Greece vs Netherlands prediction: EUROPE: Euro – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-10-15 18:45.
It’s hard to think of a more fascinatingly poised fixture in this month’s round of UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers than Monday’s meeting between Greece and the Netherlands. For the hosts, a first major tournament finals appearance in ten years is a very real prospect and could be secured here with a 4+ goal victory, as they currently sit second, three points above their upcoming opponents, albeit having played one game more.
Gus Poyet’s side have scored in the opening 20 minutes of all four qualifiers in which they’ve found the net during this current cycle, and another fast start could be key to bettering their poor recent H2H record (W1, D1, L8). Poyet doesn’t have good memories of facing Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman either, having lost 8-0 to him in 2014 when the pair were in charge of Sunderland and Southampton respectively, which makes the 3-0 reverse suffered by Greece in this campaign’s reverse fixture seem tame by comparison.
That victory last month was sealed thanks to an impressive first-half showing by the Netherlands, but after losing 2-1 against France on Friday, Koeman’s side will be targeting three points here as a three-goal win would see them leapfrog Greece and crucially put automatic qualification in their own hands. Both nations do, however, have the safety net of a play-off place if things go awry for them in Group B thanks to their performances in the UEFA Nations League.
They’ll hope not to need that play-off spot, but there is an unlikely scenario here in which their group stage failings could be confirmed. The Netherlands will be forced to settle for that play-off spot if they lose here by four or more goals, but considering only once in their Euro qualification history have they been defeated by such a margin, it seems highly unlikely their fate will be sealed here.
Players to watch: Only Kylian Mbappé has scored more in Group B than Georgios Masouras, who has bagged five times in six qualifiers for Greece, with three of those serving as the final goal of the game. Denzel Dumfries is already enjoying an extremely productive season from right wing-back, racking up eight goal involvements (G2, A6) for club and country, including three assists in as many qualifiers.
Hot stat: The last time the Netherlands scored and lost away from home was in March 2021.