England and Ukraine are guaranteed at least a play-off place whatever their results in the final round of World Cup 2014 qualifying, but there is plenty at stake around the continent with second place not yet settled in three of the nine groups and a multitude of outcomes still foreseeable.
Bulgaria are a great price at 23/20 to win at home against a Czech Republic side who cannot qualify.
Group B looks set to be the unlucky loser on the road to Brazil, as only the top eight runners-up from the nine groups will secure a place in the play-offs and Bulgaria’s record against bottom team Malta – against whom points acquired would be struck-off when calculating the worst group – means Lyuboslav Penev’s team need results to go their way elsewhere.
However, they face a team coached by interim boss Josef Pesice that can no longer qualify and the Lions will look to give themselves every chance of staying in play-off contention by continuing their unbeaten home record in the group with a win against the Czechs, who have lost two of their last three group games.
Croatia need a positive result against Scotland and are 23/20 to win at Hampden Park.
Considering Igor Stimac’s side have not yet confirmed their play-off place the 23/20 about Croatia winning against Gordon Strachan’s Group A wooden spoon contenders seems very generous.
Scotland have not won a competitive home international in over two years and have lost five of their last six games.
Although the visitors only need a point to secure second place, Stimac is sure to send out a team capable of toppling Strachan’s beleaguered side.
Iceland travel to Norway knowing a victory at 8/5 would guarantee them a place in the play-offs.
Norway blew their lines last time out, losing 3-0 in Slovenia when any kind of victory would have seen them enter the last round of fixtures as favourites to finish second in Group E.
Now that their chance has gone this is the time to bet on the Iceland away victory that would put them two games away from participating in their first ever major tournament.
Cardiff’s Aron Gunnarsson has described the match in Oslo as the most important in his country’s history, which gives some indications of the Iceland players’ motivation coming into this clash.
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