FOOTBALL: SPREAD BETTING

THE RECEIVED wisdom about France is "good team, but no striker". That may well be true, especially as Kenny Dalglish, with no great record in recruiting overseas attackers this past year, is apparently lining up Stephane Guivarc'h but the host nation still have a relatively easy passage to the next round.

The best way to take advantage of this happy coincidence is to tag France finishing top of Group H and the other seeds winning their groups with City Index. Each team living up to its top ranking - Brazil, Italy, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Romania, and Argentina - earns 25 points and City offer 123-127.

It's not hard to see why this quote is on the rise. Five winners out of eight and a buy sees you lose just two points, one more and a gain of 23 is yours. Spain may be edged out by Nigeria, Yugoslavia are a danger to Germany and we are duty-bound to insist that Romania will not top England's group but that still makes 125.

The advised caution on accepting the perceived wisdom about a card frenzy on the opening day proved worthwhile - just four yellows in two games - but Bulgaria v Paraguay, who had the second and third worst disciplinary records respectively in qualification, stands out as potent in this regard.

No one can expect a repeat of the performance in 1994 by the Syrian referee, Jamal Al-Sharif, who sent off two and booked eight in the powder-puff game between Bulgaria and Mexico, but this could be a busy day for Adbul Rhaman al Zeid from Saudi Arabia.