The Obscure Betting Column: The weekend's best bets from the Czech Republic, Denmark and Romania

The Joker's Bet Of The Day / Ben Lyttleton / 26 September 2008 / Leave a Comment

The Obscure Betting Boys are at it again, looking for more bizare betting opportunities from across Europe's less fashionable leagues.

Brno v Kladno in Czech Republic

Brno have lost their last two home games to Sparta and Mlada Boleslav
but they welcome a Kladno side to the Mestsky Stadium this weekend that will be without three key players in defenders Pavel Bartos, Patrick Gross and the midfielder Ondrej Szabo. For a squad as small as theirs, that could cost them dear. At one end of the pitch, goalkeeper Roman Pavlik is struggling for form. He dropped a clanger for the winner against Mlada, while goals are also a problem, with only six scored in their first seven games. The joint-coaches Martin Hridel and Stanislav Hejkal reportedly do not see eye-to-eye, a conflict that will surely filter down to the players if it is not resolved soon. Brno's coach, Petr Ulicny, on the other hand,remains popular and the players enjoy his offensive style of football. The team start the weekend in sixth but should move up and end their poor run at home.

Back BRNO to beat KLADNO at [1.46]
Rapid Bucharest v Arges Pitesti in Romania

The pressure is mounting on Rapid's Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro after a run of four games without a win, so a home fixture against 11th-placed Argesn Pitesti, whose one win in their last four came against rock-bottom Otopeni, has become vital to his future. Peseiro raided his country in a summer recruitment drive that saw him sign 12 Portuguese, Brazilian and Argentine players, among them the wonderfully-named Claudio Pitbull, a striker whose bark, so far, has been worse than his bite (no goals in his first two appearances). Pitesti are famous for being Adrian Mutu's first club and how they would like to have a talent like him on their books. They are reliant on Ivory Coast youth international Youssuf Kamara for goals, while their midfield craft comes from ex-Cluj star Zoran Milosevic. Both should start but expect Rapid to get the points they need: otherwise the Uefa Cup tie against Wolfsburg, where they lost the first leg 1-0, could be Peseiro's last match.

Back RAPID to beat ARGES at [1.48]

OB go into this weekend's round of Danish Cup games top of the Superliga and facing a nice trip to first division side FC Amager, who are still in shock after losing their last league match at home 7-1. They can expect little sympathy from OB, who have recovered since losing 4-0 at Midtjylland to win their last four matches. In-form Senegalese forward Baye Djiby Fall is expected to be rested for the game, but coach Lars Olsen, formerly Denmark boss, has an experienced squad to call on that includes Thomas Helveg, Morten Bisgaard and, bizarrely, Eric Djemba-Djemba. That quality should prove too much for Amager and over 2.5 goals is the bet here.

Over 2.5 GOALS at [1.7]