Euro 2020 Qualifying Playoff Finals Odds & Predictions – November 12

• The final four places for the 2020 European Championships will be decided on Thursday, November 12
• These ‘pathway’ finals take place in Budapest, Belfast, Belgrade, and Tbilisi
• We list the odds for all four games, offering our best picks for each

The final four places in next summer’s UEFA European Championships are up for grabs on Thursday, November 12 when the playoff finals of the four pathways take place.

The playoffs were effectively a ‘second-chance’ for the top 16 teams in the Nations League who didn’t qualify for the Euros automatically. The semifinals took place in early October and, as a result, the 16 were whittled down to Thursday’s eight finalists.

We list the odds for each game, followed by a best bet for each.

Euro 2020 Qualifying Playoff Finals Odds

All odds taken Nov 11 at DraftKings

Path 1: Hungary vs Iceland

Iceland travel to Budapest’s Puskas Arena, hoping to qualify for only their second European Championship finals. Four years ago, in France 2016, the Icelanders made it to the quarterfinal stage in their first major tournament. It was a thrilling ride for them and their fervent supporters and so they’ll be after more of the same next summer. Their incentive to beat Hungary is huge.

However, since the 2016 Euros, Iceland have not been particularly good travelers and would have much preferred this game to have been played in Reykjavík. They are also in a fairly ordinary run of form with defeats by Denmark and Belgium in the UEFA Nations League in their last two games, following their narrow 2-1 win over Romania in their playoff semifinal.

Hungary, by contrast, come into this in decent shape; unbeaten in their last three while conceding just one goal in the process. To qualify for this playoff final they traveled to Sofia, Bulgaria, and came away with an outstanding 3-1 victory and so, on paper at least, look well equipped here for the win.

Iceland will dig deep, that much is guaranteed, and it will be close, but with the home win in plus money, the value is with Hungary.

Pick: Hungary to win (+145)

Path 2: Northern Ireland vs Slovakia

Northern Ireland, like Iceland, had an outstanding Euro 2016 and made it beyond the group phase before losing narrowly to Wales in the round-of-16. They too have had their appetite whetted and will be desperate for the Green and White Army to follow them to next summer’s finals, adding noise and color along the way just as they did in France.

🙌 Spirits are high ahead of Thursday's big game 🔥 #GAWA 💚 pic.twitter.com/7UfQg2AJZv

— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) November 10, 2020

The Irish start as narrow favorites, in part due to the good record they have in Belfast’s Windsor Park, but this is tough to call with so little to choose between these two. On paper, this is one of the hardest of the four games to predict as reflected by the odds, which separate the teams by very little.

The Slovakians qualified for this final courtesy of a penalty shootout win over the Ulstermen’s closest neighbors, the Republic of Ireland, but since then have lost away to Scotland and at home to Israel – both games in the Nations League. Their form is poor and it’s for that reason  I think Northern Ireland may edge this. It may however take more than 90 minutes to get a result and so, for me, there’s some value here with the draw.

Pick: Northern Ireland and Slovakia to draw (+195)

Path 3: Serbia vs Scotland

A massive Tartan Army would normally follow the Scots to such a huge tie and would enhance their team’s chances of victory, but it’s an empty Rajko MiticStadium in Belgrade that will host Thursday’s match. The Serbs start as odds-on favorites, partly due to their thrilling away win in Norway that set up this final, but this one is going to be much closer than the bookies are predicting.

A good morning's training.

Next up: 🛫#SRBSCO pic.twitter.com/cBKkGX63O7

— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) November 11, 2020

Key to the Serbs’ chances will be three keys players known as their “trio fantastico” – Ajax’s Dusan Tadic, Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic Savic. If these three are allowed to dominate in the way Serbia manager Mladen Krstajić hopes then there’s every chance of a home win but the Scots will know how key it is to nullify that triple threat.

💪🏻🇷🇸🦅#SrcemSvim #Orlovi #Srbija#SRBSCO #EURO2020 #FSS pic.twitter.com/uA8IxUFbzg

— Fudbalski savez Srbije | FA of Serbia (@FSSrbije) November 11, 2020

Let’s not underestimate how much this means to Scotland. Not since the World Cup in France in 1998 have the Scots been to a major tournament and they’ll be desperate not to blow this golden opportunity. They’ll also be heartened by the Serbs’ indifferent form since beating Norway – a home defeat by Hungary and a draw in Turkey – while they themselves have won twice since qualifying by virtue of a penalty shootout win over Israel. It may seem a long shot based on the generous odds, but I’m going for a surprise Scotland win here.

Pick: Scotland to win (+450)

Path 4: Georgia vs North Macedonia

Georgia’s home win over Belarus in the semifinal has set them up for a chance to play in their first-ever major tournament. Sadly for them, the Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena will be empty for the visit of North Macedonia, who are also looking for their first tilt at tournament soccer.

The Macedonians qualified for this playoff final courtesy of a fine 2-1 home win over Kosovo and so will be full of confidence, but if the bookies are to be believed this is very close to a 50/50 game. Home advantage played its part on both of these getting to the Pathway 4 final and may do so again but, as with most of these four finals, this will be tight.

When they met in the Nations League last month it was a 1-1 draw and it’s quite possible that after 90 minutes these two will be tied again. Extra-time and penalties may well be required to find a winner.

Pick: Georgia and North Macedonia to draw after 90 mins (+190)