Nigeria v Iceland

This is a game I've been looking forward to for a while from a betting perspective, with the bookmakers unable to clearly separate the sides, but a strong view in our camp about who are the more accomplished side.

With both sides really needing a win in this one, and no obvious favourite, hopefully it will also break some of the patterns we've been seeing thus far and open into a really entertaining match.

Iceland should line up with their pretty standard 4-4-2 (double six), and that could well make it hard for Nigeria to get much service to their Premier League strikers, and I'm firmly in the Iceland camp ahead of this one. They are ranked significantly higher by both FIFA and on the Elo scales, and showed their ability with a 1-1 draw with Argentina. Perhaps they were lucky there, given Messi missed a penalty, but it's a solid base to build from.

Nigeria never looked like hurting Croatia in the opening game, but they will be forced into something more positive here - a draw would surely see them falling out of the tournament, and as such Iceland should get chances.

We'll be backing the European side here (note the African results so far:Uruguay 1-0 Egypt, Morocco 0-1 Iran, Nigeria 0-2 Croatia, Tunisia 1-2 England, Senegal 2-1 Poland, Morocco 0-1 Portugal) at 7/4 with spreadex. That may well go, but the 17/10 around elsewhere is more than decent in my eyes.

It's probably also worth backing Alfred Finnbogason who has now scored in his last three matches. He's scored six in twelve matches over the last two years for his country, with goals coming against a range of decent Top 30 opponents. He is 5/2 with Marathon Bet to score at anytime.

4pts Iceland to beat Nigeria at 7/4

1pt Alfred Finnbogason to score at anytime at 5/2

#Football