Republic of Ireland v Greece Tips: Try 4/1 Bakasetas Bet Builder in Euro qualifier

• Anastasios Bakasetas has been scoring freely

• Ireland struggle at home against higher-ranked teams

• Bakasetas goal & Draw And Greece Bet Builder is 4/15.00

• Read Betfair's new 90 minute payout offer here

Republic of Ireland v Greece
Friday, 19:45
Live on Viaplay Sports 1

Irish have disappointed

It was always going to be tough but the Group B table makes grim reading for Republic of Ireland fans.

They've managed just three points from their five games and are 12 behind leaders France and six adrift of the Netherlands in second place.

They certainly weren't embarrassed in back-to-back defeats against the top two last month, losing 2-0 away to France and 2-1 at home to the Dutch.

But they needed to pull something out of the bag to have any chance of qualifying and it just never happened.

With no back route door via the Nations League available to them, they go into this one on the brink of elimination.

Greeks looking to do double

With France and the Netherlands always looking nailed on to qualify, the battle in this group, realistically, was who would finish third between the Republic of Ireland and Greece.

And on the evidence so far, Gus Poyet's Greeks are winning that battle comfortably. They have nine points from their five games and victory here combined with a home win over the Dutch would keep alive their hopes of a top-two spot and automatic qualification.

Greece's three wins in the group include expected home and away victories over Gibraltar by an aggregate of 8-0 and a 2-1 success over the Irish in Athens.

In that game, goals from Anastasios Bakasetas and Giorgos Masouras secured all three points, with Nathan Collins's equaliser eventually counting for nothing.

World rankings provide useful clue

Home advantage tilts the market in favour of Stephen Kenny's men and the Republic of Ireland are 6/42.50 on the Sportsbook to grab the win.

Greece are 21/103.10 to bank a fourth win of the campaign while The Draw is a shorter than usual 15/82.88 to show that this should be tight.

Looking at Ireland's home form over the last six games, it can be viewed quite neatly: they lose to teams above them in the world rankings (Netherlands, France and Norway) and beat teams beneath them (Gibraltar, Latvia and Armenia).

So, what are the rankings going into this one? It's close! Republic of Ireland 55, Greece 51. Maybe the Draw is a decent bet.

Bakasetas can help land Bet Builder

The Boys in Green have a potential ace in the pack with teenage strike sensation Evan Ferguson.

The Brighton forward was forced to miss the two recent qualifiers against France and the Netherlands but it has to be noted that he's now without a goal for Brighton in his last five outings. He was a peripheral figure in the 2-2 draw against Liverpool last time.

Ferguson could find his mojo here but I'd rather back him in the goal markets when he was flying.

Therefore, preference is for Greek captain Anastasios Bakasetas, who has been finding the back of the net regularly.

Including that strike against the Irish in Athens, the attacking midfielder has four goals in his last eight internationals and three of those have come on the road.

For his Turkish Super Lig side, Trabzonspor, he's wheeled way in celebration in two of his latest four outings.

Also Greece's penalty taker, he looks a decent bet at 7/24.50 to score anytime.

As for the outright result, I'm veering between a stalemate and an away victory so the Bet Builder play here is Bakasetas anytime as well as Draw And Greece on the Double Chance market. That pays around 4/15.00.