Wednesday Football Tips: Out-of-sorts Saudis can be frustrated again | OneFootball

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Saudi Arabia lost to Bahrain in their Gulf Cup opener on Sunday

Our football props column is heading back to the Gulf Cup on Christmas Day where Yemen look capable of frustrating out-of-sorts Saudi Arabia.

Yemen v Saudi ArabiaWednesday 25 December, 14:25

Christmas time. Good will to all and that.

Well, I'm not sure that will apply in Christmas Day's Gulf Cup clash between these two nations. After all, Saudi Arabia has its prints all over the Yemeni civil war.

Sadly, we're not getting card markets here, though, so we need to look for other angles.

What we can say is that the pressure is on the Saudis, beaten 3-2 by Bahrain in Sunday's group opener, despite dominating possession.

They were hit on the break there and there's little doubt Yemen will look to repeat Bahrain's success.

They themselves gave up plenty of territory in a 1-0 defeat to Iraq and they won't see much of the ball again here.

The question is will Saudi Arabia be able to break them down?

This is a side short on confidence. They've won just two of their last nine games, losing four, and they have struggled in World Cup qualifying with just one win from six games in their group thus far. Last month, they lost 2-0 in Indonesia.

There have been plenty of changes to the side which beat Argentina at the World Cup two years ago, with plenty of uncapped players in the current squad, which is shorn of its European-based players such as Saud Abdulhamid, one of those who impressed in Qatar.

Leg 1: Half-time draw

Yemen are already out of the World Cup, exiting in the previous qualifying stage, but given the Saudis' problems, they may be worth siding with in some shape or form given the odds available.

They are 20/1 for the win but 17/10 getting a two-goal start in the handicap market is more realistic.

However, I'm first going to take HT draw at 13/8.

Yemen kept Iraq - a better side than the Saudis on current form - out for more than an hour the other day and are capable of frustrating the higher-ranked side.

While they don't score many, Yemen have not conceded a first-half goal in their last five games now.

Leg 2: Under 2.5 goals

I'll complete a Bet Builder double by adding under 2.5 goals, again considering Yemen's ability to frustrate.

This has landed in six of their last seven games, as well as five of those six Saudi World Cup qualifiers.

The double pays around 5/2 - hopefully a happy Christmas!

Jones Knows: Check out Lewis' 25/1 Boxing Day acca!

Recommended bets

Back half time draw & under 2.5 goals @ 5/2

Column P/L 2024/25

Staked: 162pts Returned: 170.75pts P/L: +8.75pts

2023/24 P/L: +16.78pts 2022/23 P/L: +68.69pts