Dan Childs
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The last Euro 2020 action in Group A takes place on Sunday with all four teams having something to play for.
Italy’s matchup with Wales in Rome is the day’s headline encounter, which will decide which team advances as sectional winners.
Roberto Mancini’s Italy team is on six points and needs only to avoid defeat to hold onto the top spot. Wales goes into the game in second place, knowing a win would take them to the summit and a tie would make sure of qualification for the knockout rounds.
At the other end of the ladder, third-placed Switzerland takes on Turkey in Baku knowing a victory would give them a strong chance of reaching the last 16. Turkey must win if it is to finish third and have hopes of going through as one of the four best third-placed teams.
We have assembled a two-game parlay for Sunday’s Euro 2020 Group A action, so let’s dive in.
Under 2.5 goals in Italy vs. Wales (-148)
Switzerland ML and both teams to score (+230)
Parlay odds: +454
Let’s look at each leg of the recommended wager, in turn, showing the reasoning behind each selection:
Under 2.5 goals in Italy vs. Wales (-148), noon ET
Few teams have impressed Euro 2020 viewers more than Italy, which should wrap up first place with a third successive victory in Group A.
The Azzurri became the first team to qualify for the knockout rounds after 3-0 victories against Turkey and Switzerland and it will be fascinating to see how they approach the match. Roberto Mancini may look to rest a few of his star players to keep them in the best possible shape for the rest of the tournament.
Making changes could also be on the mind of Wales manager Robert Page, even though his team is not mathematically certain of reaching the next round. A low-scoring defeat could be enough for Wales to stay in second place and set up a potentially favorable matchup in the next phase.
Expect a cautious approach from Wales as it seeks to limit the damage and protect key players such as Kieffer Moore and Chris Mepham, who are one yellow card away from a suspension.
CREDIT – Sipa USA
Switzerland to beat Turkey and both teams to score (+230), noon ET
An exciting matchup can be expected between Switzerland and Turkey in Baku with both teams needing to go for the win to keep qualification hopes alive.
Turkey’s veteran manager Senol Gunes is dealing with the fallout of calamitous defeats to Italy (0-3) and Wales (0-2), and may shuffle his deck by handing chances to a few players who haven’t seen any action. Gunes dropped key defender Merih Demiral from his starting lineup against Wales and further changes could be focused on the other end of the pitch because it is a game Turkey simply must win.
Switzerland has one more point in the locker but is also in need of a victory and must try to offer more of a threat than it did in Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to Italy. The Swiss are not usually a high-scoring team but even they may be able to cut loose against Turkey and come out on top in a high-scoring game.
Don’t forget to read our same game parlay for Italy vs. Wales (+1094 odds!)
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