The rubber hits the road in an already low-margin for error UEFA Nations League group stage with match days three and four this month.
That’s true at least if you want to win the tournament, which only lets four group stage winners into the semifinals. Second and third place remain in their league while the last place team is relegated down a letter.
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What are the best games to watch from each group? And who can beat the odds?
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League A: France (+110) v Portugal (+270); Draw (+215), Sunday
League A has three 2-0 teams: Belgium, Portugal, and France. The latter two teams are in the same group, having both beaten Sweden and Croatia and eyeballing a Sunday meeting in France to take hold of the top spot.
These are the second- and seventh-ranked teams by FIFA (third- and fifth-ranked by Elo Ratings). The champions of the World Cup versus the champions of EURO and the first Nations League.
Circle the date and grab some food as the star-studded rosters include Mbappe, Ronaldo, Griezmann, Bruno Fernandes, Pogba, Kante, and Bernardo Silva.
Honorable mention:
England (+155) v Belgium (+170); Draw (+230), Sunday
League B: Russia (+115) v Turkey (+260); Draw (+210), Sunday
Russia thrilled in the first window of games, bagging plenty of goals in a 3-1 home win against Serbia and a 3-2 away victory at tricky Hungary. Turkey underwhelmed in drawing Serbia 0-0 and losing 1-0 in Hungary. It has to be better for them if they want a shot at silverware, but also not to dip into League C.
Honorable mention: Rep. of Ireland (+175) v Wales (+170); Draw (+200), Sunday
League C: ALL THE GAMES IN C4 (Sunday)
A little bit of cheating here, but Kazakhstan, Albania, Belarus, and Lithuania enter the third match day with matching 1-1 records. The games were all 1- and 2-goal contests. Who knows what’s going to happen the rest of the way? (All League C odds)
League D: Faroe Islands (+130) v Latvia (+205); Draw (+185), Saturday
The Faroe Islands only won one of six matches at the last tournament, and are 2-0 before facing second-place Latvia. Watch out for former Newcastle youngster and current Arminia Bielfeld man Joan Edmundsson, whose seven goals in 57 caps have him a remarkable three goals from tying the national record. That’s if AC Horsens’ Hallurr Hansson (tongue twister alert) can’t score five first.
