Georgia vs Belarus & North Macedonia vs Kosovo Odds & Previews: Euro 2020 Path D Playoff Semifinals

• The UEFA EURO Cup 2020 playoffs all take place on Thursday, October 8
• In Path D, Georgia takes on Belarus, while North Macedonia entertain Kosovo
• We’ll preview the games, look at the odds, and give our best bets below

On Thursday, October 8, 16 teams battle it out for the four remaining places in next summer’s UEFA EURO 2020 as part of the tournament’s new-look playoff phase. These playoff slots were earned from the teams’ placings in the 2019 UEFA Nations League competition. Path D sees Georgia play Belarus (1:00 PM EST) and North Macedonia take on Kosovo (3:45 PM EST).

We’ll preview the two games, list the odds, look at some stats, and offer a pick for each.

Georgia vs Belarus Playoff Odds

All odds taken Oct 6 at bet365

Both Teams Unbeaten in 2020

Georgia and Belarus meet at the Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena on Thursday with the winner scheduled to meet the winner of the North Macedonia/Kosovo game, on November 12 for a place in the 2020 EURO Cup.

Georgia has played just twice in 2020 – both in this fall’s Nations League C schedule – and have won one and drawn one. The win was a 1-0 victory over Estonia and the draw at home to North Macedonia, in what could possibly be a rehearsal for the playoff final.

Belarus have had four games in this calendar year and are unbeaten. Friendly wins over Uzbekistan and Bulgaria – both 1-0 and both away from home – in the early part of the year were followed by a disappointing 1-0 home defeat by Albania on September 4. However, three days later they traveled to Kazakhstan and won 2-1.

These two met most recently in a friendly at this same venue in November 2017 – a game that ended in a 2-2 draw – and have met just three times overall. So, there’s very little to choose between them.

In their last ten games, Georgia have won three, lost three, and drawn four but, interestingly enough, two of those three wins were away from home. It’s therefore hard to see there being too much home advantage here, especially with Belarus themselves being stronger on foreign shores than at home. In their last ten, the Belarusians have won four, lost five, and drawn one, with none of those four wins being on home soil.

Victory of Belarus against @KFF_Team for #NationsLeague #Kazakhstan 1 #Belarus 2#KAZBLR https://t.co/Hb0aMI0zQg pic.twitter.com/TKBu0Nezwu

— Quatro Linhas (@QuatrLinhas) September 7, 2020

Is Belarus’ Away Form the Key?

With so much at stake and with this being a one-off tie – as opposed to two-legged – I expect this to be an open game, with both teams going for the win inside 90 minutes. The away form of Belarus could end up being the key here and so the value is very much with the +240 for the away win.

Pick: Belarus (+240)

North Macedonia vs Kosovo Playoff Odds

In-Form Macedonians

The beautifully-named Toshe Proeski National Arena plays host to North Macedonia versus Kosovo on Thursday in the second of the Path D playoff semifinals.

The North Macedonians have played just twice in 2020, beating Armenia 2-1 in their Nations League opener on September 5 and then drawing 1-1 away in Georgia three days later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDvF3-J3Xls

Overall, North Macedonia have enjoyed some good home form over the last two seasons, having won five of their last seven games, with their only two defeats being against strong opposition in the form of Poland and Austria.

Entertaining Kosovans in Poor Form

Kosovo, by contrast, has struggled as of late and haven’t won a game since October 2019, when they beat Montenegro 2-0 at home. Since then it’s been a miserable record of four defeats and a draw, although it’s worth noting the defeats were by Sweden and Greece.

Unsurprisingly, given that both are relatively new countries on the international football scene, these two haven’t played before and so there is no head-to-head history on which to base our prediction.

Worth noting though is that in their relatively short time as a FIFA-recognized nation, the Kosovans have earned a reputation for playing attacking, entertaining soccer, epitomized by their thrilling 5-3 encounter in Southampton, England.

Who doesn't want #Kosovo at the #euro2020 after seeing them fighting against England tonight? The Brazil of the Balkans lost 5-3 in a crazy game 🇽🇰 #EngKos pic.twitter.com/SZ4fdQDtHb

— Stefan in Kosovo (@StefanInKosovo) September 10, 2019

High-Tempo Semi-Final Incoming

So, expect this to be an open, high-tempo game with Kosovo playing on the front foot from the word go. If they can get their noses in front, despite their indifferent record of late, there is no reason why they can’t go on to squeeze out a narrow win. That being said, the value here is for the draw after 90 minutes. If it goes to extra-time, I expect the home side to triumph.

Pick: Draw (+210)