UEFA Europa League Betting - Ajax and CSKA Sofia in action
by Nila Amerova
Europa League betting picks up from where Champions League betting left off, on match day three in the second-tier European competition. With a ton of matches for soccer bettors to choose from the betting options are endless. To get us started, here is a look at Ajax and CSKA Sofia in group action against Dinamo Zagreb and Basel, respectively.
Soccer Betting Line:
Ajax -1 -135 -225 3 O +105 U -135 Draw +300
Dinamo Zagreb +1 +105 +600 3 O +105 U -135 Draw +300
Match Time: 03:05 p.m. Eastern Time Thursday October 22, 2009
Soccer Betting Verdict: Ajax are flush off a commanding 4:0 victory over Wilem II at home. They head into this European match full of optimism and with everything to hope for in spite of having not won a single European match up to this point. Ajax are third in group A after two consecutive draws – a scoreless draw against FC Timisoara and a 1:1 draw against RSC Anderlecht. With home edge and current good form Ajax are favoured to win outright, listed at -225 at BetUS Sportsbook.
Dinamo Zagreb, meanwhile, are second in Group A after hauling three points in two cycles. They opened with a 2:0 loss to RSC Anderlecht but rebounded with a 3:0 victory over FC Timisoara. Dinamo Zagreb are not without a chance in this match and they should be into this match more than their underdog odds would suggest, listed at BetUS Sportsbook at +600.
Ajax’s inability to win a European match is concerning making them the unsure favourites in my opinion. Meanwhile, Dinamo Zagreb managed to win their last European round and with that, they kept their hope for European glory alive. They are a quality side and should not be underestimated. As such, all bets are off and this match is for the taking. Expect a closer encounter than the bookies suggest with a real possibility of an upset.
Soccer Free Picks: Zagreb +600 | Over 3 +105
Soccer Betting Line:
CSKA Sofia -½ +115 +115 2½ O +105 U -135 Draw +225
Basel +½ -145 +215 2½ O +105 U -135 Draw +225
Match Time: 03:05 p.m. Eastern Time Thursday October 22, 2009
Soccer Betting Verdict: CSKA Sofia are at the bottom of Group E with one point to show for two cycles in Europa League action. They opened their campaign with a 1:1 draw against Fulham and followed up with a 2:0 loss to AS Roma. CSKA Sofia will be looking to take maximum points in this match and salvage their campaign but the visitors will be no pushovers. FC Basel 1893 are a stoic side. They are second in the table on three points and behind group leaders Fulham FC on four points. A victory for Basel in this match together with a loss or a draw for Fulham in their fixture could see Basel leapfrog to the top of this section. Basel will be looking to take control of the group and improve their chances of advancing to the next round. At +215 underdog odds, they are the value play in my opinion.
Soccer Free Picks: Basel +215 | Under 2.5 goals -135
