear to miss Ecuadorian striker Christian Benitez one iota at the present time! Only Morelia have scored more goals than Santos Laguna in the Mexican Primera Division, which is largely why Santos Laguna are doing so well – efficient goalscoring. I rate hosts Jaguares amongst the worst sides in the Mexican Primera Division and their placing at the bottom of their group does much to further my point. Although they’ve won two of their last three games, there still appears to be a real quality mis-match in favour of the away side so taking a Santos Laguna win at 17/10 could prove to be a real bargain tonight.

GKS Belchatow vs Polonia Warsaw – home win at 5/6. Hosts GKS Belchatow are now unbeaten in five games, winning a highly impressive four games along the way. The hosts look to be getting back to their best form, something that I feel was produced a few seasons ago when GKS Belchatow were able to compete in the UEFA Cup. Three wins in five home games coupled with just one defeat shows that GKS Belchatow mean business so it’s already more than apparent for a troubled Polonia Warsaw that they’re going to have to work to get anything here. With recent trouble about unpaid player wages, Polonia Warsaw’s last desire is to travel to a talented and in-form side, particularly as they boast the unenviable record of three defeats, one draw and just one win as their away record this season. To somehow make matters even worse for the visitors, they’re still missing a whole host of players for this game – key defender Jodlowiec, captain Mynar (another defender), strikers Ivanovski and Nikolic, and four midfielders – Maka, Koziol, Piatek, and Sarvas. When you consider that GKS Belchatow are missing just Cetnarski for this game, you really have to favour a home win in this game for various reasons, although it is worth pointing out that Cetnarski is a key player for GKS Belchatow – I just don’t feel it affects the scales too drastically with all of the above in mind. Therefore, a home win at 5/6 looks a real bargain today!

Pandurii Targu Jiu vs Unirea Urziceni – away win at 13/10. After the unflattering 4-1 away victory against Rangers in the UEFA Champions League, Unirea Urziceni return to their domestic campaign with renewed vigour and innovation. Their form lately has been patchy but they’ll be keen to make amends and their momentum gives them all the requirements they need to beat a resilient but relatively average Pandurii Targu Jiu tonight. The hosts started this season well but are currently without a win in their last four games, drawing twice and losing twice. The home form of Pandurii Targu Jiu’s is much like the away form of Unirea Urziceni – inconclusive! So today I’m going to side with momentum and call the away win at 13/10. I don’t need to remind you all that this call does have an element of risk so do approach with caution!

Grasshoppers Zurich vs Young Boys Bern – away win at 17/20. The wonderful Young Boys Bern finally return to my radar after a couple of weeks off with the international break and Swiss Cup games. The impressive league leaders taken on fallen giants Grasshoppers Zurich away from home with the hosts on an impressive three-game unbeaten run which has seen them win twice and draw once. However, today they host a very good Young Boys Bern side indeed, something that’s strongly indicated by the fact that the visitors have won ten from twelve games so far this season and average nearly three goals per game currently. Young Boys Bern have better players, are in better form, and enter this game with a lot of momentum so the away win at 17/20 looks something of a bargain today as there’s a real quality mis-match on show.

Yverdon Sport vs Lugano – away win at 11/10. Five wins from five away games says that Lugano are more than determined to enter the Super League after only just missing out last year. The Challenge League leaders have won three from their last four games and can’t remember what it feels like to taste defeat as it’s been so long since it last occurred. With an average of over three goals per game, Lugano are the top goalscorers in the division and look a frightening opponent for any side in this division. Hosts Yverdon Sport have had a decent start to their season, particularly at home where they’ve won three from five games. However, two consecutive defeats will have done them damage mentally and that’s no way to be entering a game with promotion favouries Lugano. For me, there’s serious value in the away win at 11/10 today.

Porthmadog vs Aberyswyth Town - away win at 4/5. Hosts Porthmadog are the only side left in the Welsh Premier League that are yet to win a game. With eight games played and their last five having been lost consecutively, it’s not hard to see just why they’re bottom of the table without a win. They’ve managed to score a measly three goals in eight games, conceding over two per game on average. Everything that can go wrong is going wrong for them at the moment and I’d frankly be happy taking anyone to beat them at the moment. Visitors Aberystwyth Town have made a slow start but are finally gaining momentum with three wins in their last four games. They’re currently sixth in the Premier League table and also currently boast the best away record in the division with three wins and one draw from their four away games. In fact, Aberystwyth Town are interestingly the only side left in their division yet to lose away from home. To say the visitors are in good form is an understatement as they look a potent threat to just about every side they face at the moment. For me, this is something of a no-brainer away win at 4/5.

As ever, any questions/explanations required, feel free to email me at thefootytipster@gmail.com. For the complete picks listing, see below!

Argentinian Primera Division:

Banfield vs Godoy Cruz de Mendoza (8) 2-1
Chacarita Juniors vs Huracan (7) 1-1
Racing Club Avellaneda vs Lanus (6) 0-1
Velez Sarsfeld vs Newell’s Old Boys (7) 2-1

Australian A-League:

Melbourne Victory vs Adelaide United (7) 2-1
North Queensland Fury vs Perth Glory (6) 0-1

Austrian Bundesliga:

Austria Karnten vs SV Kapfenberg (6) 0-0

Austrian Liga 1:

SCR Altach vs Austria Lustenau (7)

Belarusian Vysshaya Liga:

FC Smorgon vs FC Gomel (7) 0-0
FC Minsk vs Dnepr Mogilev (6) 1-1
Neman Grodno vs Shakhtyor Soligorsk (8) 1-2
Dinamo Brest vs Granit Mikashevichi (8) 2-0
FC Vitebsk vs Naftan Novopolotsk (5) 1-0

Belgian Eerste Klasse:

Standard de Liege vs Zulte-Waregem (7) 2-1
Sint-Truiden vs AA Gent (6) 1-1
Charleroi vs Westerlo (5) 1-2
Cercle Brugge vs Kortrijk (6) 1-0
Germinal Beerschot vs Excelsior Mouscron (6) 0-0

Belgian Tweede Klasse:

Oostende vs Tubize (6)
Red Star Waasland vs Boussu Dour Borinage (8)
Mons vs Beveren (8)
Brussels vs Ronse (8)
Tournai vs Liege (7)
Staandard Wetteren vs KVSK United (7)

Brazilian Serie A:

Nautico vs Gremio Barueri (6) 2-1
Atletico Mineiro vs Vitoria (8) 2-0

Bulgarian A PFG:

Lokomotiv Mezdra vs Pirin Blagoevgrad (6) 1-2
Lokomotiv Plovdiv vs Sliven (7) 2-0
Lokomotiv Sofia vs Litex Lovech (7) 2-2
Chernomorets Burgas vs Botev Plovdiv (9) -1.75 handicap

Chinese Super League:

Chengdu Blades vs Shenzhen (5) 1-0
Jiangsu Shuntian vs Shandong Luneng (6) 1-2
Changsha Ginde vs Shaanxi Zhongxin (6) 0-0
Chongqing Lifan vs Shanghai Shenhua (6) 1-1
Hangzhou Lucheng vs Changchun Yatai (7) 2-0
Dalian Shide vs Beijing Guoan (7) 0-1
Guangzhou Yiyao vs Qingdao Jonoon (7) 1-1
Henan Jianye vs Tianjin Teda (6) 2-1

Colombian Futbol Profesional:

Deportes Tolima vs Deportivo Pereira (7) 2-1
Millonarios Bogota vs Independiente Medellin (6) 1-1
Deportivo Cali vs Atletico Huila (5) 1-0

Croatian Prva Liga:

Istra 1961 vs Sibenik (7) 1-2
Croatia Sesvete vs Varteks Varazdin (6) 0-0
Karlovac vs Hajduk Split (6) 1-2
Medimurje vs NK Zagreb (6) 3-2
Osijek vs Lokomotiva Zagreb (8) 2-1
Zadar vs Rijeka (5) 1-1

Cypriot Division 1:

Enosis Neon Paralimni vs Nea Salamis (8) 2-0
Apollon Limassol vs Omonia Nicosia (6) 1-1
Anorthosis Famagusta vs A.E.Paphos (8) 3-1

Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:

Slovacko vs Kladno (7) 1-0
Slovan Liberec vs Pribram (7) 2-0
Banik Ostrava vs Bohemians 1905 (8) under 2.5 goals
Brno vs Jablonec (6) 1-1
Teplice vs Mlada Boleslav (8) 2-1

Danish Superligaen:

Randers vs OB Odense (8) 1-3

Ecuadorian Primera A:

Deportivo Quito vs Liga de Quito (7) 1-0, at least one red card in this game
Espoli Cayambe vs Emelec Guayaquil (6) 2-1
Manta vs Macara Ambato (5) 1-1

English Premier League:

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Aston Villa (7) 0-1
Birmingham City vs Sunderland (6) 0-1
Burnley vs Wigan Athletic (5) 2-1
Hull City vs Portsmouth (6) 0-1
Tottenham Hotspur vs Stoke City (8) 2-1
Chelsea vs Blackburn Rovers (9) -1.75 handicap

English Championship:

Barnsley vs Bristol City (7)
Coventry City vs West Bromwich Albion (5)
Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest (6)
Newcastle United vs Doncaster Rovers (7)
Peterborough United vs Scunthorpe United (5)
Plymouth Argyle vs Ipswich Town (8)
Preston North End vs Middlesbrough (6)
Sheffield United vs Cardiff City (6) draw no bet
Swansea City vs Blackpool (7)
Derby County vs Queens Park Rangers (8)

English League One:

Brentford vs Stockport County (7)
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Oldham Athletic (6)
Bristol Rovers vs Yeovil Town (7)
Carlisle United vs Southend United (5)
Exeter City vs Wycombe Wanderers (6)
Gillingham vs Charlton Athletic (6)
Hartlepool United vs Tranmere Rovers (7)
Huddersfield Town vs Leyton Orient (8)
Millwall vs Leeds United (6)
Norwich City vs Swindon Town (7)
Southampton vs Milton Keynes Dons (8)

English League Two:

Barnet vs Darlington (5)
Bournemouth vs Grimsby Town (7)
Bradford City vs Hereford United (6)
Bury vs Rotherham United (6)
Chesterfield vs Burton Albion (7)
Lincoln City vs Torquay United (7)
Macclesfield Town vs Dagenham & Redbridge (6)
Morecambe vs Northampton Town (8)
Notts County vs Crewe Alexandra (7)
Port Vale vs Cheltenham Town (6)
Rochdale vs Accrington Stanley (8)
Shrewsbury Town vs Aldershot Town (6)

Estonian Meistriliiga:

Sillamae Kalev vs Nomme Kalju (8) 4-2
Tulevik Viljandi vs Trans Narva (8) 1-3
Tallinna Kalev vs Flora Paide (6) 0-0
Flora Tallinn vs Kuressaare (9) -1.75 handicap
Maag Tammeka Tartu vs Levadia Tallinn (9) -1.75 handicap

French Ligue 1:

Girondins de Bordeaux vs Le Mans (7) 2-0
Boulogne vs AS Monaco (7) 1-2
Grenoble Foot vs AS Nancy-Lorraine (6) 0-1
OGC Nice vs Olympique Lyonnais (9) 1-3
Saint-Etienne vs Valenciennes (7) 2-1
Sochaux vs Lorient (5) 1-1
Stade Rennais vs Montpellier HSC (7) 2-1

German Bundesliga:

Bayern Munich vs Eintracht Frankfurt (8) 2-1
Hoffenheim vs Nurnberg (7) 2-0
Hannover 96 vs VFB Stuttgart (5) 1-1
Borussia Moenchengladbach vs FC Koln (6) 1-0
FSV Mainz 05 vs Freiburg (7) 1-0

German Bundesliga 2:

MSV Duisburg vs Hansa Rostock (6)
FSV Frankfurt vs 1860 Munich (7)

Greek Super League:

Asteras Tripolis vs Atromitos (6) 1-0
Olympiakos Piraeus vs Ergotelis (9) 3-1
Panionios vs PAS Giannina (7) 2-0

Greek B Ethniki:

Agrotikos Asteras vs Panserraikos (5)
Olympiakos Volos vs Ionikos Nikaias (8)
Panaitolikos Agrinio vs Ilisiakos Zografou (6)

Hungarian Soproni Liga:

Ujpest vs MTK Budapest (8) 2-1
Diosgyori VTK vs Paksi SE (6) 1-1
Papa vs Nyiregyhaza Spartacus (7) 2-1
Szombathelyi Haladas vs Vasas Budapest (6) 2-1
Gyori ETO FC vs Kaposvari Rakoczi (8) 3-1
Kecskemeti TE vs Ferencvaros (6) 1-1

Italian Serie A:

Sampdoria vs Bologna (8) 2-1
Internazionale vs Catania (8) 2-0

Italian Serie B:

Ancona vs Frosinone (6)
Brescia vs Albinoleffe (5)
Cesena vs Grosseto (7)
Empoli vs Ascoli (8)
Gallipolli vs Lecce (6)
Padova vs Triestina (7)
Piacenza vs Modena (5)
Salernitana vs Crotone (6)
Sassuolo vs Cittadella (6)

Japanese J-League:

Kashima Antlers vs JEF United Ichihara (6) 2-1
Gamba Osaka vs Yokohama F Marinos (8) 2-1
Vissel Kobe vs Albirex Niigata (6) 0-1
Kashiwa Reysol vs Montedio Yamagata (6) 1-1
Kyoto Purple Sanga vs Oita Trinita (7) 1-0

Latvian Virsliga:

Blazma Rezekne vs Liepajas Metalurgs (8) 0-2
FK Jurmala vs Daugava Riga (7) 2-0

Mexican Primera Division:

Queretaro vs Cruz Azul (6) 1-2
Jaguares vs Santos Laguna (7) 1-2
Tigres UANL vs San Luis (6) 1-1
Pachuca vs Indios (8) 2-0
Atlante vs Atlas (5) 1-1

Dutch Eredivisie:

ADO Den Haag vs Sparta Rotterdam (6) 1-1
Feyenoord Rotterdam vs VVV Venlo (8) 2-0
Vitesse Arnhem vs Heracles Almelo (6) 2-1
NAC Breda vs RKC Waalwijk (7) 1-0

Norwegian 2 Divisjon:

Avdeling 1:

Lillestrom II vs Pors Grenland (7)
Vindbjart Vennesla vs Valerenga Oslo II (6)
Skjetten Fotball vs Flekkeroy (8)
Tonsberg vs Fram Larvik (8)
Eidsvold vs KFUM Fotball Oslo (7)
Ullensaker Kisa vs Mandalskameratene (7)
Start Kristiansand II vs Strommen (8)

Avdeling 2:

Rosenborg II vs Molde II (8)
Lorenskog vs Ullern (9)
Hodd Ulsteinvik vs Levanger (8)
Byasen Trondheim vs Nardo Trondheim (6)
Skarbovik Aalesund vs Kristiansund (5)
Follo Fotball Ski vs Strindheim (8)
Steinkjer vs Drobak Frogn (7)

Avdeling 3:

Fyllingen Bergen vs Stromsgodset II (6)
Fana Nestun vs Randaberg (5)
Varg Haugesund vs Nest Sotra Agotnes (8)
Asane Ulset vs Sford Sunnhordland (8)
Drammen vs Algard (8)
Sandnes Ulf vs Kopervik (8)
Lyn Oslo II vs Fredrikstad II (6)

Avdeling 4:

Manglerud Star Oslo vs Raufoss Fotball (6)
Lillehammer vs Bodo Glimt II (8)
Valdres Fagernes vs Mo (7)
Tromso II vs Stabaek II (5)
Asker Fotball vs Korsvoll Oslo (8)
Bossekop vs Ranheim Trondheim (9)
Kjelsas Oslo vs Baerum Sandvika (5)

Polish Ekstraklasa:

GKS Belchatow vs Polonia Warsaw (7) 2-1
Legia Warsaw vs Korona Kielce (8) 2-0
Wisla Krakow vs Piast Gliwice (8) 2-1
Slask Wroclaw vs Zaglebie Lubin (6) 1-0

Portuguese Liga Sagres:

Uniao de Leiria vs Naval de Maio (5) 1-1
Rio Ave vs Sporting Braga (8) 0-1

Portuguese Liga de Honra:

Trofense vs Oliveirense (5)
Beira-Mar vs Desportivo Chaves (6)
Desportivo Aves vs Fatima (7)
Penafiel vs Portimonense (6)
Santa Clara vs Estoril (8)
Gil Vicente vs Varzim (8)

Romanian Liga:

Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt vs Unirea Alba Iulia (5) 1-2
Universitatea Craiova vs Vaslui (6) 1-1
Pandurii Targu Jiu vs Unirea Urziceni (7) 1-2

Russian Premier League:

Krylya Sovetov Samara vs Terek Grozny (5) 1-0
Khimki vs Spartak Moscow (9) 1-3
Lokomotiv Moscow vs Saturn Moscow Oblast (8) 2-0

Scottish Premier League:

Aberdeen vs Dundee United (6) 1-0
Heart of Midlothian vs Falkirk (7) 2-0
Kilmarnock vs St.Johnstone (5) 1-1
Rangers vs Hibernians (7) 2-1
St.Mirren vs Motherwell (6) 0-0

Serbian Super Liga:

Spartak Subotica vs Vojvodina Novi Sad (8) 1-2
Jagodina vs BSK Borca (7) 2-0
Napredak vs Cukaricki (7) 1-0
Metalac GM vs Hajduk Kula (6) 0-0
Smederevo vs Javor Ivanjica (6) 1-1
OFK Belgrade vs Mladi Radnik (7) 2-1
Red Star Belgrade vs Borac Cacak (9) 3-1

Slovakian Corgon Liga:

Senica vs MSK Zilina (7) 1-2
Dukla Banska Bystrica vs Ruzomberok (8) 2-0
DAC Dunajska Streda vs Artmedia Petrzalka (5) 1-1
Dubnica vs Tatran Presov (6) 0-1
Nitra vs Kosice (8) 2-0

Slovenian Prva Liga:

Naftan Lendava vs Olimpija Ljubjlana (6) 0-0
Interblock Ljubljana vs Drava (6) 1-0
Gorica vs Celje (7) 1-2
Maribor vs Domzale (7) 2-1
Rudar Velenje vs Koper (6) 1-1

Spanish Primera Liga:

Atletico Madrid vs Real Mallorca (6) 2-1
Sporting Gijon vs Real Madrid (6) over 3.5 goals
Sevilla CF vs Espanyol (7) 2-1

Spanish Segunda Liga:

Gimnastic de Tarragona vs Hercules Alicante (6) draw no bet
Huesca vs Levante (6)
Real Sociedad vs Cordoba (7)
Real Murcia vs Recreativo de Huelva (7)
Las Palmas vs Albacete (6)
Villarreal II vs Castellon (5)
Girona vs Real Betis Balompie (6)

Spanish Segunda B:

Group 1:

Celta de Vigo II vs Mirandes (8)
Montaneros vs Palencia (7)
Cultural y Desportiva Leonesa vs Lugo (5)

Group 2:

Real Racing Club Santander II vs Alcorcon (6)
Puertollano vs Villanovense (6)

Group 3:

Sporting Mahones vs Barcelona II (6)

Group 4:

San Roque vs Union Estepona (7)
Marbella vs Real Betis II (6)
Jerez Industrial vs Granada (7)
Ciudad de Murcia vs Roquetas (5)

Swedish Allsvenskan:

Djurgardens vs Orgryte (6) 1-0
Helsingborgs vs Kalmar (6) 1-2, draw no bet

Swedish Superettan:

Landskrona BoIS vs GIF Sundsvall (6)
Ljungskile vs Angelholms (7)
Falkenbergs vs IFK Norrkoping (5) draw no bet
Jonkopings Sodra vs Assyriska Sodertalje (7)
Atvidabergs vs Mjallby Solvesborg (6)
Trollhattan vs Vasalunds (6)
Vasby United vs Qviding Goteborg (7)
Syrianska Sodertalje vs Sirius Uppsala (8)

Swiss Super League:

Aarau vs Bellinzona (6) 1-1
Grasshoppers Zurich vs Young Boys Bern (8) 1-3

Swiss Challenge League:

Wohlen vs Schaffhausen (6)
Yverdon Sport vs Lugano (7)
Lausanne Sports vs Winterthur (5)
Servette vs Kriens (6)
Thun vs Le Mont (9)

Turkish Super Lig:

Sivasspor vs Gaziantepspor (6) 0-0
Bursaspor vs Istanbul BB (8) 2-1
Fenerbahce vs Galatasaray (6) 2-1, at least two red cards in this game
Eskisehirspor vs Besiktas JK (6) 0-1

Ukrainian Premier League:

Arsenal Kiev vs Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih (6) 1-0
Metalurg Donetsk vs Chernomorets Odessa (8) over 2.5 goals
Obolon Kiev vs Tavriya Simferopol (5) 1-2
Dnipro Dnepropetrovsk vs Dynamo Kiev (5) 1-1
Karpaty Lviv vs Metalurg Zaporizhya (8) 2-1

Welsh Premier League:

Bala Town vs Haverfordwest County (5) 1-1
Connah’s Quay Nomads vs Camarthen Town (6) 1-2, draw no bet
Llanelli vs Caersws (9) 3-1
Neath Athletic vs The New Saints (6) 2-2
Newtown vs Welshpool Town (6) 2-1
Port Talbot Town vs Airbus (7) 1-0
Porthmadog vs Aberyswyth Town (7) 1-2

Enjoy your free betting tips!

De Graafschap vs Dordrecht ’90

Today’s featured game is the Eerste Divisie game between De Graafschap and Dordrecht ’90. The hosts were relegated from the Eredivisie last season and have looked every inch a cut above the Eerste Divisie outfits – well, at least when they’re playing at home they do! Currently boasting an immaculate home record of five wins from five games, title hopefuls Dordrecht ’90 know they have their work cut out to get anything at a difficult De Graafschap. I mean, come on – the hosts today average three goals per game at home and have conceded just one at home all season! That said, my respects do go out to Dordrecht ’90 because it’s their excellent away form that has given us good odds here as they are unbeaten on the road so far this season with three wins and two draws from five away games. Much akin to their hosts tonight, Dordrecht ’90 are also big goalscorers although only on the road, ironically. For those reasons, if you can find good odds for over 2.5 goals then I think you’ll be onto a winner. However, no wins in two games leaves Dordrecht ’90 a bit short on momentum and this isn’t the place to be going without all guns blazing. Having won three of their last five games and remaining unbeaten in that time, you have to feel that De Graafschap also boast the momentum to compliment their superior quality. Bluntly put; I expect an extremely active game with plenty of goals but the home win at 3/4 looks good value in my eyes!

Friday’s Picks

My tips:

As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:

De Graafschap vs Dordrecht ’90 – home win at 3/4 – see introduction for full details.

Colon de Santa Fe vs Banfield – home win at 6/5. These odds certainly surprise me because Colon de Santa Fe are a fair amount better than Banfield in my books. Both sides may have made good starts to the seson but there’s something of a class difference here to ponder upon also. Three wins from four games for both sides says that this encounter is going to be close but the quality aspect is drawing me towards the home win here. Colon de Santa Fe have also won this fixture for four seasons running now and it’s more than apparent that unbeaten Banfield are punching above their weight currently. I’ll be surprised if there’s a lot of goals in this game but I’ll be even more surprised if Colon de Santa Fe don’t make their superiority count by the final whistle. Frankly, 6/5 on the home win looks a good bt to me!

First Vienna vs Wacker Innsbruck – away win 20/21. Third-placed Wacker Innsbruck travel to First Vienna on the back of two straight victories and will feel that making it three wins from three games is an extremely realistic possibility as they face a First Vienna side that not only have lost three of their last four games but have also lost three out of three at home this season with a shocking goalscoring total of two goals at home. There’s a big quality difference between these two sides and the momentum favours the away side. All that bothers me is that Wacker Innsbruck are a little haphazard with their away form on occasion so I’d encourage medium stakes for this one. That said, everything is in their favour in my eyes so the away win at 20/21 should have some value in it tonight.

Slavia Sofia vs Minior Pernik - home win at 21/20. It’s not often that the A PFG provides us with good odds or games that haven’t been fixed so I’m quite happy to take advantage of this apparent blip! There’s no way on earth that Minior Pernik are good enough to be on the same pitch as Slavia Sofia, let alone be in a similar odds bracket! The difference at the end of last season wasn’t great between the two sides but I genuinely feel there’s a real class difference here although no doubt the Bulgarian fixers will now rig a 5-0 away win for this game! Anyway, momentum is with the hosts after two straight wins whereas Minior Pernik are heading the other way with two straight defeats. Slavia Sofia’s biggest problem is not delivering when they should, hence their league placing currently, but I think today is the day they turn it around and make it three wins from three. For me, the home win at 21/20 looks a good price indeed!

Vannes OC vs AC Ajaccio – home win at 5/6. I sometimes wonder how AC Ajaccio are still in Ligue 2. Don’t get me wrong, I respect them and I adore their little island of Corsica. However, their football is atrocious and they seem hell-bent on boring every opponent they face to such a degree that their team actually falls asleep so that AC Ajaccio may score. One win and four defeats in eight games says that AC Ajaccio are doing their best to emulate their poor form last season and also tells me that they would really much prefer life in the division below. They’ve lost three from four away games as they travel to a very much in-form Vannes OC, a side that has taken seven points from their last three games. Unbeaten at home, Vannes OC seem to be making an unprecedented lunge for life in Ligue 1, a lunge that is destined to fail because they’re just not good enough to maintain their current form. However, their current form and momentum dwarves that of AC Ajaccio to a degree significant enough for me to take the home win at 5/6 although I do expect a droll encounter with few goals! My only concern is if the hosts don’t score but if they do then this game should be sewn up.

Slask Wroclaw vs Wisla Krakow – away win at 10/11. Hosts Slask Wroclaw are unbeaten at home in the Ekstraklasa so far this season but today they’re facing arguably the biggest threat to that record that they’ll have this season – league leaders Wisla Krakow. Seven wins in eight games with no defeats says that Wisla Krakow are adamant that this year’s Ekstraklasa crown will be theirs, and who is going to stand in their way whilst they boast a 100% away record? They average two goals per game away from home and have only conceded one goal in the process. Slask Wroclaw are a side that aren’t particularly bothered about winning or losing – they just like drawing, simply. They’ve drawn four games consecutively now and haven’t won in five games. Despite being unbeaten at home, Slask Wroclaw’s record of the repetitive draws will damage them more than it’ll intimidate the visitors, in my opinion. The home side will begin to forget how it feels to win and heads may drop a little. Wisla Krakow are absolutely galloping into this game with tremendous form, momentum and attacking prowess and I can’t really see a dogged Slask Wroclaw being able to withstand such a force today. For me, 10/11 on the away win has significant value in it.

As ever, any questions/explanations required, feel free to email me at thefootytipster@gmail.com. For the complete picks listing, see below!

Argentinian Primera Division:

Colon de Santa Fe vs Banfield (8) 2-0
Independiente vs Tigre (8) 2-1

Australian A-League:

Gold Coast United vs Wellington Phoenix (5) 1-1

Austrian Liga 1:

Admira Wacker vs Austria Vienna II (8)
Lustenau vs St.Polten (6)
Dornbirn vs Gratkorn (7)
First Vienna vs Wacker Innsbruck (8)
Salzburg II vs SCR Altach (8)

Belgian Eerste Klasse:

AA Gent vs Excelsior Mouscron (7) 1-0

Belgian Tweede Klasse:

Beveren vs Antwerp (6)

Bulgarian A PFG:

Slavia Sofia vs Minior Pernik (7) 2-0

Colombian Futbol Profesional:

Boyaca Chico vs Millonarios Bogota (7) 1-0

Croatian Prva Liga:

Medimurje vs Lokomotiva Zagreb (8) 1-0

Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:

Brno vs Pribram (6) 0-0

Finnish Kakkonen:

Lokho B:

P-Iirot Rauma vs KaaPo Kaarina (7)
AIFK Turku vs SalPa Salo (6)
Ilves vs FC Espoo (5)

French Ligue 2:

Angers SCO vs Strasbourg (5)
Bastia vs Chateauroux (7)
Brest vs Clermont Foot (6)
Istres vs Arles (6)
Nimes vs Guingamp (8)
Vannes OC vs AC Ajaccio (8) under 2.5 goals
Stade Malherbe de Caen vs Sedan-Ardennes (9)
Dijon FCO vs Le Havre (6) draw no bet
Metz vs Laval (6)

German Bundesliga:

Schalke 04 vs Eintracht Frankfurt (7) 1-0

German Bundesliga 2:

Alemannia Aachen vs Energie Cottbus (5)
MSV Duisburg vs Union Berlin (6)
Koblenz vs Rot-Weiss Oberhausen (7)

Hungarian Soproni Liga:

Budapest Honved vs Vasas Budapest (5) 1-0, draw no bet

Irish Premier League:

Galway United vs Bray Wanderers (6) 2-1
Drogheda United vs Dundalk (6) 1-1
Shamrock Rovers vs Bohemians (5) 1-1

Italian Serie B:

Ascoli vs Sassuolo (7)

Mexican Primera Division:

Estudiantes Tecos vs Atlas (7) 1-1

Dutch Eredivisie:

Vitesse Arnhem vs Sparta Rotterdam (7) 1-0

Dutch Eerste Divisie:

De Graafschap vs Dordrecht ’90 (8)
Excelsior vs RBC Roosendaal (6)
FC Den Bosch vs Go Ahead Eagles (6)
Emmen vs AGOVV Appeldoorn (7)
Top Oss vs Veendam (5)
Zwolle vs MVV Maastricht (6)
Fortuna Sittard vs Volendam (6)
Helmond Sport vs Omniworld (9)
Cambuur Leeuwarden vs FC Eindhoven (8)

Polish Ekstraklasa:

Cracovia Krakow vs Zaglebie Lubin (6) 1-1
Slask Wroclaw vs Wisla Krakow (8) 0-1

Portuguese Liga Sagres:

Academica de Coimbra vs Maritimo (5) 1-0

Romanian Liga:

Otelul Galati vs Brasov (7) 1-2
Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt vs Rapid Bucharest (8) 0-2

Singaporean S-League:

Geylang United vs Super Reds (7) 2-1

Swiss Challenge League:

Stade Nyonnais vs Lugano (9)

Turkish Super Lig:

Trabzonspor vs Gaziantepspor (8) 2-0

Enjoy your free betting tips and feel free to visit our forum!