Odds:    @   1.95

Ukraine and Sweden meet on Thursday in what feels less like a routine qualifier and more like a one-shot opportunity. The stakes are obvious. A win here nudges either side much closer to the 2026 World Cup. Ukraine, still playing away from home soil, host this in Spain, which adds a certain emotional weight you can’t quite measure. It is not just about tactics. It is also about composure, and maybe who handles the moment better.

These sides have faced each other five times since 2008. Not a huge sample, but enough to spot a pattern. Ukraine edge it slightly with two wins, while Sweden have one. Two ended level. Goals have been scarce overall, averaging just under two per game, which hints at tight contests rather than open battles.

Rebrov’s side come in with something resembling momentum. Three wins from four games is not perfect, but it is steady enough to build on. The 5–3 win over Iceland showed attacking intent, though conceding three is hardly reassuring. Then again, the follow-up 2–1 win over Azerbaijan suggested a bit more control.

The 4–0 loss to France in November still lingers, and it probably should. That kind of result exposes gaps that stronger teams will exploit. However, the response, a 2–0 win against Iceland, mattered. It ended a long stretch without a clean sheet, which had become a quiet concern.

There are fresh faces too. Ruslan Neshcheret and Matvii Ponomarenko step in, adding curiosity if not immediate certainty. Injuries to Oleksandr Zinchenko and Artem Dovbyk do limit options, especially going forward.

Sweden arrive in a far less convincing place. Potter’s side have not won in six competitive matches, which is more than just a rough patch. It is starting to look like a pattern. Four defeats in that run, and more worrying, three games without scoring. That suggests deeper issues than simple bad luck.

The 1–1 draw with Slovenia in November stopped the losing streak, but it did not exactly signal a revival either. It felt more like a pause than a turnaround. Still, Potter will take anything that steadies the group.

The squad itself is stretched. Missing Alexander Isak and Dejan Kulusevski is significant, no need to overthink that. Add in absences across the squad, and the burden shifts to players like Anthony Elanga and Viktor Gyökeres to hold things together. Whether that is enough remains open.

A 1–1 draw feels like the outcome that keeps showing up when you look closely. Ukraine have been decent but not airtight, while Potter’s side struggle to score yet rarely collapse completely. Sweden have drawn their last match and tend to keep things tight. Ukraine, for all their wins, have not been consistently clinical. It points to balance, not separation.

Odds:    @   1.95

Danish coach Riemer faces a significant defensive crisis, with Joachim Andersen suspended, while Kasper Schmeichel, Andreas Christensen, Jannik Vestergaard and Patrick Dorgu all injured. But let’s discuss about that. Hermansen is also a good and experienced keeper who play for West Ham in the Premier League. Even the second option Frederik Riis Ronnow is solid goalkeeper that play for Bundesliga club Union Berlin. According to me, that’s not a handicap for Denmark. Four defenders are out, but they will not play against Halaand or Harry Kane, they will face Bojan Miovski. The Rangers striker is far from his best, scoring just 4 goals this season in the Scottish Premiership, plus one in Europe League. He also netted 3 for the national team.

Denmark are superior in the midfield with quality that provide stars like Christian Eriksen, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Morten Hjulmand. So, the hosts will control the ball and permanently attack from the very first minute. Could Macedonian keeper Stole Dimitrievski kept the net untouched? Well, he did against Belgium in the qualifications, but it was a game between cat and mouse. Belgium missed several good opportunities and several big chances. I expect many difficulties for the guests. Rasmus Hojlund had a good season in Napoli, scoring 10 goals in Serie A and three more in the Champions League. With 5 more for Denmark, I believe his confidence is very high. He is physical and no way Musliu or Zajkov to keep him quiet. Macedonian players will try to stay competitive as much as possible, but once they conceded, I predict a total collapse.

Odds:    @   2.00

UEFA U21 Qualification/Italy U21 vs North Macedonia U21/Bet: Over 3.5 Goals

Italy U21 come into this clash as one of the strongest attacking sides in the group, scoring 15 goals in 6 matches and averaging close to 3 goals per game. Their home performances are particularly dominant, with multiple wins by 3+ goal margins, showing clear intent to attack from the first minute.

North Macedonia U21, on the other hand, are struggling defensively throughout the qualifiers. They have already conceded heavily against stronger teams (4 vs Sweden, 3 vs Montenegro), and overall sit near the bottom with just 1 win in 6 games. This defensive weakness is a key factor for high-scoring potential.

Another strong indicator is trend-based data:

• Italy U21 matches regularly go over 2.5 goals (6 of last 7 games)
• Average total goals in Italy’s matches is around 3.6 per game

Even though the first meeting ended only 1-0, the context is different now — Italy at home, chasing qualification, and facing a weaker opponent with nothing to lose. This usually leads to open football and more goals.

 Expect Italy to dominate and create plenty of chances, while North Macedonia can still contribute or at least allow a big scoreline.

 PRO TIP:

Over 3.5 Goals is a strong value pick
 Expected score: 4-0 / 4-1

Odds:    @   2.35

Germany U20 in the end of last year first hosted Romania U20 in this competition, and I watched some parts early on as Germany U20 found it easy to score goal after goal, some really great goals in fact and won no less than 6-0. After that they hosted even stronger Italy U20, with almost same outcome as they won that time 5-0.

      They are ultra-attacking minded here at home and as usual have great youngsters for this U20 level. The last time they hosted Czech Republic U20 they won in this competition 4-2. I watched the guests in the end of last year play twice in Romania. I had nothing when they first drew 2-2, but took goals being scored in their 2nd game a few days later and that time the Czech Republic U20 won no less than 5-1, being soft at defending but also with great attacking potential.