Friday's World Cup Qualifier Tips: Back a 4/1 Croatian marksman & a 5/2 goal for Gyokeres | OneFootball

World Cup 2026

Best bets for Friday's World Cup qualifiers including Viktor Gyokeres

Paul Higham has a best bet for all 10 World Cup qualifiers around Europe on Friday, including a 4/1 Croatia hotshot and a 5/2 Sweden double involving Viktor Gyokeres.

Denmark v Scotland

19:45 kick-offLive on BBC Two

Scotland start their World Cup campaign with their toughest fixture in the group, as they head to Copenhagen as 11/2 underdogs having lost their last three trips to to Denmark without managing to score a goal.

Scotland have won their last two away days but this is a tougher test for Steve Clarke's men, as Denmark have won 10 of 11 World Cup qualifiers including five in a row at home by a combined scoreline of 19-1. Something similar looks on the cards here.

Faroe Islands v Croatia

19:45 kick-off

Croatia have battered Cezech Republic and Gibraltar in a perfect start to qualifying, so being 1/6 in the Faroe Islands is no big surprise for the 10th best side in the world.  CRedit the Faroes for only losing by the odd goal in Czech Republic (85th minute) and Montenegro (injury time) but this is a big step up in class.

There's not much value around with the hosts 14/1 outsiders, with Croatia -2 on the handicap at 8/5 making the most appeal, but preference here is for a player prop on Andrej Kramaric to score twice or more. He's scored a brace in back-to-back internationals so why not ride the hot hand and back him for the hat-trick.

Greece v Belarus

19:45 kick-off

Greece are up to 39th, an eight-year high, in the world after a fine Nations League, and a couple of thumping friendly wins since has increased hopes of a fourth World Cup finals appearance. They're 2/11 to make a winning start, with Belarus 15/1 and with real problems playing away from home to sides in the top 50.

Not too many match results appeal, so again we'll look to ride the in-form goalscorer against a team Greece should put away at home. Giannis Konstantelias has scored in three straight internationals, including a goal along with two assists in a stellar display against Scotland, so let's back him to continue his fine international form.

Iceland v Azerbaijan

19:45 kick-off

Not exactly the game of the night this one, but one we may get a decent return on. Former Portugal manager Fernando Santos has swapped winning Euro 2016 during eight years in charge of Cristiano Ronaldo and co for the 122nd side in the world rankings - that's a tough gig.

Iceland are 2/5 despite being in a dodgy run of form, but the facts of the case remain they've scored in nine of 10 matches and had some decent results at home, while Azerbaijan have lost nine of 10 qualifiers and don't carry too much of a goal threat themselves. The hosts should be able to see this one through.

Italy v Estonia

19:45 kick-offLive on Amazon Prime PPV

Defeat in Norway was a disaster for Italy as it raised the prospect of the unthinkable happening and them missing a third straight World Cup. So in comes Gennaro Gattuso for his first match as manager and expect a statement as they look to close the gap on the leaders as whopping 1/20 favourites against Estonia.

There doesn't seem much down for the visitors, who've lost all seven meetings with Italy, six of them by 2+ goals and five without scoring. For anything like a decent return in a tough betting heat will dive into the player props again - this time backing Inter midfielder Davide Frattesi for 2+ shots on target.

He led the squad for shots on target in the Nations League, has hit the target in six of his last seven international starts and has three with multiple efforts, including his last time out.

Moldova v Israel

19:45 kick-off

A candidate for last on Match of the Day, Moldova have gone 23 World Cup qualifiers without a win, and aren't expected to get much from this one as 11/2 home outsiders against Israel - winners of two out of three so far when scoring at least twice in every game.

Moldova have been pretty good scoring at home of late, but a lot of that is against inferior opposition in the Nations League, so although Israel games have been largely full of goals lately I think they can bank a clean sheet here.

Montenegro v Czech Republic

19:45 kick-off

The Czechs won the reverse fixture 2-0 to make it six wins from six against Montenegro, with five clean sheets in there as well, and they're well fancied at 4/6 to make it a perfect seven. The visitors had started the campaign nicely before a 5-1 hammering by Croatia, which will really sting and should provoke a response.

The stats point to another win to nil, but Montenegro have scored in 12 of 13 at home including against the likes of Turkey and Wales, so I'll trust them to carry enough goal threat to hit the net here.

Slovenia v Sweden

19:45 kick-off

What a fixture for summer transfer strikers with Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko all in the same fixture! Don't expect too much game time for Isak after training on his own, but expect plenty for Gyokeres, who scored four goals on his last Sweden appearance last November and bagged nine overall in just six Nations League games.

That makes the 8/5 on Gyokeres to score anytime look pretty appealing, but I'm getting creative on this one and adding a goal for Arsenal's new striker to over 2.5 match goals, which is an attractive 5/4 given it's landed in 12 of Sweden's last 15 coupled with Slovenia almost always scoring on home soil.

Switzerland v Kosovo

19:45 kick-off

The Swiss really disappointed in a disastrous Nations League campaign, but they've been solid in recent major tournaments and excellent in qualifying - making the last five World Cup when losing just three matches.

This is not the easiest group with Sweden and Slovenia to deal with but they're 1/3 to make a winning start and with a 19-game unbeaten home record in this competition (W14, D5) you'd fully expect them to deliver. I'm backing goals here too as both teams have socred in all three head-to-heads and in six of Switzerland's last seven.

Ukraine v France

19:45 kick-offLive on Amazon Prime PPV

France kick-off with their toughest 'away' game, with Poland hosting Ukraine's fixtures. They're 4/11 to win their opener but Ukraine are always tricky opponents, despite winning just one of 12 against Les Bleus, as both of their last two World Cup qualifying matches ended 1-1.

Eight of Ukraine's last 10 saw both teams score and France have just one clean sheet in seven away games, so let's back goals here but the French to prove just too strong.

Now read more tips for England v Andorra here

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