Euro 2024 takes a short hiatus following the conclusion of the group stages but, fear not, the Copa America is getting into top gear and there’s plenty of football action to take in on Thursday.
Tournament hosts the USA made a perfect start by beating Bolivia and should continue their serene progress in Georgia against Panama.
Get a completely free £5 bet on Euro 2024 – No Deposit Needed
Bet of the day
USA Half-Time/Full-Time @ 37/40
The USA didn’t mess around in their opening Copa America win over Bolivia in Texas on Sunday.
Skipper Christian Pulisic had them in front after just three minutes as they really set about their opponents from the off. They went on to dominate the opening half, with eight goal attempts, and were 2-0 up shortly before the interval when Monaco forward Folarin Balogun shot home from inside the box.
The attacking trio of Pulisic, Balogun and Timothy Weah were full of energy and movement and there should be more of the same in Atlanta when they face Panama.
The Panamanians were determined against Uruguay but were behind at the break and lost 3-1 in the end, with their goal arriving five minutes into stoppage time.
Gregg Berhalter was a manager under some pressure coming into the tournament and he’ll have been thrilled with how the USA went about the job.
Expect more of the same in Georgia as they play on the front foot to bring the crowd with them, with the 1/3 hosts representing plenty of extra value to be half-time/full-time winners once more.
Longshot of the day
Folarin Balogun to score 2 or more goals @ 13/2
Sticking with the Stars and Stripes game, Monaco forward Balogun is a decent shout to hit two or more goals.
After impressing on loan at Reims he made the move to fellow Ligue 1 outfit Monaco last summer for £34m, and the 22-year-old is a bright talent.
An ex-Arsenal youth product, he was eligible for England but the USMNT went after him and got him on board.
He went six games without a goal for the national team prior to scoring against Bolivia, where he collected a pass from Pulisic and slotted left-footed into the net from 15 yards.
His overall movement in that contest was good and his confidence should be boosted after ending his mini-drought.
Special bet of the day
Zimbabwe and Comoros to draw 1-1 @ 19/4
The Euros may be on a break but international football will once again take centre stage in Africa with the COSAFA Cup underway, with the 12-team tournament running until July 7th.
Zimbabwe are six-time winners of the tournament, with this the 23rd edition, although they have not lifted the trophy since 2018.
They start by facing Comoros at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha. Les Coelacantes have never progressed past the group phase but they are ranked 119th in the world currently, with Zimbabwe down in 129th.
Comoros have lost just one of their last eight games, while Zimbabwe are on a run of three straight losses. Their pedigree in this tournament has them as favourites to win this game.
At 19/4, a 1-1 draw is a worthy interest as there doesn’t appear to be much splitting the pair right now.
Odds correct at time of publish and subject to change*
Get a completely free £5 bet on Euro 2024 – No Deposit Needed
*18+ New customers only. Opt in, get £5 free bet on selected markets. Available for first 5000 customers only. Bonus expires in 24h after registration. T&Cs apply, see below.
GambleAware.org Please gamble responsibly
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- GamCare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org