International Friendly football betting - Italy vs Cameroon

Current World Cup Holders Italy will defend their title this summer and will use tonight`s game against Cameroon to continue their preparation for the competition, held in South Africa. Marcelo Lippi, Italy`s manager, says he has selected all but six players to form his twenty-three man squad and will probably look to test out some of his fringe players tonight to complete the list.

The hosts are favourites for the match at 5/6 (bet £60 to win £50 profit), leaving Cameroon as underdogs at 4/1. Italy had a poor 2009 by their standards and managed to win only seven of their fifteen matches, including three of their last seven. Last time out they beat Cyprus 3-2. Cameroon will also have been disappointed by their recent form, and they won only one of their four matches at the African Cup of Nations, losing to lowly Gabon in the process. The draw is available at 5/2 for tonight`s game.

The bookmakers have made a 1-0 win for Italy the favourite score for the match at 5/1, ahead of a 1-1 draw, which is 13/2 with Skybet. 2-0 to the hosts is 7/1 and 2-1 is 17/2, with a goalless draw available at the same price. A surprise 1-0 win for Cameroon is at 11/1 with Skybet, and the same firm are best price on a 2-0 win for the visitors, offering 28/1 on such an upset.

Nineteen year-old Inter striker Mario Balotelli has been made joint-favourite to open the scoring tonight at 9/2, along with Sampdoria`s Giampaolo Pazzini, followed by Antonio Di Natale and Fabio Quagliarella, both at 11/2, with Simone Pepe. Balotelli`s Inter team-mate Samuel Eto`o is seen as Cameroon`s best hope of scoring the first goal tonight and the striker is 8/1 to do so.

Italy are 21/10 with William Hill to lead tonight at both half-time and full-time and are generally available at 7/2 to win the match after drawing at half-time. Coral offer 5/1 that both halves end in a draw, with Boylesports going 10/1 on Cameroon leading at both the interval and the final whistle. Cameroon are 11/1 to win the match after drawing at half-time.

The Azzuri are not getting any younger but with age comes experience and the bookmakers have made them fifth favourites to lift the World Cup this summer at 12/1. Cameroon are not given much of a chance and a priced at 110/1 with Skybet.

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