After Russia was able to leave it late against England in the last of the Group B matches, it was pretty clear that this foursome is going to be brutal throughout. It's "Moving Day" for sure in this group on Wednesday for both Russia and Slovakia, and a failure to get points from either side could effectively eliminate either one from this tournament.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Russia +120
Slovakia +290
Draw +225
Over/Under 2 (over -120)
ODDS ANALYSIS
Does Russia really feel like the relatively overwhelming favorite to win this match? We're not all that sure.
The Russians are the +120 favorites as it is, and that's largely because they hung in there against England and were deserving of their point. Now, the common bettor thinks they're going to have a good shot of beating Slovakia.
The Slovaks are pretty big pups at +0.5 and -140 vig on the Asian Handicap, but the total of a flat 2 with -120 vig on the over tells us that one goal is very likely to make the difference one way or the other.
TOURNAMENT UPDATE
Slovakia's 2-1 loss to Wales wasn't completely unexpected, though it was certainly questionable that the team couldn't finish off the litany of chances that it had to put one home past a brand new keeper in Danny Ward.
Russia though, was the headliner of the tournament over the course of its first two days. The Russians weren't brilliant against England, but they hung in there minute after minute and ultimately found the response for the opening strike by Eric Dier in the form of a Vasili Berezutski with a 90th minute header past Joe Hart to secure the 1-1 result.
LIVE BETTING
Russia's defense was really called into question at the outset of this tournament, but those questions were certainly answered against England. Sure, this was the fourth straight match in which Russia allowed a goal, and sure, it's given up eight goals in that span, but the match against England was about as good as you can get from a defensive standpoint against a team which committed as much forward as the Brits did.
Don't forget that Wayne Rooney was on the pitch as an attacking midfielder of a 4-3-3 formation, and the amount of pressure which could've been on Igor Akinfeev was off the charts. Instead, the Russians played with 10 behind the ball quite a bit, generally leaving just one attacker to go at it alone, and the plan worked brilliantly.
Now against Slovakia's 4-5-1 attack, we might see a lot more in terms of opportunities for Russia to go forward, and that's what the oddsmakers are banking on by making it such a big favorite in this one.
QUICK PICK
The Russians might look like the real deal, but we still think they're going to get outworked in the midfield. There's a big difference between dealing with the three men who England had out there, including Rooney as a badly placed midfielder, and what Slovakia is going to do with five in the midfield.
Part of the reason why Slovakia didn't get any points against Wales is because Gareth Bale was out of this world. He's not walking through those doors for Russia, and though it does have some elite level finishing talent, there's nothing on this squad anything like what Bale brings to the table.
These two teams feel like they're on level pegging to us, and that's how we think they're finishing up their day on Wednesday to at least keep both alive going into the final match day in Group B.
Euro 2016 Odds: Russia 1, Slovakia 1
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The fixture between Russia and Slovakia will take place on Wednesday, June 15, 2016, at 9:00 a.m. at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
