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Soccer Expert Picks: Easy Win for Italy

· Oct 12 - 4 minutes read

Malta is out of the Euro 2024 race. That means two things: they have no pressure at all and have absolutely nothing to lose. On the other hand, a victory in Italy would mean 15 minutes of fame. As for the Azzurri, they currently sit second in Group C, six points behind England. Needless to say, they can’t even afford to draw so keep that in mind for your soccer bets for UEFA Euro Cup Qualifiers matches on Oct 14.

Italy Getting Back on Track

Italy began the Euro 2024 qualifiers on the wrong foot. The Azzurri lost 2-1 to England at home. They won possession with 58 percent but only took one shot on target. That’s where having a scorer like Harry Kane makes the difference.

The good news is that the Azzurri haven’t lost after that. Most recently, they defeated Ukraine 2-1 with Davide Frattesi as Player of the Match thanks to scoring a brace. No, Frattesi isn’t a striker.

Italy has always been known for its tough defense, but the Azzurri conceded in five of their last six games in all competitions. Even so, they deserve to come in as the UEFA Euro Cup Qualifiers betting favorites, especially playing at home, where they lost only one of their last five matches.

Plus, let’s not forget that the Azzurri finished third in the last edition of the UEFA Nations League. That means the winning mentality is coming back.

Getting into the #Azzurri groove 👕 ⚽️#VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/fTMr2wLaIY

— Italy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri_En) October 10, 2023

Malta at the Bottom

As mentioned before, Malta is out of the race. Why? Because after five games, the Reds remain winless. As if that wasn’t enough, they only scored one goal and conceded 11. However, except for a 4-0 loss against England, they’ve always put up a good fight.

For example, in their last road game, they lost 1-0 to Ukraine. The home side was heavily favored in the soccer lines but ended up suffering quite a bit. Most recently, they lost 2-0 to North Macedonia. Hey, let’s not forget that North Macedonia eliminated Italy on the road to the 2022 World Cup. It’s always a good time to remember that.

Also, let’s not forget that most of Malta’s players compete in the domestic Premier League. Not to be disrespectful, but the Italian Serie A is way superior. Of course, that makes the difference, especially when it comes to stamina and the decision-making process on the field.

Summing up, Malta will always be the underdog in the Las Vegas odds, at least on the road to the Euro 2024. Nevertheless, the Reds can be inspired by Macedonia and make Italy suffer.

Italy Remains Unbeaten in Head-to-Head

Italy and Malta have collided nine times. Italy won them all. In March, the Azzurri won 2-0 on the road with Mateo Retegui and Matteo Pessina as the scorers. They sealed the deal in 27 minutes.

The total for Saturday’s clash is set at 3½ goals. The Azzurri haven’t won a match by more than two goals in a while, so I recommend you include the under in your betting online ticket. I mean, a 3-0 win would be more than enough.

Italy vs Malta Betting Odds

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Italy vs Malta Betting Predictions

So … Italy is offering a -3333 price to win straight up. No, that’s not a typo. That makes this one of the most uneven UEFA Euro Cup Qualifiers matches for Oct. 14. That’s also kind of high for you to bet on, which is why I think you should head over the props and bet on Italy winning comfortably. Again, that doesn’t mean the Azzurri are going to win 7-0, but they don’t need that.

Bet On Italy Wins and Total Over 2½ (-330)