Match Scenario:

Ukraine and Belgium face off in a match where neither team knows in advance what result will be sufficient to advance. They only know that a victory will secure progression as either the group winner or runner-up, while a loss could mean elimination. This depends on the outcome of the other group match between Slovakia and Romania. In that match, a draw almost guarantees advancement for both teams, which is why the odds for a draw are nearly 2.

Expected Match Flow:

I expect Belgium to dominate the game. They have controlled both of their first two matches but only have 3 points to show for it, putting them at risk of elimination. Lukaku must be the unluckiest player of the tournament. He has scored 3 goals, all of which were disallowed, and he must be desperate to score a goal that counts. I don’t think Ukraine will get many chances in this match.

Betting Tip:

I’m betting on Ukraine to score 0 goals in the match at attractive odds of 2.55. I don’t expect Ukraine to have many opportunities to score against Belgium, and it seems very likely that Belgium will secure a safe 1-2 goal victory. It will be exciting to see which two teams advance. If both matches end in a draw, Ukraine will be eliminated with 4 points, while teams in other groups might advance with just 2 or 3 points.