Our tipster fancies Iceland to stay cool against Ukraine on Sunday night!
Sunday night is crunch time for several nations in UEFA World Cup qualification as the road to the 2026 tournament becomes clearer.
As more sides confirm their places, Iceland and Ukraine face a straight battle for a playoff spot from Group D and Erling Haaland’s red-hot Norway take on Italy in Milan.
Ahead of Sunday’s crunch matches, Paddy Power News football tipster Feargal Brennan is on international duty with four value picks that add up to a super Bet Builder.
5pm: Serbia v Latvia
Serbia to win to nil
5pm: Ukraine v Iceland
Double Chance: Iceland or draw
Both teams to score: Yes
7:45pm: Italy v Norway
Both teams to score: Yes
A Bet Builder with these bets pays at approximately 9/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
Serbia v Latvia
WHEN: Sunday 16th of November, 17:00
WHERE: Dubočica Stadium, Leskovac.
Serbia to win to nil
England stormed over the qualification line as Group K winners with seven wins from seven and 20 goals scored plus zero conceded.
A 2-0 home win over Serbia on Thursday night has already confirmed how the group will end up as Albania clinched second spot and the playoffs.
Serbia cannot be moved from third place – but their Nations League form could still seal a back door playoff route – and they will be looking to end qualifying on a high.
Seven points and three clean sheets from their first three qualifiers promised plenty over the summer, but two dismantling defeats to England has derailed Veljko Paunović’s team.
They have only conceded two goals from five games, either side of that double England loss, and a statement win over Latvia will boost confidence as the playoff permutations are worked out.
Ukraine v Iceland
WHEN: Sunday 16th of November, 17:00
WHERE: Polish Army Stadium, Warsaw.
Double Chance: Iceland or draw
Group K might be settled, but there’s plenty on the line in Group D, as Iceland and Ukraine fight for the playoffs.
France’s 4-0 win over Ukraine in midweek confirmed their place as group winners and automatic qualifiers, with Iceland and Ukraine tied on seven points each, ahead of the meeting in neutral Warsaw.
Goal difference is the first tiebreaker, and Iceland have a seven-goal edge in that column, despite losing 5-3 at home to Ukraine in October.
Iceland only need a draw, and their 2-0 shutout win in Azerbaijan shows they are ready to grit it out if needed, as Ukraine aim to rouse themselves from a punishing loss in Paris.
Both teams to score: Yes
Neither side have that Nations League safety net underneath them which means it’s all-or-nothing in the Polish capital.
Ukraine will have no choice but to be on the front foot, and Serhiy Rebrov’s team are strong in attack, with five scored in three games, as France kept them out twice.
Iceland have scored 13 in total so far, with a goal scored in all five qualifiers, and if Ukraine gain an advantage they will be confident of a response.
Ukraine have failed to keep a clean sheet in the group and this game has the makings of a real cracker with so much at stake.
Italy v Norway
WHEN: Sunday 16th of November, 19:45
WHERE: San Siro, Milan.
Both teams to score: Yes
And finally to Milan as Italy host Haaland and Norway at the San Siro.
Norway have absolutely rocketed to a first World Cup since 1998 thanks to seven wins from seven qualifiers.
Haaland has been at the forefront, as UEFA qualification’s top scorer with 14 goals, and Norway are the leading scorers in Europe’s qualifiers with 33.
Top spot in Group I was sealed in midweek, as Ståle Solbakken’s team swatted aside Estonia in Oslo, and Haaland netted twice in a 4-1 win.
The pressure is off here, with Italy confirmed as second place and in the playoffs, plus Gennaro Gattuso’s team have scored 20 qualifier goals themselves.
Sunday’s World Cup tips
5pm: Serbia v Latvia
Serbia to win to nil
5pm: Ukraine v Iceland
Double Chance: Iceland or draw
Both teams to score: Yes
7:45pm: Italy v Norway
Both teams to score: Yes
A Bet Builder with these bets pays at approximately 9/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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