Soccer Betting: Portugal in Jeopardy as Euro 2012 Playoffs Conclude

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal have no more time to waste if they want a spot in the 2012 Euro Cup. (Flickr Creative Commons)

Cristiano Ronaldo is widely considered one of the strongest players in the world and Portugal is ranked as the No. 8 team on the planet, but after a scoreless draw in soccer betting action with Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday the Portuguese are now on the verge of being eliminated from the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship.

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Ireland, Croatia, and the Czech Republic each managed to register impressive victories on Friday, and are poised to join the final draw among the 16 teams that will compete in Ukraine and Poland in June 2012 for the European championship.

But Portugal failed to score a goal on the road and now must vanquish Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday in Lisbon in the second leg of the two-game, total-goal series that will decide which team advances to Euro 2012. Portugal is listed as a -250 favorite to advance with a victory on Tuesday, while Bosnia and Herzegovina is a +750 underdog.

Ireland cruised past Estonia 4-0 on Friday and will get to host the second leg before their home faithful in Dublin. Captain Robbie Keane scored two goals with Keith Andrews and Jon Walters adding solo strikes to lift Ireland to the lopsided road victory on Friday. Ireland is favored at -300 odds to defeat Estonia (+950) on Tuesday.

Croatia also impressed with a 3-0 romp in Istanbul in which they scored early and were barely challenged by Turkey. Ivica Olic redirected a cross home barely two minutes into the match and Croatia also got goals from Mario Mandzukic and Vedran Corluka. Croatia is a -140 favorite to defeat Turkey (+375) and win the second leg on Tuesday in Zagreb.

Playing at home, the Czech Republic blanked Montenegro 2-0 on goals by Vaclav Pilar and Tomas Sivok. Montenegro will try to come from behind to advance at home on Tuesday in Podgorica as a +140 favorite, with the Czechs listed at +175 to win the second leg as well.

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