There are now only four teams remaining in the battle for the UEFA Euro Cup 2020 crown. Spain, Italy, England and Denmark have advanced to the semifinals of the championship race and, after Wednesday, the final two candidates will be ready to fight it out for the title. Oddsmakers have their take on who will go all the way, with sports gambling on the Euro Cup taking on new legs as the big game draws nearer.
Spain, Italy Prepare For Battle
Spain had a difficult time getting this far, but overcame Switzerland last Friday to advance. They won on penalties to score their first appearance in a major soccer tournament semifinals since 2012, equaling their best-ever Euro goals score in the process. Despite an overwhelming winning record against Switzerland, having taken 22 of 23 games, Spain had difficulty securing the victory and it came down to the legwork of Mikel Oyarzabal, whose penalty kick proved to be the decisive point.
Italy was able to conquer Belgium to reach this point, taking a 2-1 win last Friday. It was the 15th consecutive Euro victory for the Italian squad, a new record for the competition. Previously, Germany set the bar at ten in 2012, even though, that same year, they would end up losing to Italy.
England and Denmark to Square Off
Denmark has reached the semifinals for the first time since 1992. They advance after taking down the Czech Republic 2-1 on Saturday, with both goals scored in the first half. The Danes would mount a strong defense in the second half, only allowing one miscue that resulted in a goal for the Czechs. From there, excellent clock management kept Denmark alive.
England should be in relatively good shape heading into its semifinal match against Denmark. The team didn’t have to expend a huge amount of energy this weekend, taking down Ukraine 4-0 as the English squad cruised to victory. They get a little extra time to plan their next moves, too, as England and Denmark don’t meet up until this Wednesday.
Oddsmakers Laying Down the Lines
Oddsmakers have determined who they like best for the upcoming semifinals and the choices probably won’t be too surprising. Italy and Spain will play this Tuesday in London’s Wembley Stadium and Italy is a slight favorite. Having said that, though, neither team is getting a tremendous amount of support on the lines. The moneyline for the game, according to Vegas Odds, leans toward Italy at +149, with Spain getting +181. The Over/Under sits at 2.5 goals (at +124), and this is promising to be a spectacular matchup for soccer fans, as well as gamblers, everywhere.
England and Denmark face each other a day later in the same stadium, but oddsmakers have a lot more faith in one of the teams to win the match. Perhaps because it’s back on its home turf, England is getting -151. That is a long way away from the +380 oddsmakers have assigned to Denmark. The Over/Under is now 2.5 (+122). England is also the favorite to take the championship, at +145. Italy is next in line, at a distant +210. Spain and Denmark take the final two spots, with Denmark seeing the longest odds at +950.