Austria will try to avoid a major upset in its group-stage opener when it faces North Macedonia on Sunday in a 2020 UEFA European Championship match in Bucharest, Romania. The event was postponed more than a year because of the pandemic. Austria was the runner-up in its qualifying group for Euro 2020, going 6-1-3. Two of the six victories were against North Macedonia, which went 4-2-4 to finish third and had to beat Kosovo and Georgia in playoff matches to advance. The Austrians are the more talented and experienced team, but North Macedonia has proven it can be dangerous.
Kickoff is set for noon ET. Austria is the -130 favorite (risk $130 to win $100) in the latest Austria vs. North Macedonia odds from William Hill Sportsbook, and the over-under for total goals is 2.5. Before locking in any North Macedonia vs. Austria picks, be sure to see the UEFA Euro 2020 predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's soccer insider Martin Green.
After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper. Since then, his European soccer picks have been spot-on. Green has generated almost $19,000 for $100 bettors since the 2017-18 season.
Now, Green has taken an in-depth look at Austria vs. North Macedonia in Euro 2020. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are some betting lines and trends for North Macedonia vs. Austria:
- Austria vs. North Macedonia spread: Austria -0.5 (-140)
- Austria vs. North Macedonia over-under: 2.5 goals (under -170, over +140)
- Austria vs. North Macedonia money line: Austria -130, North Macedonia +440, Draw +230
- Austria: David Alaba led the Bundesliga in passes into the final third (232) with Bayern Munich.
- North Macedonia: Goran Pandev is the team's all-time leading scorer with 37 goals in 119 matches.
Why you should back Austria
Austria won the two qualifying matchups by a combined 6-2 scoreline and ranks 23rd -- 39 spots higher than North Macedonia -- in the FIFA world rankings. It also boasts one of the world's most talented players in defender David Alaba. Alaba has been named to UEFA's Team of the Year three times and has won 28 titles with Bayern Munich. The 28-year-old is a brilliant passer, completing 85 percent of his long passes and leading the Bundesliga in progressive passing distance by an outfield player for Bayern Munich last season.
The Austrians are likely to control the ball most of the match with a strong midfield featuring Marcel Sabitzer, Xaver Schlager and Stefan Lainer. Striker Marko Arnautovic, who scored twice in a 4-1 victory in the first qualifying meeting, is dangerous up top and led the team with four goals in the 10 games. Austria is 6-3-2 in its last 11 matches, with the losses to top-10 teams England and Denmark. North Macedonia scored just 12 goals in its 10 qualifying matches and allowed 13, while Austria was plus-10 in goal differential.
Why you should back North Macedonia
The squad has only been an official member of FIFA since 1994, but it has had some notable victories. The most shocking was a 2-1 victory against traditional world power Germany in a March World Cup qualifying match. That was part of its current four-game unbeaten run where it has outscored opponents 12-2. It has gone 7-4-2 over the past two years, scoring 26 goals and allowing 14. It fought hard in the most recent matchup with Austria, and manager Igor Angelovski has had more than 18 months to plan further adjustments.
Veteran striker Goran Pandev is 37 years old, but he remains a dangerous finisher and his leadership will play a key role. He had two goals and an assist in nine qualifying matches and had a hand in 10 goals with Genoa in Italy's Serie A. He will get support from Ejif Elmas and Enis Bardhi, who could cause trouble for the Austrian defense. It yielded nine goals in 10 qualifying matches. The 21-year-old Elmas is an exciting young player and has five goals in 25 matches for the national team, while Bardhi has five in 32 appearances.
How to make North Macedonia vs. Austria Euro 2020 picks
Now, Green has taken a deep look into the Austria vs. Macedonia matchup. He's leaning over on the goal total and he's locked in a pair of best bets, including one that brings a plus-money return. He's only sharing the picks at SportsLine.
So who wins North Macedonia vs. Austria? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Austria vs. North Macedonia, all from the European soccer expert who has generated nearly $19,000 for $100 bettors since the 2017-18 season.
