It’s been a busy weekend of international soccer action around the globe, with teams involved in a number of World Cup Qualifying games. In Europe, that saw action in all of the qualifying groups, as well as the Nations League semi-finals and final, a tournament that was eventually won by France, who beat Spain 2-1 in the final. With Italy beating Belgium to third spot in the tournament, those four teams will play their final Group Stage games next month, but for other teams in European World Cup qualifying, they will face another game either today or tomorrow as Matchday 8 of the competition looms. In this article, we are going to take you through each of the groups, giving you the results from Matchday 7, the latest table and then a preview and tips for Matchday 8 games. As always, the odds are provided by Bet365 and remember you don’t have to have signed up with the sports site in order to place bet. Even if you signed up with Bet365 Games, bingo, poker, Vegas or similar, you can still use your log in to access the sports betting site. Remember too, you can also bet on all these games from the United States, provided you live in a state that permits gambling, with BetRivers Sportsbook, who offer an excellent range of international soccer bets including European and South, Central and Northern American action.

World Cup Qualifying – Europe

A total of 13 teams from Europe will qualify for the World Cup Finals, ten of these will be the winners of each of the groups outlined below, with the ten runner up teams along with the two best Nations League group winners that didn’t finish in the top two of their World Cup Qualifying Group also reaching the playoffs. Those 12 teams will be drawn into three different pathways featuring two semi-finals and then a final, with one team from each of the three pathways also qualifying for Qatar 2022.  These playoff games will be played on 24^th + 25^th March 2022 (semifinals) and the finals on the 28^th + 29^th March 2022.

Group A

Matchday 7 Results

• Azerbaijan 0-3 Rep of Ireland
• Luxembourg 0-1 Serbia

Table Data shown is games played, goals for & against and total points after Matchday 7.

1. Serbia – 6, 13-7, 14 pts
2. Portugal – 5, 11-4, 13 pts
3. Luxembourg – 5, 5-9, 6 pts
4. Rep of Ireland – 6, 8-8, 5 pts
5. Azerbaijan – 6, 3-12, 1 pt

Matchday 8 Fixtures

• Portugal v Luxembourg
• Serbia v Azerbaijan

Tips With Portugal and Serbia leading the way in this group, it does look like the final matchday game between the pair in Lisbon will likely decide the group as I can see both winning their remaining games ahead of that fixtures. Take Serbia to beat Azerbaijan by a 2-0 scoreline at 5/1, while Portugal should be comfortable winners over Luxembourg, so back Cristiano Ronaldo to score the first goal here at 21/10.

Group B

Matchday 7 Results

• Georgia 0-2 Greece
• Sweden 3-0 Kosovo

Table Data shown is games played, goals for & against and total points after Matchday 7.

1. Spain – 6, 13-5, 13 pts
2. Sweden – 5, 10-3, 12 pts
3. Greece – 5, 7-4, 9 pts
4. Kosovo – 6, 3-12, 4 pts
5. Georgia – 6, 2-11, 1 pt

Matchday 8 Fixtures

• Kosovo v Georgia
• Sweden v Greece

Tips I’d forget about the Kosovo v Georgia game as there is little riding on this game, other than pride and I think it will likely end up in a draw anyway (21/10 if you fancy a bet on it). The action here is in the Sweden v Greece game. A Greece win brings them right into contention in this group, but a Sweden win will move them ahead of Spain and make Greece’s chances of qualifying very slim. At home, the Swedes are tough to beat and I see that being the case here. Take Sweden to land the win 1-0 at odds of 5/1.

Group C

Matchday 7 Results

• Lithuania 3-1 Bulgaria
• Switzerland 2-0 Northern Ireland

Table Data shown is games played, goals for & against and total points after Matchday 7.

1. Italy – 6, 12-1, 14 pts
2. Switzerland – 5, 6-1, 11 pts
3. Northern Ireland – 5, 4-5, 5 pts
4. Bulgaria – 6, 4-9, 5 pts
5. Lithuania – 6, 4-14, 3 pts

Matchday 8 Fixtures

• Bulgaria v Northern Ireland
• Lithuania v Switzerland

Tips In the first game, I think Northern Ireland and Bulgaria are probably two well-matched teams as their records suggest and as such, I think a draw is the likely outcome here, most likely 0-0. You can back the draw at 19/10 with bet365. Switzerland should win their game comfortably against Lithuania, even on the road and I fancy the pacy Breel Embolo to grab a goal in this game and he is 11/8 to be any anytime scorer here,

Group D

Matchday 7 Results

• Kazakhstan 0-2 Bosnia-Herzegovina
• Finland 1-2 Ukraine

Table Data shown is games played, goals for & against and total points after Matchday 7.

1. France – 6, 8-3, 12 pts
2. Ukraine – 6, 8-7, 8 pts
3. Bosnia & Herz – 5, 7-6, 6 pts
4. Finland – 5, 5-7, 5 pts
5. Kazakhstan – 6, 5-10, 3 pts

Matchday 8 Fixtures

• Kazakhstan v Finland
• Ukraine v Bosnia-Herzegovina

Tips In what has been a surprisingly tight group, Finland must win away in Kazakhstan to have any chance of finishing in the top two and I think they may just about do that. Back them to win 1-0 at 9/2. This group has seen a huge proportion of games finish all-square and I think that will happen in the second game between Ukraine and Bosnia-Herzegovina too, so take the 13/5 on the draw with bet365 here.

Group E

Matchday 7 Results

• Czech Republic 2-2 Wales
• Estonia 2-0 Belarus

Table Data shown is games played, goals for & against and total points after Matchday 7.

1. Belgium – 6, 21-4, 16 pts
2. Czech Rep – 6, 10-9, 8 pts
3. Wales – 5, 7-7, 8 pts
4. Estonia – 5, 8-15, 4 pts
5. Belarus – 6, 6-17, 3 pts

Matchday 8 Fixtures

• Belarus v Czech Republic
• Estonia v Wales

Tips These are two very important games tonight for both the Czechs and the Welsh and any slip ups could be huge. However, I think both teams will emerge witn the wins in these games after they shared a 2-2 draw in Prague at the weekend. Back Aaron Ramsey to score first for Wales at 11/4, while Adam Hlozek to do likewise for the Czech Republic is a 6/4 shot, both of which are appealing bets.

Group F

Matchday 7 Results

• Scotland 3-2 Israel
• Faroe Islands 0-2 Austria
• Moldova 0-4 Denmark

Table Data shown is games played, goals for & against and total points after Matchday 7.

1. Denmark – 7, 26-0, 21 pts
2. Scotland – 7, 12-7, 14 pts
3. Israel – 7, 16-14, 10 pts
4. Austria – 7, 11-13, 10 pts
5. Faroe Islands – 7, 4-16, 4 pts
6. Moldova – 7, 3-22, 1 pt

Matchday 8 Fixtures

• Denmark v Austria
• Faroe Islands v Scotland
• Israel v Moldova

Tips Denmark have romped away with this group and have not yet conceded a goal. I expect that to continue with a win here against the Austrians which would confirm the Danes place in the World Cup as group winners. Scotland need to beat the Faroe’s and I think they will, while I also expect Israel to earn a win over Moldova to keep that battle for second spot going, although I think Austria are now out of things. Back Denmark, Scotland and Israel to win but don’t expect to win millions at odds of 0.87/1.

Group G

Matchday 7 Results

• Gibraltar 0-3 Montenegro
• Latvia 0-1 Netherlands
• Turkey 1-1 Norway

Table Data shown is games played, goals for & against and total points after Matchday 7.

1. Netherlands – 7, 23-6, 16 pts
2. Norway – 7, 13-6, 14 pts
3. Turkey – 7, 17-14, 12 pts
4. Montenegro – 7, 11-9, 11 pts
5. Latvia – 7, 7-11, 5 pts
6. Gibraltar – 7, 3-28, 0 pts

Matchday 8 Fixtures

• Latvia v Turkey
• Netherlands v Gibraltar
• Norway v Montenegro

Tips This has been a surprisingly tight group with the top three teams still very much in with a shout of finishing 1^st or 2^nd but I do feel the Netherlands will eventually come through. I do feel also that the three top teams will win their respective games this week. So you can back Netherlands, Turkey and Norway all to win in a treble at 1.03/1 with bet365.

Group H

Matchday 7 Results

• Cyprus 0-3 Croatia
• Malta 0-4 Slovenia
• Russia 1-0 Slovakia

Table Data shown is games played, goals for & against and total points after Matchday 7.

1. Croatia – 7, 11-1, 16 pts
2. Russia – 7, 11-4, 16 pts
3. Slovenia – 7, 8-7, 10 pts
4. Slovakia – 7, 7-6, 9 pts
5. Malta – 7, 6-15, 4 pts
6. Cyprus – 7, 1-11, 4 pts

Matchday 8 Fixtures

• Cyprus v Malta
• Croatia v Slovakia
• Slovenia v Russia

Tips Croatia and Russia are in the battle for top spot in this group and given they face each other in Split in their final group game, that will likely be the decider in this competitive group. I fancy Croatia to beat Slovakia at home, and I think Russia may have to settle for a point away to Slovenia. The Cyprus v Malta game isn’t relevant in terms of the qualification spot, so I’d leave that game alone and instead do a Croatia win, Slovenia v Russia Draw double, which is a 3.33/1 shot with bet365.

Group I

Matchday 7 Results

• Andorra 0-5 England
• Hungary 0-1 Albania
• Poland 5-0 San Marino

Table Data shown is games played, goals for & against and total points after Matchday 7.

1. England – 7, 23-2, 19 pts
2. Albania – 7, 11-6, 15 pts
3. Poland – 7, 24-8, 14 pts
4. Hungary – 7, 12-11, 10 pts
5. Andorra – 7, 4-19, 3 pts
6. San Marino – 7, 1-29, 0 pts

Matchday 8 Fixtures

• Albania v Poland
• England v Hungary
• San Marino v Andorra

Tips England look on course to qualify from this group and if the Albania v Poland game ends in a draw and England win, then they would be assured of at least second spot and it would take ridiculous scores to stop England winning the group. That isn’t going to happen. The key game here is the Albania v Poland game with both sides badly needing the win but I am backing Albania to snatch a point here at 23/10 for the draw, while England should win against Hungary and I’m backing Raheem Sterling to score at anytime at 11/10.

Group J

Matchday 7 Results

• Germany 2-1 Romania
• Iceland 1-1 Armenia
• Liechtenstein 0-4 North Macedonia

Table Data shown is games played, goals for & against and total points after Matchday 7.

1. Germany – 7, 19-3, 18 pts
2. North Macedonia – 7, 15-6, 12 pts
3. Armenia – 7, 8-10, 12 pts
4. Romania – 7, 10-8, 10 pts
5. Iceland – 7, 7-15, 5 pts
6. Liechtenstein – 7, 2-19, 1 pt

Matchday 8 Fixtures

• Iceland v Liechtenstein
• North Macedonia v Germany
• Romania v Armenia

Tips North Macedonia stunned Germany with a win in their clash earlier in the campaign, but the Germans have since recovered from that and have won all their other games and I expect them to get their revenge here. I think Iceland beat Liechtenstein and the Romania v Armenia game will end all-square, which offers a chance of a treble bet on those three results at 4.18/1.