Seeley’s Selections – Israel v Wales

Only one of the home nations are in European qualification action on Saturday and that’s Wales, or as I like to call them Gareth Bale, when they make the tough trip to take on Israel in Group B.

Israel v Wales, Saturday 28th March, Live on Sky Sports 5
This is a very difficult place to go and get a result at the best of times, but to go there with Bale out of any form, well it’s almost an impossible ask. Both of these nations have made unbeaten starts in qualification, and both will fancy their chances in making it through to next summer’s finals and I expect the Welsh to do what they always do, start well and then fade into mid-table obscurity as the qualifying campaign goes on.

There really is a lot to like about Israel for this one at BoyleSports’ 21/20; they’ve won all their qualification games and have won them well, including a 3-0 hammering at home to Bosnia in their last match; a team that the Welsh struggled to get a goalless draw against. The Israelis are one of the emerging European football nations and they’ve only lost once at home in their last six games and whenever they play, they usually entertain with two goals scored at least in their last 26 matches.

In qualification so far, the three games have featured 11 goals, and unlike BoyleSports, I fancy a few goals on Saturday night.

Over 2.5 goals looks decent value at 5/4 and that would have been a winner in every Israel qualifier so far in this campaign and also in their last six internationals.

I don’t expect the Welsh to win this, despite their unbeaten start to qualification and anybody contemplating taking the 3/1 on offer with BoyleSports, don’t. I don’t think there is a more influential player to a nation than Bale and his form is a real worry for anybody to get stuck into that price, how ever tempting it looks. I do fancy them to score though. Both Teams To Score is evens and that looks well worth an investment in the BoyleSports BTTS coupons and that has been a winner in eight of the last 10 games featuring Israel.

With goals expected and the majority for the home team, I’m taking Israel to win an entertaining clash 3-1 at BoyleSports’ 16/1. I think I may have unearthed a gem in the first goalscorer markers with Israel’s Eran Zahavi. Zahavi scored in the 3-0 win over Bosnia in the last qualifier and the Maccabi Tel Aviv striker is one of the most prolific goal scorers in Europe with 54 goals from his 67 games and he recently broke the Israeli goalscoring record by scoring in 18 consecutive matches. Zahavi is massive at 15/2 with BoyleSports to score the first goal and the 12/5 to score anytime is even better value.

Seeley’s Selections:
Israel To Win @ 21/20
Over 2.5 Goals @ 5/4
Both Teams To Score – Yes @ Evens
Correct Score: Israel 3-1 @ 16/1
Eran Zahavi First Goalscorer @ 15/2
Eran Zahavi Anytime Goalscorer @ 12/5

Kazakhstan v Iceland, Saturday 3pm, Live on Sky Sports 5
In the other Saturday matches the only bet I like is Iceland at 20/21 to beat Kazakhstan with BoyleSports. Usually it’s Mum that goes to Iceland, but dad will make a venture down to a BoyleSports shop to back them at this price, which is much better value than the £1.99 on a prawn ring.

Iceland are one of the most improving nations in Europe and they have a 100 per cent record in qualification winning all three of their games without conceding. They humiliated Holland 2-0 in their last qualifier and have already beaten Turkey and Latvia 3-0 and they will be far to strong for their hosts in this one.

Iceland have also won all their qualification games to nil and at 15/8 with BoyleSports, I wouldn’t rule that out

against a Kazakhstan team that have failed to win any of their last 10 matches against European opposition and have just one point from four qualifiers so far.

Seeley’s Selections:
Iceland To Win @ 20/21
Iceland To Win To Nil @ 15/8