Wales can’t afford to lose this crunch clash with Croatia if they are to qualify for Euro 2024 as a defeat would leave them six points behind the top two in Group D with only a brace of games to go.
Wales vs Croatia Betting Tips
- Croatia to win @ 1/1 with bet365
- Croatia to win 2-0 @ 15/2 with bet365
- Bruno Petkovic to score at any time @ 12/5 with bet365
All odds are courtesy of bet365, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change
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Wales on the verge of elimination
On the back of Gareth Bale’s retirement and with them nursing injuries to Aaron Ramsey and Brennan Johnson, Wales are lacking both creativity and conviction in the final third.
And that lack of firepower means they are there for the taking against Croatia, who can all-but guarantee their place at Euro 2024 next summer with victory in Cardiff.
The Blazers suffered a 1-0 loss at home to Turkey on Thursday but that setback should have them fully motivated to respond against a Wales side that they have not lost to in seven previous attempts.
It was 1-1 when these two teams locked horns in March but it was a fixture Croatia dominated as they won the shot count 19-4 and were undone by an injury-time equaliser from Nathan Broadhead that was Wales’ only effort on target.
Croatia have ground out a 2-0 win in Turkey and a 1-0 victory in Armenia in their only two qualifying away games and one goal may be enough to land the spoils in Wales, given the hosts’ struggles in front of goal.
Wales vs Croatia Tip 1: Croatia to win @ 1/1 with bet365
Croatian defence should stand firm
Croatia’s 1-0 defeat to Turkey on Thursday was their first reverse in their last eight internationals and it was only the second goal they have conceded from five matches in qualifying.
In fact, Zlatko Dalic’s side have kept clean sheets in three of their last four internationals which includes shutting out Spain in the Nations League final in June.
That defensive discipline ought to serve them well against Wales who, at times, have looked toothless in attack and have fired blanks in four of their last nine internationals.
So given what is on the line, tensions are bound to be riding high and it looks likely to be a low-scoring contest - under 2.5 goals has landed in four of Wales’s five qualifying matches.
With all of that considered, a bet on Croatia to win 2-0 could reap the rewards. The visitors have scored exactly twice in four of their last six meetings with Wales while that was the scoreline when the Blazers triumphed in Turkey in March.
Wales vs Croatia Tip 2: Croatia to win 2-0 @ 15/2 with bet365
Petkovic may get the nod in away attack
With Petar Musa failing to make the most of his opportunity when spearheading Croatia’s attack against Turkey, the vastly experienced Bruno Petkovic may be drafted back in to lead the line.
Petkovic has six goals in his last six appearances for club side Dinamo Zagreb and he has ten goals in his 32 caps for Croatia.
With star forward Andrej Kramaric still missing through injury, the 29-year-old looks a likely goalscorer candidate and at 12-5 he makes plenty of appeal to get on the scoresheet.
Wales vs Croatia Tip 3: Bruno Petkovic to score at any time @ 12/5 with bet365