Euro 2008 betting tips- Holland v Russia Quarter final 3

The third quarter final and for many football fans this match will clash with the television programme River Cottage Spring on Channel 4, it’s a hard decision, but watching the football just edges it for me (only because I have to of course).

Holland v Russia

This is the quarter final match I’ve been most looking forward to and what I think will be the most interesting.  Guus Hiddink will come up against the side he led to the semi finals at World ‘98 and another thing everyone must know already, he’s also a Dutchman.  The dutch have one 4 out of the 8 matches they have played against Russia, with the Russians winning 2 and the other two matches were draws.  Holland have scored 9 goals already in this tournament and there looks to be much more to come by the way they played against the likes of France .  The Russians will be on high after the victory against the Swedes, but can this young squad hold keep their calm and beat an on form Dutch team?

Euro 2008 Betting update:Yesterday saw me ignoring my pre-match write up and backing Croatia against a Turkish team with alot of character.  Today two of the teams I’ve tipped to shine at Euro 2008 play each other, so at least I can be right one way or another!!!  Hiddink has already said reaching the quarter finals is great progress for Russia, so is he seeing the semi finals as a step too far?  The Russian defence is a little suspect and the goalkeeper even more so, if both teams attack like they have in past games then I can see goals in this game, go for a small bet on over 2.5 goals at 2.02 on Betfair.  I’m going to have to take a risk and back Russia to win, go small at odds of around 5.5 on Betfair (but knowing how my luck has changed in a matter of a day it will probably all go wrong again!!!).  Russia are also available to qualify for the semi finals at odds of 3.35, go with that if you think it won’t be done in 90 minutes and you think(hope)I’m right!!!

UPDATE- (Holland 1-3 Russia *after ET) A deserved victory for Russia, Holland didn’t play throughout the 90 minutes.  It looked to me that the Dutch resting  players in the previous game acted as a disadvantage to them, they looked a little rusty and not able to play their free flowing football.  Although Russia progress, this game still gave me two losing bets, with no over 2.5 goals and no win over the 90 minutes.  I didn’t back them in the ‘to qualify market’ but I hope someone reading did and made some profit, I really hate extra time and penalties!!!  On the whole it was still a good night, Russia get to the semi-finals and their odds on the Betfair outright market have been cut down to 5.2.