Confederations Cup - Sunday 23rd June

The month of June can sometimes but a lonely place for football fans but this year’s Confederations Cup has bought happiness to many with wonderful free flowing football from all involved – especially Brazil, Italy and Japan, with the latter two combining for one of the best games of this current season, if not recent years -  and the most loveable minnows of recent years in Tahiti, who gave the footballing world joy when showing positivity in the face of thrashings from Nigeria and Spain.

The two face off against eachother tonight with the Spanish already through, and while Nigeria can still qualify, they will do well to progress tonight as they need to beat the World Cup and European Champions, who can underline their class by winning well.

 

Forlan and Suarez haven't linked so well but that should be no issue against
Tahiti

Nigeria didn’t impress many in their opening game which will be more fondly remembered – and righty so – for Tahiti’s goal against them, but were vastly improved against Uruguay when using their physicality and pace to give the South Americans major problems when dominating a first half that could and should have seen them lead even after going behind to Diego Lugano’s opener.

However Spain are a different challenge altogether and had Uruguay well and truly shackled before Luis Suarez’s free kick made what had been a one sided game 2-1. Their 10-0 thrashing of Tahiti is of little consequence here given that the team was much changed here, and with a vice like grip on possession likely to limit Nigeria’s attacking potential, the Africans are likely to get little change. 30 places separate the two in FIFA’s rankings and a handicap of 2 at 13/10 may be worth getting involved in along with the 3-0 correct score, in the hope that Spain are able to stifle the game totally.

Uruguay’s victory against Tahiti looks to be a formality but they too can put distance between them and their opposition. The handicap and correct score lines are a little lower than the ones Spain were given but that was a changed side and the guld in class should mean that the often cumbersome trio of Luis Suarez, Diego Forlan and Edison Cavani sloit in fine, and they have the potential to do at least as much, if not more damage than Spain.

A handicap of seven goals can be passed but given that in both games have seen more goals scored in the second half, it’s a surprise to see Bet365 offer 7/5 about that happening.

Advice – Nigeria v Spain

2 pts Spain -2 (13/10 Bet365)

1 pt Spain 3-0 (15/2 Bet Victor)

Advice – Urugay v Tahiti

2 pts Uruguay -7 (20/21 general)

1 pt Second half to have most goals (7/5 Bet365)

1 pt 10-0 Uruguay (10/1 general)