Greece vs Croatia Prediction, Betting Tips and Preview
Greece have it all to do against Croatia in the second leg of their 2018 World Cup playoff match on Sunday. Read our football predictions to find out why a home win is the betting tip in Piraeus. Greece must score at least three times to have any chance of making it to Russia next summer, following Croatia’s comfortable 4-1 first leg victory on Thursday.
Greece vs Croatia Preview
Greece tried to run with a back three in the opening leg and that clearly didn’t work out. Manager Michael Skibbe is therefore expected to revert to a back four which can now include Kostas Manolas after the centre-back’s completed suspension. They simply have to press for a result here, so Christodoulopoulos and Gianniotas are tipped to come in and provide some wide support for Mitroglou in attack.
Croatia are set to continue with Nikola Kalinic as the focal point of their attack, after he scored in the first leg. That will leave Mario Mandzukic sat on the bench and Luka Modric once again pulling the strings in midfield. With no changes anticipated, Ivan Strinic should retain his starting berth at left-back, ahead of Josip Pivaric.
Team Predictions Greece vs Croatia
Greece 4-2-3-1 formation: Karnezis; Tzavellas, Manolas, Sokratis, Retsos; Zeca, Tziolis; Christodoulopoulos, Fourtounis, Gianniotas; Mitroglou
Croatia 4-2-3-1 formation: Subasic; Strinic, Lovren, Vida, Vrsaljko; Rakitic, Brozovic; Perisic, Modric, Kramaric; Kalinic
Greece vs Croatia Betting Tips
- Greece have won 3 drawn 4 and lost 3 of their last 10 matches
- Croatia have won 5 drawn 2 and lost 3 of their last 10 matches
- Over the course of their previous 10 matches, Greece have scored an average of 1.2 goals and conceded an average of 1.0 goals per game
- Over the course of their previous 10 matches, Croatia have scored an average of 1.2 goals and conceded an average of 0.9 goals per game
- There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 4 of Greece’s previous 10 matches
- There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 3 of Croatia’s previous 10 matches
Greece vs Croatia Prediction
Greece may have come undone in Zagreb but there is hope for them on home soil. Belgium are the only side to sink the Pirate Ship at home in their last six competitive matches. There will be a vociferous home crowd inside Karaiskakis Stadium, with no away fans permitted to enter.
Croatia finding their goalscoring touch on Thursday was quite the anomaly, as they had found the net less than once per game over the ten matches that preceded that win. They come into this match having won just one of their last five competitive outings on the road.
I can see Greece really going for this and causing Croatia problems. If the visitors try to simply sit on their aggregate lead it could backfire. The home side are tipped to win but the likelihood is that they will be caught out on the break and may not get the margin needed to qualify.
Free Betting Tips
Match Prediction
GREECE at 12/5 with Betfair
Over/Under Prediction
OVER 2.5 GOALS at 21/20 with Betfair
Correct Score Prediction
GREECE 2-1 at 11/1 with Ladbrokes
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