It's becoming painfully clear for the Netherlands that it is going to be in a lot of trouble when it comes to qualifying for Euro 2016. The argument could be made that it is going to take a miracle to get to France at this point, and anything short of a win against the Czech Republic on Tuesday will ensure the fate of Danny Blind's men.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Thanks to the magnitude of this match, the Dutch are -200 favorites to claim the three vital points in this fixture. Even that though, might not be enough to qualify. Holland also needs Turkey to lose on the road against Iceland to get into the Euro 2016 playoff against other third place teams, a result which is far from a lock with Iceland already having locked up its spot in this tournament through Group A.
The total is set at a flat 2.5, a par for the course number for a match like this one at the tail end of qualifying for a major tournament.
RECENT FORM
Back in September, the Dutch had a miserable three days, losing on the road to Turkey 3-0 and at home to Iceland 1-0. Yes, earlier this week, the team beat Kazakhstan 2-1 in a result which was much more convincing than the score line suggests, but there are clearly still problems that have to be addressed immediately.
The Czechs have been on a roll of late. They qualified for Euro 2016 by beating Turkey in Prague earlier in the week, marking their third straight victory after losses in March and June to Slovakia and Iceland. Getting 19 points in nine fixtures is a solid result in spite of the fact that Group A wasn't the strongest by any stretch of the imagination, and if that's all the Czech Republic ends with, no one will be disappointed with qualification for France already ensured.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Czechs have been in fine form, and we can't see them wanting to change things up for this match even though there really isn't a lot of consequence to a win or a loss. For as long as Petr Cech is in the pipes, you know that the Czechs have a chance at a clean sheet.
Furthermore, this is an experienced club, one which will likely have all 11 of its starters with at least a dozen career Caps, and many of these men are together as teammates domestically.
The Dutch look lost at the moment. They should have all of the offensive firepower in the world with Robin van Persie, Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Memphis Depay amongst the options up front, especially with Wesley Sneijder coming out of the midfield.
That said, outside of Daley Blind, there's just no experience on this roster at the back, and we think that's what the ultimate problem is going to be. If the Czechs get an early goal, they could end up winning this match outright. We suspect they'll fall short of that goal and end up either drawing or losing by a single strike, but either way, that won't be enough for the Dutch to qualify. More important for us, we want that goal and a half on the Asian handicap on our side.
Netherlands 1, Czech Republic 1
The Euro 2016 lines for this contest were first released by BookMaker Sportsbook with the Netherlands lined as a -200 moneyline favorite and a total of 2.5. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time moneylines, spreads and totals. Live betting is open during every step of this match!
Need to fund your account before the big game but don’t have your computer? No problem! BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet. Click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The fixture between the Netherlands and the Czech Republic is scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, 2015 at 2:45 p.m. ET at Amsterdam Arena. The match will be televised live on ESPN2.
