Soccer: Sean Miller looks at today’s UEFA 2020 qualifiers
SATURDAY PICKS
Day three of the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers takes center stage Saturday, with another slate of matches pitting European heavyweights against the minnows.
The Republic Of Ireland will face a Gibraltar side that won a couple matches in Nations League qualification against Liechtenstein and Armenia, two sides that will also play into the picks today. Ireland is a -2000 favorite, so that should tell you what you need to know about this game, and a few other matches.
Gibraltar is the second lowest ranked European team in the current FIFA rankings, at 194. Ireland sits at 36.
Armenia is on the road at Bosnia & Herzegovina, and the host team has some big wins of late under its belt during Nations League qualification, including a pair over Northern Ireland and one over Austria. This match should prove no significant threat. Bosnia is ranked 35th in the world rankings, while Armenia is ranked 101st.
Italy and Spain contested the 2012 European final, but have fallen down the pecking order of late. Both have chances to announce their presence with authority Saturday in home matches, and expect that to be the case.
Spain is currently ninth in the world rankings, while its opponent Norway is 48th. Italy, at 18 in the rankings, takes on 59th ranked Finland.
Finally two road teams will look to start off their campaigns with a win, as Switzerland heads to Georgia (not the state) for an early kickoff (note the 10 a.m. start time), while Greece heads to Liechtenstein.
Liechtenstein has the loss to Gibraltar, and is currently ranked 181st in the world by FIFA; Greece is 45th.
Georgia ((+450) vs. Switzerland (-143), draw (+250), 10 a.m. (Univision Deportes and Fubo.tv)
Switzerland ML (-143)
Gibraltar (+4000) vs. Republic of Ireland (-2000), draw (+1100), 1 p.m. (Univision Deportes app through Fubo.tv credentials)
Ireland first half -1 (+120)
Ireland -3 Asian handicap (-125)
Over 3.5 goals (-125)
Bosnia & Herzegovina (-300) vs. Armenia (+900), draw (+380), 3:45 p.m. (ESPN 3 or Univision Deportes app through Fubo.tv credentials)
Bosnia ML (-300)
Bosnia to win first half (-118)
Italy (-350) vs. Finland (+1400), draw (+425), 3:45 p.m. (ESPN + or Univision Deportes app through Fubo.tv credentials)
Italy ML (-350)
Italy first half -1 (+333)
Italy to win and over 2.5 goals total (+115)
Liechtenstein (+1800) vs. Greece (-550), draw (+550), 3:45 p.m. (ESPN 3 or Univision Deportes app through Fubo.tv credentials)
Greece ML (-550)
Greece -1 first half (+245)
Greece -2 Asian handicap -2 (-111)
Spain (-450) vs.Norway (+1200), draw (+475), 3:45pm, (ESPNEWS, UniMas, Univision Deportes Network and Fubo.tv )
Spain first half -1 (+260)
Spain ML (-450)
Five team parlay, Rep. of Ireland (-2000), Bosnia & Herzegovina (-300), Italy (-350), Greece (-550), Spain (-450), pays +160