Success! Thank you for signing up to Independent Betting
Armenia vs Wales predictions:
- Under 2.5 goals – 4/5 BetGoodwin
- Harry Wilson to score any time – 11/4 BoyleSports
- Over 8.5 corners – 4/5 Unibet
Wales face a huge showdown against Armenia on the road in their bid to qualify for Euro 2024 on Saturday (2pm).
Robert Page’s side secured a massive result last time out by defeating Croatia 2-1 at Cardiff City Stadium to move into second place in Group D.
Qualification is now within their grasp, although they face two tests of character against Armenia and then group leaders Turkey in their final game.
Wales will be without captain Aaron Ramsey due to injury, but Page will have Brennan Johnson back in the fold after he missed the win over Croatia, while Joe Morrell is also available after serving a two-match ban.
Armenia will pose a test for the Dragons in their Euros ambitions. Oleksandr Petrakov’s side stunned Wales in Cardiff by producing a 4-2 victory as Lucas Zelarayan and Grant-Leon Ranos scored twice for the visitors.
At home they only suffered narrow defeats to both Turkey and Croatia, although they were beaten 2-0 last time out by Lativa on the road. So, Armenia should not be overlooked as an easy opponent.
Despite the result in Cardiff, UK bookmakers have installed Wales as the odds-on favourites to win the game, but it should be a tight affair with so much at stake for Page and his team.
A low scoring game?
The result in Cardiff between the teams was shocking not only for the outcome, but also the scoreline. Page’s men have only conceded eight goals in six games during their qualifying campaign and half came from that one fixture.
It was an open contest that flowed from end-to-end, and the quality of finishing from Zelarayan and Ranos was outstanding.
This is reflected in the statistics as Armenia posted a 1.28 expected goals (xG) rating based on their opportunities in the final third, scoring with all four of their shots on target. So, we’re unlikely to see finishing of that standard again from Petrakov’s side.
Wales have not been prolific in front of goal either, notching only eight goals in six games. The return of Johnson could provide a boost, especially since Kieffer Moore has lacked gametime at Bournemouth.
Wales will be relying on their attacking midfielders rather than strikers for goals. Harry Wilson is their top scorer with three strikes in qualifying, while Dan James has been in good form for Leeds in the Championship.
Given Armenia’s results against Turkey and Croatia, they may sit back and absorb pressure, which could lead to a low-scoring game. With our first Armenia vs Wales prediction, we’re taking under 2.5 goals at 4/5 with BetGoodwin.
Armenia vs Wales Tip 1: Under 2.5 goals – 4/5 BetGoodwin
Wilson to make his mark again?
Wilson was Wales’ match-winner against Croatia, scoring twice at Cardiff City Stadium. The Fulham midfielder produced two brilliant finishes to steer the Dragons to victory.
The first came from a sublime run and deft touch over Dominik Livakovic before glancing a precise header away from the Croatia keeper for his second.
You would never know the 26-year-old had not scored all season until then such was his composure under pressure.
To reach major finals, players need to produce and Wilson has shown that he can shine under the spotlight. Wilson is Wales’ leading scorer in qualifying with three goals, but he has also been a regular in firing efforts at the target.
He has registered a team-high 14 attempts, and fired seven of those strikes on target.
Wilson has a reliable left boot and is always a threat in and around the box. This game may need a moment of magic and we’re backing Wilson to provide it.
With our second Armenia vs Wales prediction, we’re backing Wilson to score any time at odds of 11/4 with BoyleSports.
Armenia vs Wales Tip 2: Harry Wilson to score any time – 11/4 BoyleSports
Over or under for corners?
The line has been set at 8.5 for corners in the game by football betting sites, which reflects the games that Wales have played in during qualifying.
Wales are averaging 3.67 corners per game, while their opponents are averaging 3.83. In the previous meeting between the sides, the contest was free flowing, allowing both teams to have use of the ball in the final third.
Armenia were clinical on the break and didn’t need to use set-pieces, while Wales opted to retain possession and build.
However, Wilson’s goal in that game came from a corner, so there is certainly value for Page’s men to try to earn a few set-pieces to test the hosts’ defensive capabilities.
The game between Wales and Croatia contained 10 corners and their previous contest with Latvia had 11, so these matches are trending towards the over in regard to the line.
We’re using our final Armenia vs Wales prediction to back over 8.5 corners at 4/5 with Unibet.
Armenia vs Wales Tip 3: Over 8.5 corners – 4/5 Unibet
Updated by
Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM
