Greece vs Croatia Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Preview. Check the match preview, betting tips, useful info and betting predictions for the match between Greece vs Croatia in the World Cup qualifying play-off.
Greece vs Croatia Match Preview
Greece will need a miraculous escape to turnaround their first-leg deficit against Croatia in the World Cup qualifying playoffs. Considering the 4-1 win for Croatia in the first leg, Greece will have to be at their best to have any hope of qualification. This Greece vs Croatia World Cup qualifying playoff second leg would be played at the Karaiskakis Stadium on Sunday, November 12.
Greece
Greece have improved a lot after their disastrous Euro 2016 campaign, but they are still a long way off the pace to be counted with a chance of fightback. Their form on home soil isn’t great either as they have picked just two wins from their last seven matches that included three losses. They may be well drilled defensively but the heavy loss in the first leg highlighted their problems. What they need now is goals which hasn’t been their forte. On their last seven home matches, Greece managed just ten goals – that included matches against lesser names like Cyprus and Gibraltar. Can they find goals at the right moment of need?
Croatia
Thursday night saw Croatia at its best as goals from Luka Modric, Nikola Kalinic, and Ivan Perisic gave them a 3-1 lead at the break with Sokratis reducing the deficit for Greece. However, Andrej Kramaric added another goal to give a commanding 4-1 lead and a greater chance of flying to Russia. This, after Croatia failed to secure direct qualification by finishing second to Iceland in their World Cup qualifiers. Their away form is still dicey as they have won just two of their last seven away matches in all competitions. They struggle to score goals away from home and have scored only six times in these seven matches, which has been their bane. However, with a huge lead from the home leg now, the Croats have room to experiment!
Greece vs Croatia H2H
Last seven encounters between these two sides gives nothing away as both sides won twice, lost twice and drawn thrice.
Greece vs Croatia Team News
Greece coach Mikael Skibbe will have center back Kostas Manolas back for the second leg, although it looks likely that it is too little too late.
Croatia coach Ante Cacic is still without the injured central midfielders Mateo Kovacic and Milan Badeji, although their absence did nothing to stop their easy win in the first leg.
Greece vs Croatia Probable Line-ups
Greece: Karnezis, Manolas, Sokratis, Papadopoulous, Maniatis, Zeca, Tziolis, Samaris, Staflyidis, Fortounis, Mitroglu.
Croatia: Subasic, Vida, Lovren, Strinic, Vrsajko, Rakitic, Brozovic, Kramaric, Modric, Perisic, Kalinic.
Greece vs Croatia Predictions
Three of the host’s last five matches at home have seen fewer than three goals. Even Croatia have seen fewer than three goals in five of their last seven matches on the road. Given their lack of attacking intent, we could be in for a low-scoring affair. But, Greece have everything to play for as even a win with less than three goals will be inconsequential for them. We are backing the visitors to win, although a pick on under 2.5 goals looks equally attractive, but Croatia to win is the first betting tip.
Greece vs Croatia Betting Tip: 2 @ 2.04
