International Friendly betting - Italy vs Netherlands

Italy take on the Netherlands in an international friendly that both teams will want to win in order to build momentum going into next year`s World Cup in South Africa. Both teams have qualified top of their groups with 24 points from a possible 30. The 2006 World Champions will have home advantage for the tie and will hope that their famous defensive organisation can contain the attacking prowess of the Netherlands, although in qualifying Italy scored more and conceded more than their Dutch counterparts.

Italy are favourites for the game but not by much and are priced at 6/4 (bet $40 to win $60 profit) leaving the visitors as 2/1 underdogs. Last time the sides met, however, the match was very one-sided and the men in orange ran out 3-0 winners with an excellent display of free-flowing football. The draw is priced at 9/4 but Italy have drawn only two of their last eleven fixtures in all competitions.

As the teams are hard to separate, a 1-1 draw has been made the favourite result by the bookmakers at 6/1, just ahead of 1-0 to Italy at 7/1. A 1-0 win for the Netherlands is 8/1 along with a 0-0 draw at the same price. 0-0 was the result of the Netherlands` last game as they failed to break down a resilient Australian side. Italy won their last game 3-2, and a repeat of that scoreline is priced at 40/1.

Alberto Gilardino of Fiorentina is joint-favourite with Arsenal`s Robin van Persie to open the scoring tonight at 13/2. The Italian has scored four goals in his three appearances in qualifying this year and looks set to start tonight, while Van Persie has failed to score in any of his three appearances so far in 2009 but is in excellent form for his club. Giuseppe Rossi and Antonio Di Natale are next, both at 7/1 and the Netherlands` next most likely is Milan striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar at 8/1.

The Azzurri are 10/3 to be winning at both half-time and full-time, just ahead of both halves to be drawn at 4/1. Netherlands/Netherlands is 9/2, further showing how close the two teams are judged to be. Italy are 5/1 to win after drawing at half-time and Holland are 6/1 for the same feat.

The teams are both among the favourites at 14/1 to win the World Cup next year and will be pleased to have the opportunity to test themselves against similar quality opposition.

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