Greece vs. Czech Republic
Betting Prediction: Czech Republic (June 12th 2012)
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The Greeks fared better than the Czechs in the opening game. Greece earned a draw vs. Poland. The Czech Republic was blown out by Russia. That should make the Czechs a little more hungry though and I believe this matchup will prove considerably more favorable for them.

Czech Republic captain Tomas Rosicky had this to say: “I’m not ready to go home yet. We will fight to improve our reputation.”

Rosicky went on to say: “We still have a chance to fix the damage. We have a second chance and we will use it.”

Rosicky and the Czechs may also have payback on their minds. Soccer fans may remember that the Greeks eliminated the Czechs in the semifinals of the 2004 Euro Cup. The Greeks scored in extra time for the win.

Rosicky noted: “I remember that very well,” Rosicky said. It’s still painful … ”

The Czechs figure to be catching the Greeks at the right time. Greece’s Avraam Papadopoulos has been ruled out due to injury and Sokratis Papastathopoulos is set to serve his suspension. Meanwhile, midfielder Georgios Fotaki is now also being reported as out.

While a draw is always a possibility, I expect Rosicky and co. to be a little more hungry and feel that they’ll have a better shot at the victory than will the Greeks. If available to you, consider the Czecks on the (2-way) moneyline, making sure that you get a “push” should the game finish in a draw. If that line is unavailable to you, you might want to consider the Czechs as an underdog on the 3-way line. With Czech coach Michal Bilek stating: “Our aim is not to concede a goal,” the “under” is also well worth a look. -Ben Burns