Euro 2008 started a little lackadaisically, but it has certainly picked up in the past week. In-running punters and, in particularly buyers of the time of the last match goal, will be licking their lips at the prospect of Friday night’s contest between Croatia and Turkey. The Turks have scored in injury time in their last two games and they scored an incredible three goals in the last 15 minutes to put them through against the Czechs.

Croatia have improved markedly in recent years and this is backed up by their 2-1 win over Germany in this year’s group phase being their third in succession against a top-10 team under Slaven Bilic. Buyers of Croatia supremacy at 0.6 will be encouraged that against teams outside the world’s top 10, they have won 10, drawn 5 and only lost once since the start of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. Buyers will also be pleased to hear that they have never been beaten by the Turks, although they have only played three times and two have been draws. The Croats have won four of their last five, but they have only scored more than one goal in the 2-1 win over Germany.

Buyers of total goals at 2.3 will be concerned that only one of the last six games involving Croatia has seen more than 2 goals. However, they will be much happier when they hear that the last five games involving Turkey average 3.4 goals and the last time these two sides met in 2003, it ended 2-2. Turkey’s defence isn’t especially strong which will also please those buyers. In competitive matches away from home since the start of the 2002 World Cup qualifers, they have only kept a clean sheet in 2 out of 11 against teams ranked in the top 20. At major tournaments since 2000, they have kept a clean sheet in only 5 of 14 (just one was against a team ranked in the top 20).

World Champions Italy breathed a huge sigh of relief on Tuesday night when they managed to beat their old adversaries France, and Holland came through for them against Romania. Sporting Index have the Spanish as marginal 0-0.2 favourites and buyers will be hoping they can continue their run of four unbeaten games against the Italians. The last time they were beaten by the Azzurri was back in the quarter finals of USA ’94, but there have been four draws in the nine contests, which will be of interest to extra time and penalties punters. Total goals buyers will be concerned that prior to the tournament, four of Spain’s previous five games had only seen one goal. However, eight goals were scored in their opening two matches in the competition. Spain have also scored in 17 of their last 18 games.

Similarly to the Croatia v Turkey game, there will be plenty of interest in the time of the last goal, as Spain have scored in the 90th minute in both of their first two group games, whilst Van Bronkhorst scored in the 80th minute in the game between Holland and Italy. Two of the last three meetings between these two have had no bookings, even though they were both friendlies. Buyers of bookings at around 46 will be hoping that the trend of the Italian games at this tournament will be followed in this one. In their three group games the average bookings total has made up 60. However, those expecting a bloodbath should tread with caution. Spain’s first two games have only seen two bookings.

Click here to go to Sporting index