Monday Internationals

Possibly the most exicting European Qualification Group has been Group I, where just two points splits Iceland, Croatia and Ukraine after nine matches. Iceland have been superb, collecting 19 points, and they finish their campaign at home to Kosovo, so are fully expecting to board the plane to Russia come the summer.

If they do slip up, then the winner of Ukraine v Croatia would top the group instead, and the bookmakers are surely giving Croatia too much respect in making them favourites for this tie. You can get 19/10 about Ukraine, with the draw 11/5 and Croatia 13/8.

So why should Ukraine be favourites? For a start off, they have won three and drawn one at home thus far in the group - only table toppers Iceland taking a point from Kiev - while Andriy Yarmolenko is in fine form as well, scoring four times in those matches.

Then we come to Croatia. Manager Ante Cacic was sacked following Croatia's dismal draw with Finland on Friday - a match that saw him repeatedly confuse Finland with Iceland!

The match was variously described as a calamity, an embarassment and a farce, and it's hard to see the team immediately clicking back into gear in time for a difficult trip to Kiev. With everything at stake, this could be hostile atmosphere, and we reckon the Ukraine represent great value at 19/10.

2pts Ukraine to beat Croatia at 19/10

Another match which catches our eye is Wales v Ireland, where the visitors can take advantage of the absence of Gareth Bale.

Since making his debut, Wales have played 34 matches without Bale - winning 8, drawing 10 and losting 16. It's a pretty shocking record given their overall rise in stature during that time, and it looks worse when you consider that of those 8 wins, the teams they have silenced have included Liechtenstein, Luxembourg (2), Georgia, Azerbaijan and Iceland (before they got good!).

Ireland can still qualify with a good result here, and the chips are certainly down,so the odds of 5/2 on the visitors certainly appeal in this one. Wales can be lost without their talismanic leader, and whether Aaron Ramsey can step up to the plate remains to be seen.

1pt Ireland to beat Wales at 5/2

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