Thursday football tips: Crunch time for Wales’ World Cup dream

Wales can take another step towards ending their 64-year wait to reach a World Cup when they play host to Austria in one of four World Cup playoff games taking place across Europe.

The various races to make this winter’s finals in Qatar are reaching their conclusion across the globe with crunch games in South America and Asia also taking place. Scotland will have to wait to find out if they are heading to the World Cup and in the meantime take on Poland in a friendly.

Today's best accumulator bets

Bets to be placed by 7.45pm Thursday

Portugal to beat Turkey

Sweden to beat Czech Republic

Under 2.5 goals in Wales v Austria

Ecuador or draw double result v Paraguay

Click here to find out why we fancy this 4-1 fourfold

Click here to add our football accumulator to your bet365 betslip with the fourfold paying over 4-1

Not got a bet365 account? Bet £10 & get £50 in free bets

Open account offer. Minimum deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as bet credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Minimum odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude bet credits stake. Time limits/T&Cs apply. 18+ begambleaware.org

CLAIM OFFER HERE

Wales v Austria

Sky Sports Main Event, 7.45pm Thursday

Wales will be confident of seeing off Austria given their excellent record in Cardiff but may not have things all their own way. Marko Arnautovic is a tantalising price to open the scoring having bagged nine for Bologna in Serie A this season.

Best bet
Marko Arnautovic first goalscorer

Click here to read the full preview

Scotland v Poland

Sky Sports Football, 7.45pm Thursday

This hastily arranged friendly is likely to be of little interest to a Poland side with a big World Cup playoff tie on the horizon and John McGinn could take advantage against the distracted visitors by bagging from his more advanced role in the Scotland side.

Best bet
John McGinn to score at any time

Click here to read the full preview

Bet of the day

Uruguay to beat Peru and under 3.5 goals
Premier Sports 2 11.30pm Thursday

Uruguay can take a giant step towards securing qualification for the World Cup by securing victory over Peru, who are the lowest scoring side amongst the top six in the South American standings.

Read the rest of Dan Childs’s international football tips here

Card bet of the day

Italy v North Macedonia
Sky Sports Arena, 7.45pm Thursday

Leeds fans will be happy to know North Macedonia’s Ezgjan Alioski hasn’t changed his antagonistic attitude and looks primed to land himself in hot water against Italy. Now playing for Al Ahli Saudi in Saudi Arabia, Alioski has been booked nine times in his domestic league this season, while he was also carded in North Macedonia’s last outing against Romania.

Best bet
Ezgjan Alioski to be booked

Click here to read our preview of Italy v North Macedonia