Sweden vs Rep. Ireland: Free-scoring hosts to put visitors to the sword

In a crucial Group C clash, victory for the Republic of Ireland in Sweden would see them proclaimed as serious contenders to achieve World Cup qualification.

Their 6/1 price to triumph in Stockholm is an indication as to the magnitude of their task however, and the 8/15 hosts appear far more worthy of consideration in match betting markets.

With both teams seemingly challenging for second spot behind group leaders Germany, the draw would not be the worst result in the world for either side, and that outcome is an 11/4 chance.

But Sweden’s recent prowess in front of goal would seem to suggest that a high-scoring home win is in the offing at the Friends Arena.

Erik Hamren’s men have notched 10 times across their past three international fixtures, including a four-goal haul in their last qualifier away to Germany.

As such, they can power past an Irish side that has conceded eight times in three group games, and will tempt some at 13/2 to register on at least four occasions.

6/5 is the price that they score two or three times meanwhile, but better value may be found in betting on the number of total goals within the first half.

In each of Sweden’s last three games, three goals have emerged prior to the half-time whistle.

It is a massive 15/2 that at least 2.5 strikes are notched in the first half here, with the 2/1 regarding more than 1.5 opening period goals also making much appeal.

But whilst goals have frequented the first half of the hosts’ recent matches, attention should also be paid to Sweden in second-half handicap markets.

12 of the Swedes’ past 14 goals have come after the half-time whistle, and so the 16/5 odds that they win the second half giving up a goal head-start are tempting.

Meanwhile, the fact that Giovanni Trapattoni’s men have both scored and conceded in each of their qualifiers so far can direct punters towards both teams to score markets.

That statistic should incline punters to take the generous 31/10 odds that each team finds the net in a Sweden win, whilst it is 23/20 that both defences are simply breached in the match.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic unsurprisingly heads the list of candidates to bag the first goal of the game, and the PSG star, who has struck six times in his last four internationals, is 3/1 to break the deadlock.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.