Austria v North Macedonia betting tips: Debutants start in Bucharest
Published:
North Macedonia qualified for their first major tournament by defeating Kosovo and Georgia in the play-offs and they are 21/5 to get their campaign off to the perfect start in Bucharest.
The two nations met in qualifying for Euro 2020, with Austria winning both encounters on the way to finishing runners-up to Poland.
Franco Foda’s side are 4/5 favourites to repeat their wins from two years ago but let’s look at the odds and markets in our Austria v North Macedonia betting tips.
Match Odds
Austria finished bottom of their group at Euro 2016 and failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup but they hope to make a winning start in Romania.
Marko Arnautovic scored twice in a 4-1 win in Skopje two years ago and five months later they were 2-1 winners in Vienna.
Despite winning heavily in the North Macedonian capital, the visitors conceded the first goal and they are available at 12/1 to win from behind once more.
Austria, who lost 1-0 to England in a warm-up and have not scored in their last three matches, should not be over confident, though, as their opponents recently stunned Germany 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier thanks to an 85th-minute winner in Duisburg.
Talking Tactics
Igor Angelovski preferred a 5-3-2 formation for the win against Germany but went for a 3-1-4-2 for the 3-2 defeat in Romania in which Leeds defender Ezgjan Alioski played on the left side of midfield.
Ageless striker Goran Pandev will lead the line with Napoli’s Eljif Elmas providing the creativity in the heart of midfield.
Austria matched Denmark’s 4-2-3-1 system in their recent World Cup qualifier but crashed to a 4-0 home defeat so Foda is likely to stick with a 4-4-2 he deployed in the 2-2 draw with Scotland and 3-1 victory over Faroe Islands.
Marko Arnautovic and skipper Julian Baumgartlinger may start on the bench having only just returned from injury.
Goalscorer Odds
Pandev may be the focal point for North Macedonia’s attack but he only scored twice in qualifying so the onus could fall on Elmas, who struck four times in the group stage and hit the winner against Germany.
Elmas is 12/1 to score first and 6/1 in the any-time market, while for Austria Sasa Kalajdzic is the favourite to break the deadlock at 3/1, while Leipzig midfielder Marcel Sabitzer likes to chip in occasionally and he is 3/1 to find the net or 11/2 to grab the game’s opening goal.
Match Info
Where: Arena Nationala, Bucharest
When: 17:00, Sunday 13th June
How to watch: ITV
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
