Friday's International Football Tips: Bank on clean sheets for Mexico and Hungary

Guatemala v Czechia Tip - Back 9/43.25 fast starting Czechs

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Friday 5 June 01:00 kick-off

The Czechs are rightly firm favourites in New Jersey as they prepare for a first World Cup in 20 years, with Guatemala ranked 96 in the world and coming off a 7-0 hammering by Algeria last time out.

It's been a long trip over for the European side but Guatemala haven't really shown any signs of late of being able to capitalise on any jet leg. Instead, we'll back the Czechs to maintain their fast starts and take advantage of their opposition's deficiencies at the back.

Mexico v Serbia Tip - Another clean sheet for hosts

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Friday 5 June 03:00 kick-off

Mexico are unbeaten in seven games as they prepare to host part of World Cup 2026, and they're heavy odds-on shots to win again against a Serbia side lacking any kind of spark having failed to qualify for this summer's tournament.

Serbia have lost five of eight, including a 3-0 reverse against Cape Verde on Sunday that made it 10 of 11 defeats seeing them draw a blank. Eight of Mexico's last nine wins came with a clean sheet, while they're unbeaten at home in 22 matches, conceding just seven goals and keeping 16 clean sheets in that span.

Slovakia v Montenegro Tip - Visitors to hold sloppy Slovakia

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Friday 5 June 17:30 kick-off

These two both won on Monday - Montenegro earning a 1-0 win in Bulgaria and Slovakia a less impressive 2-1 success over Malta - but they're 4/71.57 favourites to win at home for a sixth time in seven matches.

It's now back-to-back away wins for Montenegro after a shocking run, and with Slovakia getting out of jail with only a 97th minute winner seeing them beat Malta, they're clearly not at their best for these summer friendlies. So I think the visitors can earn a creditable draw here.

Moldova v Bulgaria Tip - Welcome win for visitors

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Friday 5 June 18:00 kick-off

A 3-2 defeat in Cyprus on Saturday made it four straight defeats for Moldova and 11 losses in 12 outings (D1). It was just the second time they've managed to score twice in that span though, so every cloud...

Bulgaria lost eight of 10 (D2) during their recent long winless streak before three wins, two admittedly against Indonesia and the Solomon Islands - and they were back to losing ways at home to Montenegro on Monday.

So this is a tough one to call with the visitors favourites who really should be winning this against a Moldova side without a goal in their last three home games. So we'll go with Bulgaria - just.

Hungary v Finland Tip - Another blank for Finland

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Friday 5 June 18:45 kick-off

Finland were hammered 4-0 in Germany on Sunday and are big underdogs again facing Hungary in Budapest. The hosts struggled in two March friendlies with their heartbreak at failing to make the World Cup still fresh in the mind.

Hungary still didn't concede in those two games though, drawing 0-0 with Greece and beating Slovenia 1-0, and they'll want to give their fans something so to shout about here.

Finland have lost four of six away from home, drawing a blank in three of those so this game doesn't line up well for them at all. The last four head-to-heads have been wins to nil, three for Hungary, and this looks all set up for another.

Paraguay v Nicaragua Tip - Under 3.5 home win the sweet spot

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Friday 5 June 23:15 kick-off

Paraguay are on their way to the World Cup but taking the long road, losing to Morocco over in France and now returning to Asuncion before heading to California for their tournament base. Nicaragua have been putting in the air miles too, drawing 0-0 in South Africa on Friday.

Paraguay being such huge favourites here makes it another testing betting heat, but they haven't been blowing teams away at home - four of their last six have gone under 2.5 goals, with all of them under 3.5, while all five wins have had under four goals and three of them under three.

Generally the opposition has been much better than this so under 2.5 is a stretch, but under 3.5 in a game set to have plenty of changes and after plenty of travel looks like the sweet spot.

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