Croatia v England: Three Lions can march on against tired opponents

<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Croatia v England</span><br />Wednesday, 19:00<br />Live on ITV</span></strong></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Vatreni eyeing history</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Twenty years after their last - and indeed first - appearance, Croatia are back in the World Cup semi-finals. It's <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">no small achievement for a nation of around four million people</strong>, and yet you could argue that this kind of thing has been a long time coming, given the talent in the squad over the last few years. With Luka Modrić, Ivan Rakitić and Mario Mandžukić all the wrong side of 30, this will surely be this team's best chance of going one step further than the class of 1998.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The quarter-final win over Russia was testing, both emotionally and physically. Croatia will certainly feel they have dispelled any lingering penalty-shootout hoodoo from Euro 2008, but another <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">120 minutes of football appeared to have taken its toll</strong>: there were players limping and grimacing all through the additional half hour. To borrow a phrase from Gareth Southgate, their changing room must have been like a scene from M*A*S*H after the game.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Right-back Šime Vrsaljko looks set to miss out</strong> here, which is a significant blow: the Atlético Madrid man has been a reliable attacking outlet and solid on the back foot. Vedran Ćorluka is likely to come in, with Domagoj Vida shuffling to the right. That's hardly ideal, and coach Zlatko Dalić will be desperate for Mandžukić and goalkeeper Danijel Subašić to have recovered after picking up knocks.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">England enjoying a summer to remember</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you've switched on the news or walked outside at any point over the last week, you will know that <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">a strange form of mass hysteria has hit swathes of England</strong>. People jumping off buses and through bus shelters; a trillion Harry Maguire memes; random people screaming "It's Coming Home!" to nobody in particular in the dead of night (maybe this is just my neighbourhood)... it's all been a little bit surreal in recent days.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Understandably so, perhaps. England doing well at a major tournament: this just doesn't happen very often. A whole generation had grown up associating World Cup campaigns with only tactical drudgery, starry egotism and bloody recriminations, so it's obviously a pleasant surprise to be able to watch a team of fairly likeable players perform well. And <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">the transformation of Gareth Southgate from pariah to national treasure</strong> has been touching.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The win against Sweden will have given the side great confidence and, unlike Croatia, there are no injury concerns. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Which isn't to say there is not room for improvement</strong>: Dele Alli scored on Saturday but has yet to put in a truly defining performance, while Raheem Sterling could do with a slice of luck to calm his nerves in front of goal. In general, though, the mood could hardly be better in the Three Lions camp.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Three Lions the favourites</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Croatia have been fairly underwhelming</strong> since an excellent display against Argentina: they made heavy work of both Denmark and Russia - two fairly limited sides - and have been workmanlike rather than inspired in attack. Mandžukić and Ante Rebić will both hassle the England backline, but with Ivan Perišić yet to burst into life, a good deal of the creative responsibility will fall on the shoulders of the midfielders.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Modrić has been excellent thus far</strong>, and it wouldn't be a major surprise if Dalić opted to play him a little further forward, perhaps with Marcelo Brozović alongside Rakitić in front of the defence. That would give Jordan Henderson plenty to think about and would give Croatia more cover against the movement of Alli and Jesse Lingard.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">England have more attacking outlets</strong> than their opponents. Kieran Tripper and Ashley Young will fancy their chances against Vida and the conservative Ivan Strinić out wide, while Sterling will no doubt be licking his lips at the thought of a one-on-one battle with Ćorluka. With those dead balls also in the locker and Croatia feeling the fatigue, it seems fair that the Three Lions are <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="11/8"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>2.38</b></span></span> favourites to win in 90 minutes.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Goals at a premium</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both of Croatia's knockout games so far have been cagey affairs, despite early goals. Theirs is a circumspect approach and with <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">the nerves likely to be jangling on both sides</strong> - this is virgin territory for these England players too - a low-scoring game could be in store. You can get <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="8/13"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>1.60</b></span></span> on there being under 2.5 goals, but if you fancy Southgate's men to get the job done, an <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>England win with under 3.5 goals</b></span> is 9/5 on the Sportsbook.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kane can get back on goal trail</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Harry Kane</strong> got through plenty of unselfish work against Sweden, but will have been slightly frustrated not to have found the net himself, not least because he had a good chance from the edge of the area. He will be sniping at set pieces as usual and looks backable at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="7/5"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>2.44</b></span></span>.</span></div> <h2 class="betting-copy__title" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Croatia v England Opta Stats</span></h2> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the eighth meeting between England and Croatia, with England winning four of those games, with one draw and two Croatia wins; six of the previous seven games have also been played on a Wednesday. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">England are</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="5/7">1.69</span> to make it to the World Cup final.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">England and Croatia have met once before at a major tournament – England won 4-2 in a group stage match at Euro 2004. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">The English are</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="7/5">2.40</span> to win the match in 90 minutes.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Croatia have had eight different scorers at the 2018 World Cup – only Belgium have had more different players find the net (9). <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Both teams to score is</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="6/5">2.16</span>.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">England have scored 11 goals at this year’s World Cup, a joint-record along with the 11 they scored in their victorious 1966 tournament. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Over 2.5 goals is</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="13/8">2.64</span>.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Croatia have reached the World Cup semi-finals for the second time since their first World Cup participation in 1998, which is more than the likes of Argentina, England, Italy, Portugal and Spain (1 each). The only European nations with more semi-final appearances in this period (inc. 2018) are Germany (4), France (3) and Netherlands (3). <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Croatia are</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="7/5">2.42</span> in the To Qualify market.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Croatia reached the semi-finals via penalty shootout victories in the last 16 against Denmark and quarter-final against Russia – the only other team to win two penalty shootouts in a single World Cup were Argentina in 1990 (against Yugoslavia and Italy). <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">The draw after 90 minutes is</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="11/5">3.15</span>.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Croatia have only lost one of their six knockout matches at the World Cup, losing to France in the 1998 semi-final. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">They are</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="13/5">3.65</span> to win the game.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Harry Kane has scored on six of the seven days of the week for England, with Wednesday the only day he hasn’t scored on. Should he score, he’ll become just the third player to score on all seven days of the week for England, after Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Kane is</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="7/5">2.40</span> to add to his tally.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mario Mandzukic assisted Andrej Kramaric’s goal against Russia in the quarter-final – he has been involved in four goals at the World Cup finals for Croatia (3 goals, 1 assist), with only Davor Suker involved in more (6). <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Mandzukic is</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="7/2">4.50</span> to add to his tally.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eight of England’s 11 goals at the 2018 World Cup have been scored via set-pieces – since 1966, the only team to equal that number in a single World Cup tournament are Portugal in 1966 (also eight goals). <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">The odds of there being a penalty in the match are</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="9/5">2.78</span>.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">RECOMMENDED BETS</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back England to win and under 3.5 goals at 9/5 (Sportsbook)</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSr6L-QWZtY5dDX2QBF8jA5F5EJ1hY61OFU9HeZ6NuvgpiMvzmzo7GJPif2C8rlV0dc7ytR5ImRa0lm1oQLPl2UzZh1lED4kUiL2CmjbL2O4ZRFZzDP4n2uw2_m-vnhl5-DjJ3uf6Dl4/s1600/pftxxeif5xjuk7avwbve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSr6L-QWZtY5dDX2QBF8jA5F5EJ1hY61OFU9HeZ6NuvgpiMvzmzo7GJPif2C8rlV0dc7ytR5ImRa0lm1oQLPl2UzZh1lED4kUiL2CmjbL2O4ZRFZzDP4n2uw2_m-vnhl5-DjJ3uf6Dl4/s640/pftxxeif5xjuk7avwbve.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>

Croatia v England: Three Lions can march on against tired opponents

Croatia v England Wednesday, 19:00 Live on ITV Vatreni eyeing history Twenty years after their last - and indeed first - appearance...

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Wimbledon Tips: Day 8 – Women’s Quarter Finals

<div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pliskova was the latest seeded woman to make way and it means that the top 10 seeds in the women’s draw are all gone! It was a different story on the men’s side with Federer, Rafa and Djokovic all crushing their respective opponents in straight sets. A day that was supposed to have some epic matches produced very little. The men will have time to rest before their next match as Day 8 is dedicated to the women’s quarter finals.</span></div> <h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.2rem 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wimbledon Quarter Finals Previews</span></h4> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Dominika Cibulkova v Jelena Ostapenko</b>Based on what we have seen, Ostapenko is the one to beat in the women’s draw and everyone should take a piece of the $8.00 on offer to win the tournament. The Wolf has constantly made note of her inconsistency and high error count but we have not seen it at The Championships. She has a positive winner/unforced errors ratio and refuses to take a backward step. Proactive tennis is rewarded on grass and it is the reason why The Wolf has her running riot against Cibulkova.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Best Bet: Ostapenko -1.5 ($1.85)</span></strong></span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Daria Kasatkina v Angelique Kerber</b><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Belinda Bencic has Kerber rattled yesterday but failed to take her chances. She got tight and Kerber drew some uncharacteristic errors by simply throwing the ball up and taking the pace off it. The Wol is not one for negative tennis and says it rarely prevails in the latter stages of tournaments as you almost always run into an opponent who is hitting the ball cleanly for a long enough period. That person in this match is Kasatkina!<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Best Bet: Kasatkina +3.5 ($1.85)</span></strong></span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Kiki Bertens v Julia Goerges</b><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />This shapes as the tightest of the four quarter finals. Both ladies have been playing well with Goerges being involved in some very tight matches. She beat Strycova 10-8 in the third while Bertens back up her win over Venus with a top class performance against Pliskova. Bertens leads the H2H 2-0 but both of those clashes have come on her preferred surface – clay. They will be going the distance.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Best Bet: Over 21.5 games ($1.73)</span></strong></span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Serena Williams v Camila Giorgi</b><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />This is foreign territory for Giorgi who is appearing in her first Grand Slam quarter final. She could not have asked for a tougher test than 7 time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams. There is more bad news for Giori… Serena has won all three of their prior encounters and has been improving with every match. Williams is winning a tournament leading 78% of points behind her first serve and it is hard to see the Italian making any inroads. She will get off to a nervous start and will never recover.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Best Bet: Williams -4.5 ($1.73)</strong></span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdDjkMWbr78Xguz3VgZLeIc-jkB9Zw_SvwZO_sf5VvXugx7uBOB5nUjvpvS-T_v3IVn0hVK73ZEm7tOZr8YuqIyt8v7Yv3e1WYg0kvGOI8MbclPrYk-MktD-ux0FgVMCV3D2xWU5oOOg/s1600/20180710022718_65.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdDjkMWbr78Xguz3VgZLeIc-jkB9Zw_SvwZO_sf5VvXugx7uBOB5nUjvpvS-T_v3IVn0hVK73ZEm7tOZr8YuqIyt8v7Yv3e1WYg0kvGOI8MbclPrYk-MktD-ux0FgVMCV3D2xWU5oOOg/s640/20180710022718_65.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><br /></strong></span></div>

Wimbledon Tips: Day 8 – Women’s Quarter Finals

Pliskova was the latest seeded woman to make way and it means that the top 10 seeds in the women’s draw are all gone! It was a different st...

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Wimbledon Tips: Day 7

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.2rem 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <b style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roger Federer v Adrian Mannarino</span></b></h4> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Federer was flawless in the opening week and it really comes as no surprise. He has covered the handicap in all 3 of his matches and has won at least one set in each of his matches by a double break margin. He has a 5-0 record against Mannarino and the Frenchman has not gone close to beating him. Federer has won both slam meetings in straight sets and The Wolf is expecting another routine victory.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Best Bet: Federer -8.5 ($1.80)</span></strong></span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Gael Monfils v Kevin Anderson</strong>In 9 prior attempts, Monfils had never made it beyond the 3rd round here. He now has a huge opportunity to make the quarters and The Wolf says he will do exactly that. The Frenchman has won all 5 clashes against Anderson and 10 of the 11 sets they have contested. A match against Querrey is the ideal preparation to take on another big server. The Wolf is shocked to see him installed as the outsider and says to back with with the handicap start and to do so with confidence!<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Best Bet: Monfils +1.5 ($1.85)</span></strong></span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">John Isner v Stefanos Tsitsipas</strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />There is a perception that because of his big serve that Isner has a great record at Wimbledon. It is far from the case, and The Championships are his worst slam in terms of winning percentage. He had a 10-9 record prior to this year and this is his first time in the 4th round here. He has his work cut out for him against teenage sensation Tsitsipas. In their only other meetings, Isner won 7-6 7-6 and failed to generate a single break point opportunity. There will no doubt be a stack of breakers in this one. More than half of Isner’s opening sets in 2018 have gone to a breaker and the Over is 4-1 in his last 5 matches at Wimbledon. Overs!<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Best Bet: Over 45.5 games ($1.85)</span></strong></span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Jiri Vesely v Rafael Nadal</strong><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Nadal has made it to the second week without dropping a set. It is a repeat of his performance last year but that ended in a dramatic loss to Muller in the 4th round. The Wolf says we could see a repeat of that match. Like Muller, Vesely is a big server and has the ability to prevent his opponent from finding any sort of rhythm. He is making over 70% of first serves and there has been at least one breaker in each of his last 5 matches on tour. One breaker here would send the total over and The Wolf is advising his followers to have something on Vesely for the outright win.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Best Bet: Over 31.5 games ($1.80)</span></strong></span></div> <h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.2rem 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Women’s Wimbledon Feature Previews</span></h4> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Angelique Kerber v Belinda Bencic</b>This may come as a shock but Kerber has never beaten Belinda Bencic. Even more shocking is the fact that Bencic has won all four meetings in straight sets! On that basis alone, there is NO WAY that she should be paying this price. The Wolf says to take were with the handicap start and to also have something on her for the outright win.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Best Bet: Bencic +4.5 ($1.73)</span></strong></span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Serena Williams v Evgeniya Rodina</b><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />She has been tested but unlike the top ranked women in the world, Serena has managed to survive. The 7 time Wimbledon champion takes on a qualifier but The Wolf warns us not to discredit Rodina. She has come through the qualifiers here and is coming off a win against another big hitter in Madison Keys. She can not afford to get off to a slow start, but if she can hold her first few service games, The Wolf has her winning a set.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Best Bet: Over 18.5 games ($1.73)</strong></span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyt4KS3cLgEWrnfHCDdvNrBFBnjKyueR6cpbYn-8pHq_59ywKKPoXEUyd75lom03cunza119TrmPhNQH82KbHS5Mlk8QxEA9A2OgSlY2C7AjJDZi5EXfJacJaMJP6heEw-m5RiXL4MpRU/s1600/nadal-7592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="759" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyt4KS3cLgEWrnfHCDdvNrBFBnjKyueR6cpbYn-8pHq_59ywKKPoXEUyd75lom03cunza119TrmPhNQH82KbHS5Mlk8QxEA9A2OgSlY2C7AjJDZi5EXfJacJaMJP6heEw-m5RiXL4MpRU/s640/nadal-7592.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><br /></strong></span></div> </div>

Wimbledon Tips: Day 7

Roger Federer v Adrian Mannarino Federer was flawless in the opening week and it really comes as no surprise. He has covered the handica...

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France v Belgium: Goalscorers take the eye in Saint Petersburg

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>France v Belgium</b></span><br /><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tuesday, 19:00</strong><br /><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Live on BBC1</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">France finding home comforts in Europe again</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's fairly <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">familiar territory</strong> for France the semi-finals of the World Cup. In fact, looking at the last three WC tournaments held in Europe, France have made the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">last four on each occasion</strong>, going on to lift the trophy on home soil in 1998, losing in the final to Italy in 2006 and reaching the semis here in Russia.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beyond the thrill of their 4-3 victory over Argentina in the last 16 when Messi and co held a 2-1 advantage with 56 minutes gone, it's been <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">fairly routine</strong> stuff.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They did enough to beat Australia (2-1) and Peru (1-0) in the group stage and then played out one of the rare duds in this World Cup, the 0-0 draw with Denmark.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">justified favouritism</strong> once more when seeing off Uruguay 2-0 thanks to Raphael Varane's set-piece header and Antoine Griezmann's speculative pot-shot spilled by Fernando Muslera.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In short, France have the look of a <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">very competent tournament team</strong>. They get it done in tight games and have <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">gears</strong> to go through if their cage is rattled. It's that latter trait which could be tested by the Belgium.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">No sympathy from the Red Devils</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You have to admire this Belgian squad. They win when they're supposed to (Panama, Tunisia, Japan). They win when they're not supposed to (Brazil). And they win when they're not even trying to (England).</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Five games, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">five wins</strong>, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">14 goals</strong>. They've given their supporters one of the most<strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> enjoyable rides</strong> of the World Cup.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like France, they trailed in the second half of their last 16 match but, just as their opponents did, Belgium showed both <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">skill and spirit</strong> to turn it around, finding three late goals to beat Japan 3-2.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While it would be easy to say that his players baled him out in that one, it's only fair to say that <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Roberto Martinez</strong> got it <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">tactically spot on</strong> against Brazil.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having Marouane Fellaini and Axel Witsel as part of a three in midfield gave them <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">added solidity</strong> and also released Kevin De Bruyne further forward. The Manchester City star proved the benefits of that with one of the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">sweetest strikes</strong> of the tournament to make it 2-0.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku were also outstanding against the Brazilians and Belgium have won their last two matches without this pair finding the net.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Martinez has lots of cards in his deck and he's <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">playing his hands well</strong>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">French fancied</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having had the harder quarter-final and won it with something in hand, Belgium have claim to be favourites here but the market is <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">staying true</strong> to the pair's pre-tournament odds.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">France</strong> are <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="8/5"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>2.56</b></span></span> to win in 90 minutes, with <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Belgium</strong> at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="9/4"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>3.25</b></span></span> and <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Draw</strong> at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="9/4"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>3.25</b></span></span>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the French to land it, they'll have to end Belgium's <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">24-match unbeaten run</strong> which comprises <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">19 wins</strong> and five draws.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To find recent head-to-head form, we need to go back to a Paris friendly won <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">4-3</strong> by Belgium in 2015. The visitors actually <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">led 4-1 with a minute left</strong> before France got a couple of consolations to make the scoreline respectable.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Duo have plenty of firepower</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While Belgium lead the way with 14 goals in this World Cup, France have managed eight in their five matches. A more positive spin is <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">five in their last two games</strong>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">BTTS</strong> has landed in both Belgium's knockout games - 3-2 v Japan and 2-1 v Brazil - and it's <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="10/11"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>1.90</b></span></span> for '<strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Yes</strong>' paying out again. '<strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">No</strong>' is <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="11/10"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>2.08</b></span></span>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although France kept a clean sheet against Uruguay, the loss of Edinson Cavani made life an awful lot easier. Having Lukaku, Hazard and De Bruyne to contend with is a<strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> much, much harder proposition</strong>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Don't presume occasion will stifle goal count</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've had a 7-1 (Germany v Brazil 2014) and a 3-2 (Holland v Uruguay 2010) in recent World Cup semis so it's <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">mistaken</strong> to think that teams are gripped by fear at this stage of the tournament.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This last-four match-up looks to have <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">more potential for goals</strong> than England v Croatia and I'm happy to play the underdog option and go <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Over 2.5</strong> at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="6/5"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>2.22</b></span></span>. It's <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="4/5"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>1.80</b></span></span> for Unders.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Plenty of goalscorer options</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Antoine Griezmann</strong> and <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Romelu Lukaku</strong> are the joint anytime scorer favourites on the Sportsbook and yet both are 2/1. They could prove <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">generous odds</strong> about both.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's also fairly easy for the eyes to widen when looking at 12/5 <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kylian Mbappe</strong> and <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Marouane Fellaini</strong> is interesting at 5s given that he's already headed one in against Japan.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But, as this tournament goes on, I'm getting more and more impressed by <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eden Hazard</strong> and <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kevin De Bruyne</strong>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hazard has two goals from four starts, hit the post against Japan, was sensational against Brazil and takes spot-kicks. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Back him at 13/5 to score anytime</strong>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">De Bruyne looked unhappy being played further back so, in the belief that he has <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">more freedom to roam forward</strong>, I can't resist the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">6/1</strong> he follows up his Brazil cracker with another.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As competent as France are at the back, Belgium are the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">kings of the open play goal</strong> in this World Cup and I expect both Premier League stars to have obvious chances to score.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd lean towards <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Belgium</strong> - they're <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="6/5"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>2.20</b></span></span> to <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">qualify</strong> - if picking a winner but I'm happier to invest in goals both overall and individually.</span></div> <h2 class="betting-copy__title" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Key Opta Stats for France v Belgium</span></h2> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This will be the 74th meeting in all competitions between France and Belgium. France have won 24 times to Belgium’s 30 (19 draws). <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Belgium are</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="9/4">3.25</span> to win.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This will be the first competitive meeting between France and Belgium since the 1986 World Cup, when France won 4-2 in the third-place playoff. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">A France win is</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="8/5">2.56</span>.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Belgium won 4-3 the last time they met France, in a friendly in Paris in 2015. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Both teams to score is</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="10/11">1.89</span>.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">France are making their sixth appearance in the World Cup semi-finals: they were eliminated from their first three (1958, 1982 and 1986) and have reached the final in the last two (1998 and 2006). <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">They are</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="4/5">1.83</span> in the To Qualify market.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Belgium are unbeaten in their last 24 matches in all competitions, winning 19 and drawing five. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">The Belgians are</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="6/5">2.18</span> to get to the World Cup final.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Belgium’s haul of 14 goals is the most by the semi-final stage of a World Cup tournament since Brazil in 2002 (15). <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Over 2.5 goals is</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="5/4">2.24</span>.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Belgium have had nine different goalscorers in the 2018 World Cup (excluding own goals); only Italy in 2006 and France in 1982 (10 each) have had more in a single tournament. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Over 3.5 goals is</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="3/1">4.00</span>.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">France forward Antoine Griezmann has scored seven goals in his last six knockout stage matches in major tournaments (World Cup and EUROs). <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Griezmann is</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="2/1">3.00</span> to score.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Romelu Lukaku has been directly involved in 20 goals in his last 13 games for Belgium in all competitions (17 goals, 3 assists). <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Lukaku is</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="85/40">3.10</span> to find the net.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">France’s Kylian Mbappe (3 goals) is the highest scoring teenager in a World Cup tournament since Pele scored six in 1958. Pele scored a hat-trick against France in the semi-final of that tournament, the last teen to score in the last four of the competition. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Mbappe is</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="12/5">3.40</span> to add to his tally.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eden Hazard has been directly involved in 14 goals in his last 14 games for Belgium (8 goals, 6 assists). <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Hazard is</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="13/5">3.60</span> to score.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">RECOMMENDED BETS</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2pts Over 2.5 goals @ 2.22</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1pt Eden Hazard to Score @ 13/5 (Sportsbook)</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1pt Kevin De Bruyne to Score @ 6/1 (Sportsbook)</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdqO9CI5iotr_egEPl0wqQDLHBlHAJTqL0vEKWQ8RVkIUf6WXOmOrnnJpN9pziLGvao7NPLqITrwAuMh8PX07BQcodLmHkQ06lFBCT6CJqeU5EJWYsHupofxLA7ngQVHGP7E86_NIr3I/s1600/kylian-mbappe-france-kevin-de-bruyne-belgium_76k0inm64u9u1grzmx7nwv4pg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="620" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdqO9CI5iotr_egEPl0wqQDLHBlHAJTqL0vEKWQ8RVkIUf6WXOmOrnnJpN9pziLGvao7NPLqITrwAuMh8PX07BQcodLmHkQ06lFBCT6CJqeU5EJWYsHupofxLA7ngQVHGP7E86_NIr3I/s640/kylian-mbappe-france-kevin-de-bruyne-belgium_76k0inm64u9u1grzmx7nwv4pg.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> </div>

France v Belgium: Goalscorers take the eye in Saint Petersburg

France v Belgium Tuesday, 19:00 Live on BBC1 France finding home comforts in Europe again It's fairly  familiar territory  for...

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The Punter's blog: Knox denies Fox and it's a yeah for Na

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="entry-body__intro" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Steve looks back on an interesting week's golf trading in Ireland and West Virginia where there were wins for Russell Knox and Kevin Na. Read our man's customary look back at all the action here...</span></div> <div class="entry-body__story" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was impossible not to feel sympathy for New Zealander, Ryan Fox, and his backers yesterday afternoon. Looking for his first win on the European Tour, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Fox was matched at just <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="1/9"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">1.11</span></span></strong> when he led by a stroke with one hole to play and with the only conceivable danger, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Russell Knox</strong>, playing in the group ahead it looked highly likely that a par on the 72nd hole would be sufficient but then Knox, who was <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Dave Tindall's each-way selection</span></strong>, went and did this...</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fox gave himself a chance to match Knox's birdie in regulation to take the title but he narrowly missed and we were in to extra time. Knox, who was generally a <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="26/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>27.00</b></span></span> chance before the off, was the odds-on favourite before the playoff began but <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">the favourites flip-flopped</strong> after the two had driven. Fox hit a belting good tee-shot, miles down the fairway, whereas Knox's was much shorter, and bunker bound, but he got lucky. The ball ran through the bunker and the Scotsman hit a cracking second shot to almost the exact same place he'd been in two in regulation.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It still looked like advantage Fox as he hit a great approach shot to set up another very makeable birdie chance but unbelievably, Knox went and knocked the putt in again! Fox's attempt lipped out and that was that.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Over in the States, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Dave's fancy, Kevin Na</span></strong>, putted like a man possessed to <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">run away from the field</strong> in the Greenbrier Classic and win comfortably by five strokes. Na was generally a <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="64/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>65.00</b></span></span> chance on the exchange before the off but he was matched at a high of <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="279/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>280.00</b></span></span> after a slow start on Thursday. Na birdied six of seven holes between the fourth and the tenth, holing putts from two, five, 11, 24, 33 and 43 feet. That'll usually work!</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was just his <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">second victory in 15 years</strong> on the PGA Tour so he was understandably emotional afterwards and this interview after the victory is worth two minutes of anyone's time. It was a bad result for me personally but it's impossible to enjoy his humour and admire his tenacity. Well done Kevin and well done Dave!</span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">My Bets</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Saturday was one of the nicest days I can remember. The sun shone yet again, England reached the semi-finals of the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, and I spent the day and evening enjoying the whole experience with friends and family. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Yesterday wasn't quite so nice</strong>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As highlighted in the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">In-Play Blog</span></strong>, I backed third round leader, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Erik Van Rooyen</strong>, at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="20/21"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>1.97</b></span></span>but having been matched at a low of <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="2/5"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>1.40</b></span></span> early on in round four, he lost his rhythm badly and the writing was very much on the wall after he finished the front nine with bogeys at six, seven and nine. He tried to rally but it wasn't to be, and he finished up tied for fourth alongside my pre-event pick Jon Rahm.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had hoped that in-play pick, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Joakim Lagergren</strong>, might have come through to win if Van Rooyen flopped but he played even worse than the South African, fading to finish tied for 12th. It wasn't a good result by any means but things were set to get even worse...</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was quite happy with the state of my lay book with a round to go (detailed in the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">In-Play Blog</span></strong>) and when Na made his move I went about laying him further. He'd played in almost 400 PGA Tour events over the last 15 years before this week and he'd won just once, seven years ago. I'd seen him mess up multiple chances to win and I was more than happy to take him on. I layed him several times before putting the spade down when the deficit figure reached a shade over £700 and the fact that I didn't go any deeper is the only possible silver lining. It was pretty much a disaster and a miserable evening to end the weekend.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was also the second Sunday in-a-row that I'd done my dough laying someone that had never convinced me in-contention, having had a poor result last week taking on Francesco Molinari.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Players To Follow</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I backed <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jon Rahm</strong> in Ireland at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="15/2"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>8.60</b></span></span> and looking back, even though he's been beaten, that was a very fair price and he needs to be followed. This was his 50th worldwide start as a pro and it was his 20th top-five finish. He's won five times and even though he was a single-figure price I really don't think the market quite gave him the respect he deserves. He's a remarkable talent and he isn't going to stop winning. His strike rate in Europe is especially strong and I'm going to continue to keep him onside. The course was possibly narrower than ideal last week but <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">at the right venue, dropped in grade on the European Tour, he's a must play</strong>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Over in the States, 19 year-old Chilean, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Joaquin Niemann</strong>, finished tied fifth at the Greenbrier Classic and that's now secured his card for next year. Whether he's value in the market before tournaments, given he's yet to get off the mark, is debatable and he might be better played in-running. As Justin Ray's tweet displays below, he's an incredible talent but winning that first tournament is never easy and he might just do so from slightly off the pace. He clearly likes TPC Old White but this was the second year running that one bad round derailed his chance of victory and that's completely understandable for one so young. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Look out for him lurking someone through 54 holes at a decent price.</strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">What Have We Learned This Week</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm quite sure I'll look back in years to come and view this year's <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Greenbrier Classic</strong> as a bit of a one-off. This was the eighth edition and Na was just the second winner not to be matched at a triple-figure price before the off. He maintained the trend of every winner coming from off the pace and <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">we're still yet to see anyone lead or co-lead after 18, 36 or 54 holes and go on to take the title</strong> but he went against the trends by winning the event so easily and by being the only player in the field to trade at odds-on, although Kelly Kraft did briefly touch evens when he led by four during round three.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was a <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">painful result</strong> and with the benefit of hindsight I obviously shouldn't have taken Na on so vociferously, but I couldn't have envisaged him draining all those putts and I've already moved on. I still think this is a great tournament to trade and I'll be doing so again next year.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We're now less than two weeks away from the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Open Championship</span></strong>, and <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Paul Krishnamurty whets the appetite brilliantly here</span></strong>, but we've got the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Scottish Open</span></strong> and the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">John Deere Classic</span></strong> to negotiate first and I'll be back with my previews later today or tomorrow.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvw4axW6KucaHHjNIyxkAvtmKH-IMIj7HyXo_KkfYziUcSQNiHuU8zbNbE1BD3iwmWqgf0UzPmE8n9SVRfhkCDAD6o8w20R1S6uiCrNc3QoxeOoYEhqBeVwk7N0Py5MEKSLqLc9c-S9E/s1600/Russell+Knox+wins+in+Ireland.956x538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="956" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvw4axW6KucaHHjNIyxkAvtmKH-IMIj7HyXo_KkfYziUcSQNiHuU8zbNbE1BD3iwmWqgf0UzPmE8n9SVRfhkCDAD6o8w20R1S6uiCrNc3QoxeOoYEhqBeVwk7N0Py5MEKSLqLc9c-S9E/s640/Russell+Knox+wins+in+Ireland.956x538.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> </div> </div>

The Punter's blog: Knox denies Fox and it's a yeah for Na

Steve looks back on an interesting week's golf trading in Ireland and West Virginia where there were wins for Russell Knox and Kevin N...

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