Sports Blog 10/06/2016: UEFA Euro 2016 Preview – England vs Russia & Wales vs Slovakia, Saturday 11th June 2016

With France kicking off proceedings this evening the England and Wales don’t have long to wait for their first Euro 2016 games on Saturday!

Entering the competition as the only side with a 100% record in qualifying, England face Russia at 8pm on ITV. With a series of mixed friendlies out of the way, and the squad selected, the biggest question hanging over England at the moment is who starts against the Russians. Reports (namely a leaked team-sheet) suggest Jamie Vardy will be on the bench, leaving Harry Kane, Wayne Rooney and Raheem Sterling to lead the charge going forwards.

Kane, who is at 14/1 to be the tournament’s top scorer, heads into Saturday at a Super Mega PGM of 24-29, while Rooney and Sterling are at 20-24 and 11-15 respectively. The right balance up front will be vital to England’s chances in France, especially given the unsettled nature of the back 4. Spreadex’s Outright Index suggests, if things go to plan, Roy Hodgson’s men could well reach the semi-finals, with a spread of 31-34 (compared favourite France’s 51-55).



Russia, meanwhile, will be road-testing their status among the European elite ahead of their World Cup in 2 years’ time. Like England, Russia’s biggest fears will be at the back, where their central defenders Vasili Berezutski and Sergei Ignashevich have a combined age of 69. Zenit St. Petersburg’s Artem Dzyuba is their biggest threat up front, the imposing forward at a Super Mega PGM of 12-16 having scored a goal every 2 games in his (admittedly quite short) international career.

Though England have never won an opening game at the Euros, this young squad should have the quality to overcome Leonid Slutsky’s side, Spreadex offering an England/Russia Goal Supremacy spread of 0.6-0.8 alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.2-2.4.

England’s game isn’t the first Group B match, however. That honour belongs to Wales, who take on Slovakia at 5pm on BBC One. Of course any discussion of Wales is inevitably centred on Gareth Bale. The Real Madrid star scored 7 of his country’s 11 goals in qualifying, and, at a Super Mega PGM of 28-34, will be integral to Wales’ chances of reaching the knockouts. Spreadex’s Group B index (where 1st gets 25 points, 2nd 10 and 3rd 5) suggests Wales’ path to the last 16 may have to be as one of the 4 best 3rd place teams, Chris Coleman’s side at 5.75-7.25 against Russia’s 9.25-10.75 and England’s 20.25-21.25.



Not that Slovakia won’t be putting up a fight in their Euros debut, however, the country just behind Wales at a Group B index spread of 5.5-7. Slovakia actually managed to beat Spain during qualification, and recently won in Germany 3-1. Much like Wales Slovakia’s success at the tournament may hinge on one player: Marek Hamsik. The Napoli star was the country’s top scorer in qualification with 5 goals, and heads into weekend at a Super Mega PGM of 15-19.

With both sides of similar quality our Spreadex traders have found the Group B opener to tough to call, offering a choice Wales/Slovakia Goal Supremacy spread of -0.1-0.1 alongside a low Total Goals spread of 1.9-2.1.

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