Wales, Ireland Lock Horns for Playoffs Berth

As the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers moves into Match Day 10, one of the most anticipated clashes is Wales vs Ireland. The two teams have a lot of history going on between them so the match is expected to be fierce.  The winner of this Group D qualifier will qualify for the World Cup playoffs. Wales need to draw to have a chance of qualifying. However, If Group leaders Serbia lose to Georgia, then both the teams have a chance of qualifying. Ahead of this match, we look at the sportsbook odds for UEFA World Cup Qualifiers.

Wales

Undoubtedly, Gareth Bale’s absence will be sorely missed and Wales do not have that much star power. However, they have proved time and again that they are not reliant on Gareth Bale. But on the flip side, they have seven players who are one booking away from a suspension that would mean they missed the first leg of the play-off. Wales manager Chris Coleman said “We’re on dangerous ground if we go in with a game plan of trying to soak the pressure up for 90 minutes. We are too good to do that. We’ll go and attack, go and score goals. We have to do that – it’s our strength. A point may be OK, but we’ll go for three points. That’s the way it’s set up.”

Ireland

The Irish are without the services of captain Seamus Coleman who broke his leg in March. But the good news is, midfielders James McClean and Robbie Brady are available after missing the Moldova clash. The aforementioned players sat out due to suspensions. Ireland manager Martin O’Neill said “I think we can win the match. I felt it was always going to be like this. When we get off to a decent start (in qualifying), the mindset changes a little bit in terms of points. But if you had said to me right at the beginning when the group was drawn that we’d have to go to Wales and win – and we were down as fourth seeds – I would have taken it. So let’s go for it.”