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Esbjerg have got off to an awful start in the Danish season losing their first three games, however, those losses included two away defeats to two of Denmark's best teams and they did improve in-their last game against Viborg despite losing 2-1.

AGF have got off to a better start with two opening wins, however, they lost their last game at home to Randers 2-1.

Basically, there is not that much that separates these two teams, AGF may hold a slight advantage but that is negated by Esbjerg being at home and for me these are two very evenly matched teams.

In conclusion, I see this game finishing as a draw.

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I am taking Portland to win this one.

Portland lost at home to LA Galaxy last time out, however, LA were in a rich vein of form and that was the Timbers first home defeat in quite a while, they had won four of their previous five at home, drawing the other one.

Kansas have not won away in their last nine home games, they have lost six and drawn three, there is very little to suggest that will change this evening.

All things considered I am going for a clear home win.

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I am a little surprised at the odds on Sogndal, I thought they would be a lot lower, however, I am not going to complain and will gladly accept the generosity of the sportsbooks.

There is very little to separate these teams in the league, however Sogndal are quite strong at home while Viking are inconsistent away and based on current form I am going with the home side to take all three points.

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It is quite a big handicap for an away side to overcome, however, I am very confident that Odd will do just that today.

Start are woeful, they are bottom of the table for a reason, they have just seven points from a possible 54 and that alone should show you how poor they are.

Odd are second in the table and the gulf between these two sides is immense, I would be very surprised if Odd do not win this one and win it by at least a couple of goals.

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I like the look of Brann in this one, they have won their last seven home games on the bounce and even though it is just goal difference that separates these two in the league I am confident that the home side will bag all three points.

Stromgodset away form has been their Achilles heel this season, they have lost three of their last four road games and I struggle to see them getting the better of Brann today.

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I see goals in this game between these two.

Valerenga are better than their league position suggests and they appear to be finding some momentum recently, they certainly know how to score as their last couple of results show.

Sarpsborg have also been involved in some high scoring games recently and they will feel confident that they can breach the Valerenga defence, should be an exciting encounter this one.

Take over 3 goals

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Too often last season I lost due to Leicester City, but at least I can take comfort in the fact that I was not the only one that suffered at the hands of the Foxes.

Another team that cost me last season was Man Utd, again I was in good company as they under performed significantly and burnt quite a few fingers in the process.

That said, things are different now, Leciester have been weakened, they are not as harmonious as last season, Kante has gone and Mahrez wants to leave, whereas Man Utd have a new world class manager, some top signings and the signs are that they will be a force this season.

I am confident, based on the circumstances, that United will win this one.

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Stabaek have been improving recently, they are now on a four game unbeaten run which includes draws against the third and fourth sides in the league, they may well be second bottom but they are at last getting their act together.

Haugesund have lost their last two games including a 6-0 thrashing against Rosenborg, their confidence has been hit and this game presents a great chance for Stabaek to extend their unbeaten run and claim all three points.

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I like the look of the draw in this one, very little separates the two sides in the table, just a single point and recently both have been drawing their games, if both teams play to form then a draw is the most likely outcome.

Take the draw

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I like the look of DC United in this one and expect them to claim all three points against Philadelphia Union tonight.

These two are not in good form at the moment, they are both struggling for momentum and any advantage that is presented could make the difference and in this game DC have the advantage of being at home.

Philadelphia have not won away from home since March, that was nine road games ago, they have lost their last three away MLS games on the bounce and there is no reason to see that changing tonight.

DC United are not the most consistent at home, but they have beaten the likes of the Red Bulls at home and are certainly a better home side than what Philadelphia are away.

Home win for me

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It is really easy to pick Rosenborg to win this one, but I am not at all confident that they will, in fact I believe there is more chance of a draw than an away win.

Rosenborg are the best side in Norway without a doubt, they are already six points clear at the top and a win here today would see them go nine points clear, but the truth is that Rosenborg are vulnerable away from home and are top because of their dominant home form.

Rosenborg have drawn four of their last five away league games against all sorts of different opponents, basically they are struggling to break teams down on their travels.

Lillestrom are not a good team and their home record is poor, however, they have beaten the teams in third and fourth at home recently and while I do not think they will do that to Rosenborg I do think they will raise themselves for this game, that is what appears to be happening when Lillestrom host the better sides, they perform far better.

I will go with the draw, it represents very good value.

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I see this one ending in a draw come 90 minutes.

Only two points separate these two after 16 games and while Ostersunds are fairly strong at home they did lose against Sundsvall 5-0 back in May.

Ostersunds are better than that result and at home will feel confident they can avenge that loss, but Sundsvall have that psychological advantage and the chances are that these two will be far more evenly matched today than back in May. 

All things considered I am going for the draw in this one.

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I really do like Jonkopings Sodra, they play very positive football and this has been reflected in their results, which has seen them currently in 11th position, not bad for a promoted team.

Falkenberg are woeful, they are rock bottom with just 8 points from a possible 48, they have won just once from eight home games and lost the other seven, including the last five on the bounce.

All things considered I am going for an away win.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

First game of the season for these two and on paper you would have to say that Newcastle look a good thing, but you cannot go by that when it is the first game, no one has a clue how the new transfer signings will fit in and you cannot use pre season friendlies as any sort of guide as they are notoriously unreliable.

But, that does not mean that there is not a pick to be had, there is, it is on the overs market.

The reasoning is simple, defences are vulnerable at the start of the season, they tend to be new and both these teams can score goals, basically it is a case of vulnerable defences against half decent forwards.

Take overs

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The overs has been set quite high in this, however, it is justified.

These two teams are awful, Helsingborg cannot buy a home win recently and Gefle have no idea what a win looks like on the road.

That said, both teams are generally involved in games that have goals in them, Helsingborg have had 28 goals in their eight games at home and Gefle have had 21 goals in their seven away games, in better words both teams have had an average of three or more goals per game.

Take the overs

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I like the look of the draw in this one.

I know that Tromso are favourites and that Aalesunds are poor away, but if you look closer there is every reason to think a draw has a good chance here.

Tromso have not won at home in their last four league games, in fact they have won just twice all season at home.

Aalesunds have won just once on the road this season but they have had a couple of very good results recently at home and against a team that is poor at home they will feel that they can get something from this game, I share that belief.

Take the draw

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I do not rate Scottish football at the moment, Celtic were very lucky to progress last night in the Champions League and Hearts were humiliated in the last round against a team from Malta, now we have Aberdeen going to Slovenia needing either a high score draw or a win to progress, I simply do not see that happening and fully expect the home team to beat the Scots.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

Swedish outfit AIK lost the first leg 1-0 in Greece and will be confident that they will be able to beat Panathinaikos in the return leg.

I share that confidence, however, I am not convinced that AIK will progress, they may win on the night, but the chances are they will fail to qualify, probably due to an away goal.

Take AIK to win the game.

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The first leg ended 1-1 in Serbia and now that the second leg is back in Belarussia I am confident that Dinamo Minsk will make home advantage tell and win the game and progress to the next round of the Europa League.

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HJK surprisingly won the first leg in Sweden and have the advantage going into this second leg of the Europa League, however, Goteborg are the better team and will be wound up to put things right in Finland today.

I am taking Goteborg to overcome the first leg deficit and defeat the home side.

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Fenerbahce won the first leg narrowly 2-1 and Monaco need only a 1-0 win to progress, of course the Turkish side need just a draw, however, I am very confident that Monaco will win this game and either progress or force the game into extra time.

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The first leg between these two finished 2-2 in Russia and I believe that the second leg will have the same sort of outcome, namely a draw. that advantage does lie with Anderlecht but they would be happy with a 0-0 or 1-1 draw as that will see them progress, in better words the Belgium's will play for a draw and I am not convinced that the Russians are good enough to force a win.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

Ajax are not the team they were years ago and it is no surprise to see them draw at home and now need a win away to qualify for the next stage, that said, PAOK are not world beaters either and I am more confident in another draw between these two as opposed to either of them emerging victorious come 90 minutes.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

Young Boys lost the first leg 2-0 and have a mountain to climb if they want to qualify for the next stage, they will be full on attack mode throughout the game and I expect them to sneak a win, however I do not see them progressing, Shakhtar have too big a lead and will be defensive minded, they are hardly going to attack when they are away and sitting on a two goal lead.

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The first leg between these two finished without either team scoring, it showed how organised Hapoel are and I expect them to maintain that organisation and to claim a narrow win.

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A draw is all Steaua need to progress but I cannot see them going for a 0-0 here, they will be conservative and try to keep a clean sheet, but they are at home, they know they are probably better than Sparta Prague and they will want to put a cushion between themselves and the Czech side.

I am very confident that Steaua will win.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

I actually see goals in this game, Dundalk like goals it seems and BATE are not immune to high scoring games either, this is a second leg of a European tie and the circumstances lend me to believe that we will see at least 3 goals scored.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

I was a little surprised on the odds for Crvena Zvezda, I expected them to be a lot shorter and will happily help myself to the generous odds on them winning.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

I would have liked Rosenborg to qualify for the next round of the Champions League, but unfortunately I cannot see that happening and take the Cypriot outfit to get the win in front of their home fans.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

Dinamo Tbilisi have to overcome a two goal deficit from the first leg, I am not sure that they can do that but I am confident that they will get the win in this leg in front of their own fans.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

I am confident that Qarabag will kick on and win this game and qualify for the next stage of the Champions League.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

This will be a tight game but I do expect Aalborg to come out on top and get all three points against Odense.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

Molde are in free fall at the moment and are very beatable at this time, Valerenga are having an awful season and these are the sort of games they must take advantage of, I am going for Valerenga to win this.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

Two evenly matched teams and a very close game is expected, a draw looks the value pick here and that is what I will be backing.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

I take Kalmar to overcome Djurgarden in this match up. Djurgarden cannot get a win away from home for love or money, they have lost six in a row on the road and I see no reason why Kalmar will not make it seven.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

Fancy the draw in this one, LA have been in red hot form recently winning their last four games on the bounce, however, while they have won their last two road games in the MLS they are still vulnerable, Seattle have been very inconsistent this season and lost to LA just three weeks ago, but that was a close game and I am confident that Seattle will do better this time round and claim a point.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

Stromgodset all day long for me in this one, not only do I expect them to win , but I expect them to win by at least two goals and cover the spread.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

On paper Sporting KC should win this one, but Portland have been improving, yes they lost last week against NYC and Sporting KC are formidable at home, but Portland have drawn their last four away matches and Sporting KC are not unbeatable at home.

Take Portland on the spread and get both the draw and away win on your side

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

I like the look of the draw in this one, having done my analysis and research, as well as based on my own viewing of these two teams in action a draw looks the value pick.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

It is hard for me to look at anything other than a home win for Haugesund today, Yes Sogndal are quite impressive recently on the road but they will have to raise their game if they expect to leave Haugesund with anything.

All my Soccer picks are researched and analysed fully, each one carries my full confidence with a focus on picks that offer value for money.

I will be taking Aalesunds to defeat Lillestrom this afternoon in Norway. The Home side appear to have settled at home, while Lillestrom still cannot buy a win away from home

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Top of Western Conference New York City faces off against second placed Eastern Conference side Colorado Rapids in what promises to be a classic.

I am taking New York to win outright, they are formidable at home while Colorado cannot buy an away win, they have won just twice on the road all season and have drawn four of their last five, they need to do better than that against New York City.

This is also City's first home game after four away's and they will look to bounce back from a 4-1 humbling against the Red Bulls.

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I am backing Ostersund to win this one against Elfsborg. 

I am taking Ostersunds based on having watched them and Elfsborg in their most recent game, I felt that Ostersunds were very unlucky to lose against Elfsborg just five days ago, I thought that Ostersunds were the better team throughout and I expect them to get revenge today.

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I fancy Gefle to spring a little surprise here and claim all three points.

Gefle lost 2-0 in their most recent game against Norkopping, which is no shame considering they were playing the best team in Sweden., previous to that they won 4-2 at home against Kalmar and they strike me as a team that is finally starting to get their act together.

Hammarby are not in great form themselves, they did beat Gefle last time they met but this game is at Gefle and that makes a difference.

Take Gefle at good odds to win.

Aberdeen v Maribor

Scottish outfit Aberdeen take on Slovenian side Maribor in the Europa League third qualification round.

The level of Scottish football recently appears to have dropped significantly, Celtic lose in Gibraltar and Hearts get dumped by a Maltese side, but at least Aberdeen seem to be playing to form.

That said, Slovenian football is arguably on the same level as Scottish football and Maribor could spring a surprise here, I certainly expect them to score at least once.

Aberdeen are at home of course and they will be looking to take a win to Slovenia for the second leg and so I do expect them to attack, I also expect that they will find the back of the net at least once.

Considering I expect both sides to score and that either team could go on and win then going over 2 goals is the value bet here.

Lokomotiva Zagreb v Vorskla

I take Croatian side Lokomotiva Zagreb to have too much for Ukrainian outfit Vorskla and to get the win here in 90 minutes.

Lokomotiva Zagreb are quite strong at home, they only tend to lose at their home ground against the better Croatian sides, they beat RoPS of Finland 3-0 in the last round at their home ground and I really do expect them to be able to defeat Vorskla this evening.

Vorskla are not so bad really, but an analysis of their away games in Europe has shown that they do not perform so well when travelling, though in all fairness there is very little to go on, they lost early on last year in the qualification rounds and you have to go back to 2011 for their last set of results.

Bottom line for me is that Lokomotiva Zagreb are the better side, they are decent at home and they are playing against very beatable opposition, I would be very disappointed if the home side do not win this one.

Larnaca v Spartak Moscow

I expect there to be goals in this one between Cypriot side Larnaca and Russian outfit Spartak Moscow.

Cypriot football is not too bad, it is not minnow football like Andorra or Liechtenstein, but it is not on the same level as Russian club football either.

That said, that does not mean that I think Spartak will win this one, Larnaca are more than capable of putting in a decent performance and I expect them to give a good account of themselves this evening in Cyprus.

It would of course be no surprise to see Spartak win this one, but I certainly do not think they would win it easily, they will have to defend strongly against Larnaca, who know that they must take something to Moscow for the second leg.

I expect both sides to score at least once and I do expect a winner to emerge, probably Spartak, but I do not have nowhere near enough confidence in them to back them outright.

Best outcome I see is this game having at least three goals in it and that will be my pick.

Astra v FC Copenhagen

First leg of this champions league qualifier pits the champion of Romania against the champion of Denmark in an intriguing match up.

It is difficult to know which league is actually stronger, I would lean towards the Romanian league as being the stronger, but not by much.

Both sides domestic leagues have just got started with Astra getting off to a shocker, losing 4-1 at home to Dinamo Bucharest, but that happens with first games of the season, they will have settled since that result and I expect a better performance from them tonight.

Copenhagen have won both their domestic games 3-0 and 4-0 respectively and they won their last champions league qualifier against Ireland's Crusaders 7-0 on aggregate, in better words, their last four games have seen 14 goals scored with none conceded.

So, we have a home side that is smarting from an opening league game thrashing against an away side that is scoring for fun.

I am not sure Copenhagen will win, but I do expect them to score,  they are currently scoring for fun and with Astra defence split open last week then I would say it is a good thing that the Danes will score tonight.

Astra are better than their recent home loss suggests and they will be looking for redemption tonight, I expect them to score as well and therefore will be doing the overs in this one.

Astana v Celtic

Astana are the best team in Kazakhstan, they won the title last season after finishing third in the regular season and then doing best in the championship round, they are clear leaders this season and will enter the championship round ahead of all domestic rivals.

Celtic are the best side in Scotland, they are under new management but they did make hard work of dispatching Gibraltar outfit Lincoln Red Imps, they won 3-1 on aggregate after losing in Gibraltar 1-0, a massive embarrassment.

So we have the best sides from Kazakhstan and Scotland and truth be told, I cannot say hand on heart that the Scottish leagues are any better than the Kazakhstan leagues.

Astana are actually favourites for this game and it would be no real surprise to see them emerge victors, but it would be folly to write of Celtic, they are of course a far better team than their recent results have shown and their new manager Brendan Rodgers will get it right and a 1-1 friendly draw with Leicester is not too bad, yes it is is a meaningless friendly, but it helps morale.

I do take Celtic to score but am not confident they will win, therefore I am going for the overs markets.

Bottom line is I expect both sides to score and either team can easily kick on and win, so over 2 goals is the value pick.

Flamengo v América Mineiro

As soccer games go, this one is a bit of a mismatch and I fully expect the home side to win and to win easy.

This is not so much about Flamengo but about America Mineiro, they are utterly woeful, they have got just eight points from 15 games and are already seven points adrift at the bottom, they have lost six road games from seven and drawn the other, basically that is one point from a possible 21, like I say woeful.

Flamengo are not world beaters, however they are seventh, they have a 4-3-3 record at home and a win today will take them up to fifth, they have won their last two home games and have some momentum.

One last factor, in five out of their six away losses, America Mineiro have lost by two goals or more.

Therefore I am going for a home win and for Flamengo to cover the 1.5 goal spread.

Elfsborg v Östersunds FK

I am taking Elfsborg to get the better of promoted outfit Ostersunds today in the Swedish Allsvenskan.

Ostersunds have done ok so far for a promoted side, however, they are a mediocre outfit and while their away record is not so bad on the face of it, just two losses from seven, they are still very vulnerable and with just the one win on the road, very limited.

Ostersunds have drawn four times away from home, but when they get beat, they get beat in style, 3-0 and 5-0 losses confirm that, they are very defensive, though in all fairness their most recent away draw against Norkopping did buck that trend with a 3-3 result.

Elfsborg are only two points ahead of Ostersunds and their home record is average with three wins, two draws and a loss, but recently they have shown signs of building momentum with three wins and three draws in their last six games home and away.

Basically, Elfsborg will set out to attack and put Ostersunds down early on, the away side will defend vigorously like they have done in nearly every game this season, but I cannot see them holding out for the full 90 minutes and I do expect Elfsborg to emerge the victors and cover the spread.

Lillestrom v Stromsgodset 

On paper Stromsgodset should win this one, but I am not convinced that they will.

Lillestrom current form is poor and even with home advantage it would take unique circumstances to back them to win this one, I believe we have those unique circumstances.

Lillestrom are not that bad a team, yes they are in a bit of a freefall at the moment but they showed early season that they are a talented bunch and all that is required for them to turn things around is that one good game.

Stromsgodset are doing far better than I expected, they are full of confidence, however they took a hit midweek against Danish outfit SønderjyskE in the Europa league, they were 2-0 up and cruising to the next round, they conceded and had to go into extra time and they conceded in the last minute of the game after 120 minutes and were eliminated.

That sort of game can have a devastating effect, for starters they will be tired after such a long game and will also be emotionally drained, this is the perfect time for Lillestrom to be facing Stromsgodset.

If Stromsogodset would have been eliminated in any other way midweek I would have favoured them today, but the manner of their elimination I believe will have an effect today and therefore I am going for a home win.

New York RB v New York City

I am going with City to win this one and to confirm that they have totally recovered from their 7-0 loss back in May and to confirm their superiority over the local rivals following their 2-0 win over them just a few weeks ago.

For starters forget that 7-0 loss, that was a one off unlikely to ever be repeated and City showed their strength of character when they beat the Red Bulls 2-0 at Yankee Stadium the next time they met.

Red Bulls are of course formidable, especially at home, they have won six of their last seven games at the Red Bull Arena, but this is a derby game and regularly home advantage is not such an advantage.

Also, City have become formidable away from home, they have won three of their last four road games and five of their last seven away, a sign of a very good team.

Then we have current MLS form home and away, City have lost once and won five of their last six games, whereas Red Bulls have won just once in their last six games, think about that, just one win in six.

Would it be a surprise if the Red Bulls won, of course not, they are the favourites after all, but neither would it be a huge surprise for me if City win and based on current MLS form I am more confident in a City win than I am a Red Bull win.

Tromsø v Stabæk

I fancy the away side to spring a surprise here and collect all three points.

Stabaek are in form at the moment, they have won their last two away games in the league and have only lost the once in their last four league games overall, yes they are closer to the bottom than the top and their previous form was woeful,, but the signs are that they are building in confidence and are slowly gathering some momentum.

Tromso are just three points above Stabaek in the league and they seem to be losing momentum, they have won just once in their last five home games and collected just one point from nine in their last three home games, they are not consistent by any stretch of the imagination and while they are no worse than Stabaek in that department, they seem to be going backwards a little while Stabaek seem to be progressing.

This will be a tight game but I really do fancy the away side to get the win.

Helsingborg v Häcken

I like the look of the draw in this Swedish Allsvenskan game.

Basically we have two teams in inconsistent form, the home side have not won at home in their last three games, they have lost two of them and drawn once, while the away side have not lost in their last three away games with one win and two draws.

Both teams are capable when they are in good form, but neither of them are, only two points separate the sides in the league and both would probably be happy with a draw.

All things considered a draw looks the best bet.

Houston Dynamo v Whitecaps

I am going to back the Whitecaps to get the win here and at some decent odds.

My starting point is that I believe that Vancouver are the better team, the current standings back that up, however there is more to this pick than just league standings.

There is the fact that Houston have only one win in their last eight MLS games, whereas the Whitecaps are on a three match unbeaten run.

Now, these are small things, it has to be acknowledged that Houston are quite strong at home, they have lost just the once there all season, while the Whitecaps have lost 6 from 9 road games, but it is the current form and momentum that has me believing that the Whitecaps can spring a surprise here.

Bottom line for me is that right now it is the Whitecaps that are on an unbeaten run and that Houston are struggling to buy a win in the MLS.

All things considered I am taking the Whitecaps to spring a surprise and win this one.

Colorado Rapids v Dallas

I am taking the Rapids to win this one in a massive game between first and second in the Western Conference.

Dallas currently sit top three points ahead of Colorado, however they have played three games more and will lose the top spot if they lose this game tonight.

Dallas are not formidable on the road, they have lost 6 times from 11 away games, they have won on just four occasions, which is rather a poor return for a team that is sitting at the top of the table.

Colorado are dominant at home, in ten games they have won eight and drawn two, that is very close to being the definition of a fortress.

Both teams are obviously in decent form but I cannot get away from the home dominance of Colorado against the weak away form of Dallas and for me that will be the difference between these two tonight.

All things considered I am going for a home win.

Toronto v DC United

I like the look of the draw between these two this evening.

Toronto are fairly decent at home, there is no getting away from that, but a closer look at their home record reveals that while they have lost just the once they have won less than 50% of home games, they have drawn as many times as they have won.

DC United have won just once away from home all season, not a good record, but as with Toronto, once you drill down you will see that they have drawn 60% of all their away games, they have lost three times, won once and drawn an incredible six times.

Add to that the fact that just two points separate these two teams in the league and it is hard to say that one side is better than the other.

Now, there have been special circumstances this season, as an example Toronto played their first eight games away from home, however it has all evened out now and the bottom line for me is that there is almost nothing to choose between the teams and they both love a draw.

All things considered I am going for a draw in this one.

Portland Timbers v LA Galaxy

A game to look forward to between the Timbers and Galaxy and I am going with Portland to emerge the winners.

In the MLS Portland have finally got their act together after an appalling start to the season, they are now on a nine game unbeaten run and at home have won four of their last five and drawn the other game, that is 13 points from a possible 15.

On the other hand, LA Galaxy on the road have been poor recently, they did beat Seattle last time away, however that was only their second win all season on the road and their first in their last six road games.

Now, LA did beat Portland 1-0 recently in the US Open Cup at Providence Park, but I am happy to leave that to one side, cup games are always different to league games and are best treated in isolation.

The home form of Portland against the road form of LA is enough to sway me, I accept that overall LA are also in decent form, they are unbeaten in their last five MLS fixtures, but I cannot get away from their poor away form against a resurgent Portland.

Take Portland to win.

Real Salt Lake v San Jose Earthquakes

Real Salt Lake host San Jose Earthquakes at the Rio Tinto Stadium in Utah tonight and I am backing this game to end in a draw.

Real Salt Lake have drawn four of their last five games at home in the MLS, they are struggling to win games on their home turf no matter who the opponent is.

San Jose have drawn four of their last eight away games, they have lost the other four it must be noted, but regardless, drawing 50% of your away games is a developing pattern.

It must be said that the home side have not lost at home this season and the away side have not won on the road, but there are simply too many draws to ignore.

Take the draw

Brann v Aalesund

A little bit of a mismatch here when you look at the respective home and away records of these two.

In league games Brann have won their last six straight home games, they have conceded just one goal in those six games and scored ten.

Aalesund have lost four of their last six away games, drawn one and won one, they have conceded eleven and scored five, in their last two away games they have allowed four goals in each game.

In better words, at home Brann are formidable, away from home Aalesund are vulnerable to a thrashing.

I am taking Brann to win this one and to cover the spread, I really cannot see Aalesund getting anything at all from this match.

Hearts v Birkirkara

I was slightly surprised by the 0-0 scoreline in the first leg between these two teams, Hearts should have won and I fully expect them to put that right this evening.

I have watched the Maltese side live in Malta, I know Maltese football and their level is far lower than the Scottish Premiership.

Scottish club football is not good I accept that, but it is of a higher standard than Maltese football, this is not guesswork, this opinion is based on me spending 3 years in Malta and watching their football week in week out.

If Hearts play to their level then they will win this one, of course shocks happen, we have seen so many recently, but it would be a huge shock to me if Hearts do not win this one comfortably.

I am taking Hearts to win this and to cover the spread.

Stromsgodset v Sonderjyske

Two teams from Scandinavia clash in the second leg of the Europa League qualifiers in a game that should produce goals.

The first leg finished 2-1 in favour of Denmark's Sonderjyske, which means that Norway's Stromsgodset have that all important away goal.

I watch Scandinavian football a lot, I regularly pick games from Norway, Sweden and occasionally Denmark and know how these teams play and I find it difficult to believe that Stromsgodset will keep a clean sheet, I am positive that Sonderjyske will score at least once and wipe out the Norwegian sides away goal advantage.

I also feel that the home side will probably win, the odds are not attractive enough for me to take that risk though, however, if I feel the home side will win and that the away side will score then logic follows that this game will end over 2.5 goals.

Based on my knowledge of Scandinavian football and how they play I am confident that there will be at least three goals in this game.

Take over 2.5 goals.

Odd v PAS Giannina

Norwegian outfit Odd host Greek side PAS Giannina in the second leg of the Europa league qualifier with PAS taking a 3-0 advantage with them to Norway.

Odd are much better than the 3-0 loss suggests, they also lost at the weekend in their domestic league 2-1 away to Bodo/Glimt and that was another bad defeat for them, they are second in the Norwegian league and they are in that position for a reason, but their last two results have betrayed their true level.

PAS will be looking to sit on their lead, that you can be certain of, they are not going to risk their lead by attacking and leaving themselves exposed at the back, so I see a game with one team attacking and the other defending.

I fully expect Odd to win this one, I doubt they will overcome the three goal deficit, that will take some doing, but I expect them to give it a real go.

I am backing Odd to win this one and to get close to PAS goal supremacy and therefore will take the Norwegian outfit to win and cover the spread.

Odd -1

Gefle v Kalmar

Bottom side Gefle welcome 11th position Kalmar in the Swedish Allsvenskan today.

Gefle are woeful, they have lost their last 8 games and are almost certain to be relegated, they have not won a single game at home and are a club in deep crisis.

Kalmar are unbeaten in their last five league games, drawing 3 and winning twice and they have won their last two away games.

So you can see the clear difference between the teams and initially I was tempted to go for Kalmar to win, everything is in their favour, however they do tend to draw and even though they are playing the worst team in the league, it is still a worry.

Having analysed the two teams I have decided that I will go for over 2.5 goals.

For this pick I am going for over 2.5 goals as I think that Gefle will score.

Jonkopings Sodra v Djurgarden

I fancy the home team to scrape the win in a game between two very out of form teams.

Neither team fills me with that much confidence, but the form of the way side is that bad that the pendulum does swing towards Jonkopings Sodra.

Jonkopings Sodra have just lost once from their six home games, however they have drawn on three occasions, but they are playing a team that has not drawn on the road and lost five times, winning just twice.

The form of both teams is also poor, both have managed just 3 points from a possible 18 over their last six games.

The draw does seem an attractive option, but the fact that Djurgarden have not drawn a single away game and Jonkopings only losing once at home has swung it for me that a home win is the most likely result.

All things considered I am going for a home win.

Gefle v Kalmar

Bottom side Gefle welcome 11th position Kalmar in the Swedish Allsvenskan today.

Gefle are woeful, they have lost their last 8 games and are almost certain to be relegated, they have not won a single game at home and are a club in deep crisis.

Kalmar are unbeaten in their last five league games, drawing 3 and winning twice and they have won their last two away games.

So you can see the clear difference between the teams, Kalmar have everything is in their favour, however they do tend to draw and even though they are playing the worst team in the league, it is still a worry.

That said, the most likely winner will be Kalmar.

For this pick I am going for Kalmar to win, I am worried about the draw but I am of the opinion that there is more of a chance of an away win than a draw.

Kalmar to win

Montreal Impactv New York City

This game has draw written all over it and that is what I will be backing in this game.

Montreal could in theory go second behind New York if they can grab the win and will be very aware of that, however they also know that they do not want to lose this game and see City open up a seven point lead.

Montreal at home are very strong, they have lost just the once in eight games, however, it must be noted that they have drawn three of those eight home games and so in 50% of their home games they have not won.

New York City sit atop the Eastern Conference, they have a very good away record, winning five times, drawing once and losing on three occasions, however, the fact that they have lost three times on the road does show that is where they are vulnerable.

Basically, Montreal do draw a lot at home, New York are decent away but not world beaters and with so much at stake I see a conservative game with the draw the most likely outcome.

Portland Timbers v Seattle Sounders

Intriguing match up in prospect between Portland and Seattle, but I am fairly confident that Portland will emerge the winners.

Portland have come back to form after a very poor start to the season, they are now on a 8 game unbeaten run in the MLS, albeit with 5 draws, but considering their start to the season the Timbers will take that, though they will now be looking to get more wins than draws as they push on for the rest of the season.

Seattle got their first win in five games last week when they crushed Dallas 5-0, however, that was at home and their away record is hardly something to shout about, they have won just once from eight away games this season and that is the main reason they sit second bottom in the Western Conference.

All things considered I am going for the home win, Portland are on a good run while Seattle cannot buy an away win.

Sarpsborg 08 v Lillestrom

I like the look of the draw in this one.

On paper Sarpsborg are the favourites, however, looking closer at their stats and the stats of Lillestrom and a case can be made for the draw.

Sarpsborg are unbeaten in their last six games at home, they have drawn three and won three, however, two of those wins have been by a single goal, only once have they won convincingly.

Lillestrom away record looks a little poor, however they drew their last away game at Sogndal who are in good form at the moment and their two away games before that, both losses, were to the top team and team in 3rd place in the league, prior to that they won away at Odd 3-1, who are second in the league.

Point is this, three of Lillstrom's last four away games have included playing the top 3 and yet they win one and lost two, they also drew with 8th placed Sogndal, again, above them.quite a decent return considering who they were playing.

Sarpsborg do have a decent home record, but it is not formidable and Lillestrom are not as bad away from home as it first appears.

All things considered I am going for the draw

Bodø /Glimt v Odd

Looking at the table and the respective home and away records it would be easy to go for an away win, however I am not so sure that is the best way to go in this game.

Odd are second in the table and will go within one point of the leader Rosenborg, so they are clearly motivated but their away record is not as convincing as it should be for a team in their position.

Lets have a quick look at their away record, they beat Valerenga last week 1-0 but Valerenga are in the relegation zone, previous to that they drew away at Sarpsborg, previous to that they lost 3-1 at Haugesund, their record prior to that was ok winning three and drawing once, but their recent away record is not that convincing.

Bodo/Glint at home are not great I admit, but last week they drew at home with the league leaders Rosenborg, their first game back from the summer break and that could signal a change n fortune, previous to the break their home record was not great at all, racking up 4 losses in and draw in their five home games before the break, though before that they did win twice at home at the start of the season.

For me this is about the return from the summer break, Bodo Glint have returned in excellent form, drawing at home to Rosenborg and then last week winning away 4-1. Odd have also returned from the break in winning form and that leads me to believe a draw is the best pick here.

Basically Bodo Glint after the break are in excellent form and Odd away from home are beatable, however Odd have returned from the break winning both their games and they are second, so while I do think Bodo/Glint are in great form, I am not sure they have enough to beat Odd and visa verse.

All things considered I am going for a draw.

Stabæk v Brann

Two teams with very poor records at home and away respectively, however there is an opening here for a very good pick.

Brann are the better team, they are 5th in the table compared to Stabaek in 13th and the teams are separated by a massive 13 points.

That said, Brann have lost their last four away games in the league, they have not scored a single goal in those four games but they did bounce back to form last week at home beating Valerenga by a significant 4-1.

Stabaek also won last week, away from home beating Lillestrom 2-1, seems they are a better side playing away from home, but alas, they are at home and their record there is appalling. They have lost four of their last five home games and one win in five is not good by anyone's standards.

All things considered I am going with Brann to snap their losing streak away from home, they showed last week that they are in good form and while Stabaek also won last week I cannot get away from the fact that they appear more comfortable on the road.

Brann to win.

Norrkoping v Ostersunds FK

I fully expect Norrkoping to get all three points today against Ostersunds

Norrkoping are challenging for the title, if they win today they will go joint top with Malmo, in fact if they win by four goals (unlikely), they would go clear top on goal difference.

Norrkoping are unbeaten at home this season, winning five and drawing the other game, they are turning their home stadium into a fortress.

Ostersunds are nine points and seven places below Norrkoping, they have won just once on the road this season and it would take a great leap of faith to believe they will get their second away win of the season against Norrkoping.

All things considered I am going for a home win

Sogndal @ Valerenga

Interesting game and at the start of the season I would have had Valerenga as a banker in this game, but that is nowhere near the case at this time.

Sogndal have surprised me this season, they are doing far better than I thought they would, they are unbeaten in their last eight Elitesreien games and in their last match beat Molde, one of the top Norwegian sides, 4-3.

Valerenga sit ten points behind Sogndal and have lost their last two matches, they sit second bottom and are facing a relegation dog fight unless they get their act together.

Valerenga are better than what they have shown this season, but unless they start to play better they will be relegated and they will only have themselves to blame.

Sogndal have a very average away record that must be said, two wins, two draws and three losses, but in all fairness that is better than what I would have expected.

All Valerenga's wins this season have come at home, but even then they have lost more times at home than they have won, winning three and losing four.

Even though Valerenga have not drawn at home this season I am of the opinion that is what will happen today, I will explain why.

Sogndal are in form, Valerenga are not, but I am not convinced that Sogndal will get the win today. That said, I am in no way convinced that Valerenga will win either, Sogndal have the better form, but I cannot ignore the fact that their away record is average.

All things considered I am going for the draw in this one.

Palmeiras v Santos

First plays seventh at the Allianz Parque in Sao Paulo this evening with the home side looking to extend their lead to three points.

Palmeiras are unbeaten at home, in fact they have won every single game in Serie A at home, whereas Santos have won just twice on the road from seven away games.

Therefore the home and away statistics do point to a clear home win, but not everything is as it seems.

Palmeiras are top because of that home record, they have lost more times away than what they have won on the road, now I understand they are at home and so their away form should not be relevant, but it shows me that they are beatable, they are not dominating the league and in fact, if Santos did win they would be within three points of Palmeiras.

Now, I do have Palmeiras as the most likely to win this game, but it would be folly to dismiss Santos out of hand, they could spring a surprise here.

And therein lies my problem with picking Palmeiras outright, there is just too much risk for me to do that, however that does not mean there is no pick to be had, there is, one I am confident in.

I am confident that this game will end in over 2.5 goals and I will tell you why.

Four of Palmeiras home games have had at least three goals in them, three of Santos away games have finished with 3 or more goals, so overall between both sides, when playing home and away respectively 50% of the games have had 3 or more goals, not enough to plump for overs based on that, but this is what swung it for me.

On current form (last six league games) both sides have an over 3 goals per game average, Palmeiras have had 21 goals in their games and Santos have had 20 and it is current form that I find most relevant.

But there is more, Palmeiras want the win to go clear top while Santos want to close to within 3 points of the leaders, both have huge motivation, both have something to play for and both will want to win.

I expect both teams to score at least once and I do expect a winner to emerge, probably Palmeiras.

Finally, this is a Sao Paulo derby and that means passions will be high and that could effect the outcome as well.

All things considered I am going over 2.5 goals.

New York RB v Portland Timbers

A few weeks ago it would have been easy to pick the Red Bulls to come out on top in this match up, that is no longer the case.

The Red Bulls form is dipping while Portland are finally starting to find some momentum.

The Red Bulls have not won in their last three MLS fixtures, albeit they were on the road each time, but not winning can become a habit just as winning can.

The Timbers are on a six match unbeaten run in MLS, they have won their last three home games and drawn their last three road games, they are in good form and will be confident they will be able to come away from this game with at least a point.

I share that confidence and will be backing Portland to cover the spread.

Portugal v France

Finally we are at the last game of the Euro 2016 tournament and it pits the home nation against a Ronaldo inspired Portugal.

I have not rated Portugal throughout this tournament and I am not going to start now, the fact is I believe they are very lucky to be in the final, they had an easy draw throughout and scraped through most games, they are over reliant on one player and I am very very confident they will not end the night lifting the trophy.

France have a huge advantage playing in Paris, but I am positive they would have beaten this Portuguese outfit in Lisbon, never-mind Paris.

France have a better team, they may not have the best player, but Ronaldo apart, I would struggle to pick any Portuguese player ahead of a French player in the same position.

All things considered I am going for a French win.

Lillestrøm v Stabæk

A match up between two fairly poor teams and for me this was a case of which team was the poorest and most likely to lose and that without doubt is Stabaek.

Stabaek have won just once on the road all season and have lost on five occasions, they are not what one would describe as formidable on the road.

Lillestrom are not the greatest team at home either, however they have only lost twice at their own stadium in seven games, which is not too bad for a mediocre outfit.

Neither team is in good form either, but the home form of Lillextrom is simply better than the away form of Stabaek and there is nothing to indicate that will change in this particular game, therefore I am going to confidently back Lillestrom to get the better of Stabaek today

Odd v Aalesund

Very hard to see anything other than a clear home win today

Odd are second in the table, have lost just once at their home ground all season and are in very good form at the moment, collecting 10 points from 12 in their last four league games.

Aalesund are fourth from bottom, have won just once away all season and are in very poor form, winning just once in their last seven league games.

The spread has been set quite high, but I am confident that Odd can cover it, I fully expect them to win this game and it is more probable for me that they will win by at least 2 goals than not.

Kalmar v AIK

An interesting match up between two decent sides and it is the away side that I can see collecting all three points.

AIK have played on the road six times this season wining on four occasions, that is a 66% win rate, a decent return for any team in almost any league.

Kalmar have a 2-2-2 record at home, as mixed a record as you can get, but it must be said, winning just twice at home is nothing to write home about.

AIK are the team in far better form, in fact, over the last six games only Malmo have a better league record than AIK.

Kalmar will not be walkovers, but I am more confident in this game either being a draw or a win for AIK than a win for Kalmar and will be taking AIK to cover the spread.

Helsingborg v Elfsborg

This game looks like it will be a tight affair

Helsingborg are quite steady at home, They have won three times, drawn once and lost twice on their home ground, however that draw and one of those losses came in their last two home games, both before the break in the season.

Elfsborg are not world beaters on the road, they have won twice from seven away games, drawn once and lost four times, they entered the break drawing three times and losing once, in better words in their last four games they were winless.

Overall, Elfsborg have the better recent form, however, their away form is simply no better than Helsingborg home form and both sides entered the season break in poor form.

It is hard to see a winner emerging in this one and therefore I am plumping for the draw, that seems the most likely outcome in this one and represents excellent value.

Seattle Sounders v LA Galaxy

I like the look of Seattle in this one and will be going for them to grab the win.

LA Galaxy are rather poor on the road, they have won just once in their last 13 road games in the MLS, they have won just once this season away from home and there is very little sign that they will be improving on that record anytime soon.

Seattle are hardly formidable at home I do admit, they have lost their last two at CenturyLink Field, but they did win their four previous to that and when they are playing to form they tend to win at home and I am very confident they will play to form today.

I accept that LA won last week and Seattle have been struggling of late, but I am certain that the Sounders will get themselves motivated for this game and will take all three points against an out of sorts Galaxy side.

Seattle to win.

Sogndal v Molde

Before the season started I would have had Molde as a banker in this game, but I no longer can feel that way, the form of the respective teams means I no longer have Molde as any sort of banker, not the way they have been playing, especially on the road.

Sogndal have surprised me for a promoted team I must admit, they are organised and not an easy team to beat and at home they will not make it easy for Molde.

Molde lost at home to Viking last week, a shocking result and they will want to bounce back, but that does not mean they will.

On paper Molde are the better team, but they does not count if you are not playing to form.

Bottom line for me is that I accept Molde are the better team but I simply do not have the confidence in them that I once had, in fact I have more confidence in Sogndal, but not enough to pick them to win.

All things considered I am going for the draw in this one.

Brann v Valerenga

I like the look of over 2.5 goals in this game.

Before the season started I had expected Valerenga to have a decent campaign, the last thing I expected was to see them 3rd from bottom at this stage of the season, however, I do remain confident that they will be able to turn their season around and begin to move up the table.

Brann are fairly solid at home and are deserved favourites for this game, they will probably win it, but I do not see them keeping Valerenga at bay for the entire match.

Basically, I see goals in this game, Brann should win but I also see Valernega scoring so the logical pick is to go for over 2.5 goals.

Häcken v Hammarby

First game back for these two after the Swedish Allsvenskan break and I am going with Hacken to get the win.

Hacken sit in eighth spot while Hammarby are 3rd from bottom and even though only three points separate the two sides, Hacken are better placed to collect all three points.

Hacken have won their last two at home, while Hammarby have lost three of their last four on the road, drawing the other one.

In better words Hacken have momentum at home wile Hammarby continue to struggle on their travels as one point from their last 12 away shows.

All things considered I am going for the home win here.

Geflev Falkenberg

Clash of the bottom two here and the one thing that is certain about these two is that they are very close to being utterly useless.

That said, this is a fairly evenly matched contest, simply because before the break they could not buy a win, in fact they both lost their last six games in the league, like I say, they are both utterly useless.

But that does not mean that there is not a pick to be had in this one, there is.

I cannot see either team winning, they simply have not shown they are capable of winning and the fact that both of them have just one single win from 12 games respectively proves that, so what does that leave us with, it leaves us with the draw.

The more I think about it the more confident I am that this game will end all square, it is basic logic, if I cannot see either winning then it must simply be a draw and that is my pick.

Start v Bodo/Glimt

A tricky game involving the bottom side against the 4th from bottom side in the Norwegian Eliteserien today.

Start have not won at home this season, they have drawn three time and lost four at their own stadium, they are on just six points out of a possible 42, in better words they are one poor team.

Bodo/Glimt are not that much better, they have massed just six points more than Start, they have managed one win and one draw on the road but lost their other four games.

However, there are clues that can help us determine the most probable winner of this game.

The Norwegian league has just returned from a five week break and on these occasions some teams return from a break a completely different side and even though they have only played one game a piece since the resumption one can already see a difference in one of the sides but not the other.

Start came back and lost, they basically carried on where they left off, it was an away game and it was against one of the top 6 sides, but it was a loss nonetheless.

Bodo/Glimt resumed their season with a home draw, but that home draw was against the league leaders Rosenborg, a very good result.

That tells me that Bodo/Glimt have come back in a positive state of mind, they can kick on from that result against Norway's top team, whereas Start are basically the same side they were before the break, they cannot have much confidence and it is hard to see them grabbing their first home win of the season.

All things considered I am going for Bodo/Glimt to cover the spread

Germany v France

Massive game for both sides with the winners going through to the final against Portugal.

France are naturally favourites, mainly because they are at home, however Germany are the World champions and remember what they did to Brazil in the world cup when the Brazilians were at home.

To be honest this one is very hard to call in terms of a winner, both sides are evenly matched and either team could end up the winner without it being a surprise.

That tells me that there is only one real pick to be had in this match up and that is the draw, for me the winner of this match will come in either extra time or on penalties and not in the 90 minutes.

All things considered I am backing the draw in this game.

Portugal v Wales

I opposed Wales against Belgium and was surprised at the brilliant performance they put in, that was no shock result, they played brilliantly and fully deserved to win the game.

Portugal had to rely on penalties to beat Poland and the truth is that the Portuguese are lucky to be in the semi finals, they have not put in a single convincing performance and have grinded out their progress to this stage, unlike Wales, I do not feel that Portugal deserve to be here.

Based on what I have seen and I have seen every single minute of every single game at the Euro's, Wales are better than Portugal, they are better organised, they are more passionate and have more belief.

I have seen nothing that shows me that Portugal are anything other than a one man team, well, over reliant on one man, that does not apply to Wales, who work as a team and do not play their game for the benefit of just Gareth Bale.

Wales will miss Aaron Ramsey, however they have shown that they operate as a team and I am very confident that they will cope just fine without Ramsey.

Ronaldo is obviously a very big danger, but he is not the player he once was and I am confident that Wales will contain him enough.

All things considered I am going for an outright Wales win

Colarado Rapids v Portland Timbers

On paper you would have to go for a Colarado win, but I am not so sure and fancy Portland to cover the spread on this one.

I was disappointed with Portland this season, they are better than their early season results have shown, but the signs are that they are finally starting to turn the corner.

In the MLS Portland are now unbeaten in their last five games, that comes after an appalling start to the season and I do now expect them to carry on with their upturn in form, they certainly have momentum.

Colorado are formidable at home, that I accept, they have won 7 from 8 and are unbeaten in their last 11 MLS games home and away, they really are in good form, there is no getting away from that and if they were playing the Portland team from early on in the season then this would be an easy win, thing is this though, they are not playing that Portland, they are playing a Portland that has bounced back to form and that changes everything.

A Portland on form is well capable of matching Colorado and their head to heads prove that, in fact last time these two teams met Portland won 4-1.

I am taking Portland to cover the spread on this one with a 0.5 goal start.

France v Iceland

Iceland have been costly for me so far but I am very confident that their luck will finally run out and that their fantastic run will come to a glorious end.

Iceland have been lucky, they beat a terrible England side, an England side that performed well below their abilities and I just cannot see France performing anywhere near as bad as what England did.

As long as France play to form they will win this game, it is just a matter of how many goals they win by and I am confident that it will be by at least two.

Iceland have done well to get this far, but they are not Wales, they do not have a sprinkling of world class players and I simply cannot see them getting anything from this game.

France -1

Sarpsborg 08 v Brann 

This game looks like it will be a very tight affair and I am going for the draw in a game that pits 7th v 8th in the Norwegian league.

Sarpsborg have been doing quite well at home recently, they have lost just once at home all season, however they have drawn three times and won only twice, so they are hardly world beaters on their own ground.

Brann have lost four from seven away from home it must be said, but they have been quite close affairs and have managed two wins and a draw, so while it is not the best record on the road, it is not the worst either.

Brann sit one place and four points above Sarpsborg, which shows how close they are to each other, their last meeting was a draw in the Norwegian cup and everything points to that being the result today.

All things considered I am going for a draw in this one.

Stabaek v Sogndal

Norwegian soccer is back after a break and we got off to a good start with our first Norwegian soccer pick winning since the resumption and I am confident that we will have another one in this match up between Stabaek and Sogndal.

I like the look of Sogndal in this one, not because I think they are world beaters but because I am of the opinion that Stabaek are very poor.

Stabaek are second bottom and have lost 4 from 6 games at home, they have just 10 points from 13 games and are really in poor form.

Sogndal are 6th from bottom on 15 points, however, they are a promoted team that are playing to form really, they have not been humiliated at all and are making a real good effort to stay above the relegation zone, they have lost just 3 times on the road and even though they have registered just the one win they are far from being an easy team to beat.

All things considered I am going for an away win

Toronto v Seattle Sounders

I have been disappointed by Seattle so far this season, I had expected more from them, they are better than what results have shown this season.

Toronto have done quite well when you consider they had to start the season playing their first eight games away from home, though it has to be said that since they have started playing at home it has been a mixed bag of results.

Toronto deserve to be favourites but I do retain some confidence in Seattle, I am expecting them to start stringing together a good set of results and while I do not expect them to beat Toronto this evening, I do not expect them to lose.

Toronto have drawn two of their last three MLS home games and I really do see tonight being their third draw in four games at home.

All things considered I am going for the draw in this game.

Germany v Italy

Germany and Italy will battle it out today for a place in the semi final of the Euro 2016 championship and it is Germany that I expect to emerge the winners after 90 minutes.

Italy have surprised me a little in this tournament and their win over Spain was impressive, but I am still not convinced that this Italian side has the quality to win this game.

Germany are world champions and they are a machine, they do what they need to do and while they are not the team that won the world cup two years ago, I still think they are the best team remaining in the competition.

I expect the Italians to put up a good show but I am confident that Germany will do enough to scrape out a win.

Germany to win.

Real Salt Lake v DC United

It is hard to see anything other than a home win for Real Salt Lake this evening.

Real Salt Lake have an excellent home record so far this season in the MLS, they have won 5 and drawn once in their 6 home games so far this season, a formidable record.

DC United on the other hand have managed just the single win from 7 away games, they have drawn 4 of them and only lost twice, however they are up against a team that wins at home and I cannot see them scraping out yet another draw and a third away loss looks on the cards.

All things considered I am going for an outright home win.

Wales v Belgium 

I would really love Wales to win this one, but alas, I do not see it happening.

I am rather confident that Belgium will win and progress to a semi final clash with Portugal.

Wales have some top players and a decent manager, they have a world class player in Gareth Bale, there is no denying that, however they do not have enough quality throughout the whole team, this was shown quite clearly when they played England. When they play a team that has more quality their vulnerabilities are exposed and in Belgium they are facing a team with more quality.

Belgium started this competition as a team of individuals, they are now playing as a team and for me they have an excellent chance of winning this competition, as long as they continue to play as a team.

All in all I am going for a Belgium win, they just have too much quality and will dominate this game in my opinion.

Belgium to win.

Lillestrom v Tromso

Norwegian soccer has returned after a break and I am confident that we will get off the mark with a winner.

These two teams tend to have goals in their games, Lillestrom have played 13 games this season and on 8 occasions have been involved in games that have featured at least 3 goals.

Tromso have also played 13 times this season in the league and have featured in 6 games that have resulted in 3 goals or more, slightly less than 50% however, their last 3 games have seen at least 3 goals, same as Lillestrom.

50% of the games between these two teams have also involved at least 3 goals.

The edge on stats is slightly with over 2.5 goals, however, that was not enough to convince me, what has convinced me has been the fact that both teams in their most recent games have had goals in it, the last 6 games that both these teams have been involved in, 3 each, have all had more than 2.5 goals and that tells me that both sides have the scoring habit but vulnerable defences and I am not convinced that the break will have helped them shore up their defences or blunt their front lines.

All things considered, this game will be over 2.5 goals.

Poland v Portugal

Not sure either of these two deserve to still be in the competition, but they are and will fight for a place in the semi finals this evening in Marseille.

Both sides have one world class player, Portugal have Ronaldo and Poland have Lewandowski and the chances are that one of these two will be the deciding factor this evening.

Portugal are slight favourites but not by much and that is probably the correct thing, but that does not mean they will win this game, I for one have very little confident in them to do so.

I also have almost no confident in Poland winning either and therefore it became quite easy for me to decide which is the best bet in this game this evening.

I am going for the draw, I just do not think either team is good enough to win in 90 minutes and that is my pick.

England v Iceland

England and Iceland play for the right to face France in the quarter finals and it is England that I expect to see win and line up against the host nation.

England have been impotent in front of goal, however, they have top scorers in their squad and it really is only a matter of time before they make that breakthrough and put a team to the sword and there is a good chance it will be Iceland.

Iceland have done well to get to this stage, but they really are not on the same level as England, they will spend most of the game defending and being on the back foot, I really do not see them getting anything from this game, they simply are not good enough.

Not only do I expect England to win, I expect them to win by at least 2 goals.

For me, this is a mismatch and I will be backing England to cover the spread.