Martin Green
FIFA World Cup European Qualifier
Norway vs. Netherlands (2:45 p.m. ET)
Netherlands to win (-143)
A new era begins for the Netherlands on Wednesday. Manager Frank de Boer was swiftly axed after the team's disappointing defeat to the Czech Republic in the Round of 16 at this summer's European Championship, and veteran manager Louis Van Gaal has returned for a third stint in charge of the national team. Van Gaal, who led the Dutch to the semifinals of the 2014 World Cup, will welcome star player Virgil Van Dijk back from injury, and his return could have a transformative effect on the team. The Liverpool defender will have to be at his best to deal with lethal Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, but Van Dijk rarely comes off second-best in any duel. Going forward, the Dutch have enough quality in Memphis Depay, Georginio Wijnaldum, Wout Weghorst, Denzel Dumfries and Donyell Malen to take Norway's shaky defense apart.
Russia vs. Croatia (2:45 p.m. ET)
Both teams to score (-110)|
Croatia Draw No bet (-125)
Croatia will be without talismanic captain Luka Modric for its trip to Moscow this week after the Real Madrid midfielder sustained an injury. His absence is a blow, but Croatia still has a great deal of quality in its ranks, with Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic pulling the strings in midfield and Nikola Vlasic and Ivan Perisic in attack. It should have enough quality to exploit a weak Russian defense. Russia made a strong start to its qualifying campaign, with a 3-1 win against Malta and a 2-1 victory over Slovenia. However, it then suffered a 2-1 defeat to Slovakia, leaving it level with Croatia at the top of Group H on six points apiece. Russia then lost 3-0 to Belgium and 4-1 to Denmark en route to an early exit from this summer's European Championship. It has some talented forwards, but it is unlikely to keep a clean sheet in this game.
Latvia vs. Gibraltar (2:45 p.m.)
Latvia -1.5 (-125)
Latvia should be able to pick up its first win of the World Cup Qualifying campaign when it hosts Gibraltar in Riga on Wednesday. Gibraltar sits at the bottom of Group G, having lost all three games thus far and conceding 14 goals in the process. Its team is made up of amateurs who have regular jobs, which is unsurprising when you consider that Gibraltar's population is just 33,000. Latvia is not exactly a European heavyweight -- it has drawn one and lost two of its three qualifiers so far -- but its team consists of professional players, and they should be able to win this game quite comfortably.
Denmark vs. Scotland (2:45 p.m.)
Denmark to win and 2 or more goals in the match (-125)
Denmark should have enough attacking firepower to get the better of Scotland in Copenhagen this week. The Danes went all the way to the semifinals of the Euros this summer, despite key playmaker Christian Eriksen missing out after a shocking collapse on the pitch. The highlights included a 4-1 win against Russia, a 4-0 victory over Wales in the Round of 16 and a 2-1 quarterfinal win against the Czech Republic. Denmark is also top of its World Cup Qualifying group. It has won all three games so far, with 14 goals scored and zero conceded. It should be able to call upon the likes of Mikel Damsgaard, Youssef Poulsen and Kasper Dolberg in attack, which could leave Scotland struggling. The Scots are tough at the back, but they are missing Scott McTominay, captain Andy Robertson is not quite fully fit after returning from injury, and they may ultimately be overwhelmed by the quality of Denmark's attackers.
