UEFA World Cup qualifying Group E is far from the toughest and that means that there is a great chance for a number of sides to qualify for the 2018 Russia World Cup. Here we take a look at the current standings and give our thoughts on who will finish top of the group. We’ll also highlight any other bets worth noting, whilst our live odds comparison will bring you the best betting odds available on the outright winner market to make sure you never miss any value.
Group E consists of Poland, Denmark, Romania, Montenegro, Armenia and Kazakhstan. In terms of topping the group it’s safe to say we can write off the Kazakhs: the bookies have at any rate as they are priced at odds of 200/1 with Bet365!
Armenia are also unlikely to attract too much money, even if odds of 80/1 (BetVictor) would yield a handsome return. Varuzhan Sukiasyan’s men lost their opening Group E game 1-0 in Denmark and are currently bottom of the pile.
That win leaves the Danes sitting pretty at the top and with players such as Christian Ericksen, who got the winner against Armenia, Denmark will fancy their chances of making it to Russia.
Indeed, Åge Hareide Danes are the second favourites in the outright winner betting, priced at best betting odds of 15/8 with Coral. The key clash could well be their visit to Poland on the 8th October, or the return in September next year.
The oddsmakers predict it will be these two sides battling it out, with Poland the favourites to win Group E. Poland, who last made the World Cup finals in 2006 and have twice finished third (in 1974 and 1982), are priced at odds of 7/4. In Robert Lewandowski, their captain, they have one of the best out and out strikers in world football. If he clicks they will be hard to beat, whilst Arkadiusz Milik, who recently joined Napoli, also offers a real goal threat.
Ultimately we have to side with Poland, who have a number of top players plying their trade at big European sides. Lewandowski leads from the front and his goals allayed to a solid defence maker Poland very tricky opponents.
Odds of 15/8 for Poland in the outright winner betting for Group E look very solid and that is our main betting tip here.
Of course, the battle to make it to Russia isn’t just a two-horse race in Group E. Romania, who drew their opener at home to Montenegro, can be backed at odds of 4/1 with Coral to top the group. Montenegro themselves, as you can see from our odds comparison, are a little further out, at odds of 6/1 with Bet365.
Neither of those sides can quite match the top two in the betting when it comes to class or experience. However, Montenegro may just have what it takes to force their way into second, ahead of the Danes who too often flatter to deceive.
The Poland/Denmark forecast is available at decent odds but our preference at much longer odds is Poland/Montenegro. Alternatively play things safer and back Ljubiša Tumbaković’s side simply to make the top two at solid odds of 13/8 with BetVictor.
We predict Poland will be making the short trip to Russia but Montenegro could well make the play-offs in a tight and tense Group E.