The international break gets underway with a plethora of fixtures on Thursday.
Here are our betting tips for Thursday’s wide-ranging international football action.
You can also find our previews and betting tips for tonight’s Euro 2024 play-offs right here!
International fixtures Betting Tips - Thursday 21 March
International friendlies Acca of the Day
Portugal to win and Cristiano Ronaldo to score anytime
Portugal vs Sweden
Italy half time/full time
Italy vs Venezuela
Slovenia to win
Malta vs Slovenia
Both teams to score
Belarus vs Montenegro
Under 2.5 goals
Cyprus vs Latvia
South Africa half time/full time
Andorra vs South Africa
At 32/1 a £10 bet would return £325.71
International friendlies acca of the day
International friendlies
Portugal vs Sweden betting tips
Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães
Thursday’s headline international friendly comes from Guimarães with Portugal, returning to this northern city for the first time in six years, seeking to continue their winning streak.
Last year, Roberto Martínez’s team won all ten Euro qualifiers, scoring 36 goals and conceding only two, making this they very first time A Seleção das Quinas have ended a campaign with a perfect record.
So, Portugal will go into this summer’s Euros as one of the favourites, given that they have an ultra-talented squad, and have landed in a kind group, alongside Czechia, Türkiye and the winner of play-off path C.
Before then, this is the first of five friendlies in their calendar, hoping to claim another victory.
In stark contrast, this is the start of a new era for Sweden, after they failed to qualify for the European Championships, despite featuring at each of the previous six editions, dating back to ‘96.
The Blågult came third in Group F, a whopping nine points adrift second-placed Austria, while their dismal performance in the Nations League, relegated to league C, meant they weren’t awarded a play-off reprieve.
As a result, after seven years and 94 games at the helm, Janne Andersson was sacked last November, with former Malmö and Blackburn Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson taking charge for the very first time here.
Sweden have only won one of their last 12 encounters with Portugal, dating back four decades, with a home win very likely at Estádio D. Afonso Henriques.
Portugal to win
1st selection
Over 2.5 goals
2nd selection
Cristiano Ronaldo to score anytime
3rd selection
At 15/8, a £10 bet would return £28.75
Portugal vs Sweden
Italy vs Venezuela betting tips
Inter Miami Stadium, Fort Lauderdale
Italy are stepping up their own European Championship preparations with a pair of stateside friendlies this week.
Gli Azzurri will take on Ecuador in New Jersey on Sunday but, before then, are facing another South American nation in Fort Lauderdale down in Florida.
Luciano Spalletti only took over the national team in September, succeeding Roberto Mancini, but managed to get them over the qualifying line, pipping Ukraine to the second automatic qualification spot in Group C.
Of course, Italy are the reigning European champions, although their form since July 2021 suggests they’re unlikely to retain the Henri Delaunay Trophy, but should still be capable of a win in this friendly.
Opponents Venezuela meanwhile are preparing for a summer tournament of their own, namely the Copa América, at which they’ll face Ecuador, Mexico and Jamaica.
La Vinotinto are the only CONMEBOL member to have never qualified for a World Cup, but that fact could change in the next 12 months or so.
Six matches into the current campaign, Fernando Batista’s team are fourth in the table, needing to remain in the top six, having beaten both Paraguay and Chile in Maturín, also holding Brazil to a 1-1 draw in Cuiabá.
Here, this’ll be a first-ever meeting of Venezuela and Italy, with the European champions widely-expected to prevail in Miami.
Italy to win
1st selection
Over 2.5 goals
2nd selection
Federico Chiesa to score anytime
3rd selection
At 4/1, a £10 bet would return £50
Italy vs Venezuela
Malta vs Slovenia betting tips
Grawnd Nazzjonali, Ta’ Qali
2024 will be an historic year for Slovenia, so will they make a winning start in Ta’ Qali?
Last year, they finished second in Euro qualifying Group H meaning, when June rolls around, Slovenia will make their first appearance at a European Championships since 2000.
Matjaž Kek is also the man who led his country to South Africa 2010, and his legendary status will only increase if they got out of a group that also contains England, Denmark and Serbia.
This week, Slovenia are in friendly action and, before welcoming Portugal to Ljubljana on Tuesday, are firm favourites to beat one of Europe’s minnow nations here.
Malta meantime lost all eight Euro qualifiers, meaning they’ve won only 11 of 248 competitive matches in their entire history, most-recently defeating San Marino in June 2022.
During the last World Cup qualifying cycle, Slovenia won 4-0 at Grawnd Nazzjonali, with a similarly emphatic victory expected here.
Belarus vs Montenegro betting tips
Mardan Sports Complex, Antalya
Neither Belarus nor Montenegro have ever qualified for a major tournament to date, although the latter did at least come close last year.
Montenegro finished third in Euro qualifying Group G, just three points below neighbours Serbia, their dreams shattered by a 3-1 defeat in Budapest on the final matchday back in November.
Despite this encouraging campaign, manager Miodrag Radulović's contract was not renewed, with former Azerbaijan and Bosnia boss Robert Prosinečki taking charge of the Brave Falcons for the first time here.
Belarus meantime also picked up three wins during Euro qualifying last year, defeating both Andorra and Kosovo in November, now aiming to claim three successive victories for the first time in 16 years.
To date, Montenegro have never lost to Belarus in four encounters, victorious 2-0 in Podgorica when they last met in 2019.
This latest clash is taking place at Mardan Sports Complex in Antalya, Türkiye, with the Brave Falcons favourites to maintain their undefeated record against the White Wings.
Cyprus vs Latvia betting tips
Georgios Karapatakis AEK Arena, Larnaca
Another clash of European minnows here, as both target a rare victory.
Cyprus endured a very miserable Euro 2024 qualification campaign, losing all eight matches and conceding 28 goals, but did bookend the year with a morale-boosting 1-0 friendly victory over Lithuania.
Nevertheless, Temur Ketsbaia’s team have won only four of their last 29 fixtures, including friendlies, so a victory in this match in Larnaca would be memorable.
Latvia meantime, similarly, also finished bottom of their Euro qualifying group last year, although they did at least claim one victory, beating Armenia 2-0 in Rīga last October.
Nevertheless, this was not enough to keep Dainis Kazakevičs in a job, with Italian Paolo Nicolato taking over and this’ll be his first game in charge.
Cyprus have won both previous encounter with Latvia, albeit these both came in the late-90s, but can the home side continue that streak and make home advantage count at Georgios Karapatakis AEK Arena?
Andorra v South Africa betting tips
19 May 1956 Stadium, Annaba
Over in Algeria, as part of FIFA Series, which is just fancy branding for centralised friendlies, South Africa are likely to cruise to victory against Andorra.
Just last month, Bafana Bafana reached the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals, their best run at the competition since 2000, dumped out by Nigeria on penalties in Bouaké
Hugo Broos’ side will return to competitive action with World Cup qualifiers in June but, before then, South Africa are widely-expected to win this clash in Annaba.
As for Andorra, they are only involved in these friendlies as replacements, after Albania pulled out.
Thus, this will be a tough test for Koldo Álvarez’s team, who are without a win in 13, yielding just two points from their ten Euro qualifiers last year, holding Kosovo and Belarus to draws.
The Tricolours have never won any of their three previous meetings with African opposition, a fact that is unlikely to change at 19 May 1956 Stadium.
CONCACAF Nations League Finals
United States to win and both teams to score
United States vs Jamica
Mexico to win and both teams to score
Panama vs Mexico
At 17/1, a £10 bet would return £178.12
CONCACAF Nations League semi-finals acca
United States vs Jamaica betting tips
AT&T Stadium, Texas
Will the United States complete a three-peat at the CONCACAF Nations League Finals?
To date, the U.S. have won both editions of this competition, beating Mexico 3-2 in the 2021 final in Denver, before also defeating Canada 2-0 in Las Vegas last June.
As they aim to retain their trophy yet again, Gregg Berhalter’s team overcame Trinidad & Tobago in a two-legged tie back in November, prevailing 3-0 in Austin, before an inconsequential 2-1 defeat in Port-of-Spain.
USA Kick off in Arlington as the favourites to reach Sunday’s final, so will the home crowd get what they’ve come to see?
As for Jamaica, they’ve already played six matches just to get this far, first topping their group unbeaten before causing an upset last time out, overcoming Canada on away goals, courtesy of a late 3-2 victory in Toronto.
This result saw the Reggae Boyz qualify for this summer’s Copa América and Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side are a team on the rise, ultimately aiming to end their 28-year World Cup exile in two summers time.
At last June’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, Jamaica held the U.S. to a 1-1 draw in Chicago, although this was very much a B squad for the states, while the Caribbean side will be without key figures Michail Antonio, Leon Bailey, Demarai Gray, Ethan Pinnock and Amari’i Bell this time.
Thus, most expect the United States to prevail.
Panama vs Mexico betting tips
AT&T Stadium, Texas
Later on, also at AT&T Stadium, Mexico’s quest for a first-ever CONCACAF Nations League title continues.
El Tri were embarrassingly smashed 3-0 by the United States in last summer’s semi-finals, but redeemed themselves somewhat by capturing the Gold Cup the following month, defeating Panama in the final.
Jaime Lozano’s team very nearly didn’t even make it through to this final four tournament, beaten 2-0 by Honduras in the first leg of their quarter-final tie in Tegucigalpa.
Four nights later at Estadio Azteca, Edson Álvarez scored an equaliser in the 11th minute of injury time, before the remontada was complete, courtesy of a 4-2 victory in the subsequent shootout.
So now, will Mexico battle through to Sunday’s final?
As for Panama, they’re without a win in 14 encounters with el Tri, dating back 11 years, but will be targeting revenge, following that aforementioned Gold Cup Final defeat at SoFi Stadium a mere 249 days ago.
In this competition, los Canaleros came through the group phase unbeaten before smashing fierce rivals Costa Rica 6-1 in the quarters, cruising to an historic 3-0 win in San José, followed by a 3-1 victory back at home.
Thomas Christiansen has already led la Marea Roja to their first Gold Cup Final for a decade, so is now dreaming of leading them out in their first-ever Nations League Final on Sunday.
Mexico will be backed by a huge support in Arlington, but Panama are more than capable of springing a surprise.
UEFA Nations League C relegation play-out
Gibraltar vs Lithuania
Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé
There is also action from the UEFA Nations League this evening and, while it may not be the most glamorous of fixtures, it is a crucial one for both.
Back in 2022, both Gibraltar and Lithuania finished bottom of their League C groups with just a solitary point to their name, meaning they’ll go head-to-head, seeking to preserve their third-tier status.
The winners of this play-out will remain in League C, joining Romania, Kosovo and Cyprus in a group later this year.
As for the losers, they will be relegated to League D, the bottom-tier, taking on minnows San Marino and Liechtenstein.
This is a two-legged affair, with the second leg to come in Kaunas on Tuesday, and Lithuania are favourites to establish an advantage in Faro/Loulé.
Edgaras Jankauskas’ side beat Bulgaria 2-0 in Sofia back in October, their first competitive victory for 11 matches, but this’ll certainly have raised spirts in the camp.
Gibraltar meantime lost all ten matches in 2023, conceding 46 goals and scoring zero, so Julio César Ribas’ side will certainly be hoping for better.
The minnows have only ever won four of 62 competitive matches, all coming in League D, and that’s likely where they’ll be returning to, with Lithuania favourites to prevail at Estádio Algarve.
Lithuania to win
1st selection
Both teams to score NO
2nd selection
Fedor Černych to score anytime
3rd selection
At 16/5, a £10 bet would return £42
Gibraltar vs Lithuania
International football Free Bet Offers
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/xlmedia/31ed1d86-a42b-4acd-9517-813a526d3a0b.png)
