The qualifying campaign for the Euro 2020 championships begins this week, with the first games taking place on Sunday. As an afternoon kick off, Scotland get us underway with their trip to Kazakhstan, a game that won’t be easy, but one they should fancy their chances in. Scotland currently have two methods of qualification for the Euro 2020 championships and because of that, confidence is high that they can get to the tournament in a year’s time.

Kazakhstan were not successful in the Nations League, and it is highly unlikely that enough teams will go through from this stage for the qualifying spot to drop to them for the playoffs. That means this is their only hope of making it through, although with where they are ranked they are certainly up against it.

Euro 2020 Qualifying Group I

This is a six team group and just like the other groups, the top two will automatically go through to the Euro 2020 tournament next year. Unlike previous years, the playoffs are already decided due to the Nations League, and Scotland are one of the teams in there, so no matter where they finish in this group, if they are outside of the top two then they will still get in the playoffs.

The big seed in this group is Belgium, who got to the semi finals of the World Cup back in 2018, and they will be fancied again to go close in this. Qualifying should be a formality for them, and it would be a big surprise to see anything other than them sitting at the top of the table when we have finished here.

Russia are the second seed, and while many doubted they would have a good World Cup, they certainly did. However, a big factor for that could have been hosting it, and now they have to travel away from home. Can they put up the same performances on the road, or will they struggle? That will determine whether or not they are capable of bagging second place.

Behind them, hoping the do struggle are Scotland and Cyprus, who will pose the biggest threat to Russia. I think Scotland would be the most fancied of these two to take second spot, and it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise in the world to see this happen. Cyprus shouldn’t be discounted either, but if I had to choose one of these two to trouble Russia it would be Scotland.

The group is rounded off by Kazakhstan and San Marino, two teams who shouldn’t be involved in the top two battle, although they could have a say in it, especially Kazakhstan. They have the ability to frustrate and cause problems, and we saw this in the Nations League, where they drew three of their six games.

This group could come down to which team manages to avoid a slip up against Kazakhstan, and that is something that Scotland need to be wary of with this game here. If they can get the maximum points against Kazakhstan and San Marino then they put themselves in a good position to finish second. They then have to be strong at home, and that includes against Russia. If Scotland want to finish above them and the rest to finish second, then they have to be strong and take points when playing at home, with points away from home being a bonus.

Kazakhstan vs Scotland Betting Tips

Not the most difficult game for Scotland in terms of the quality of opposition they are facing, but there is no doubt that this is a tough trip and made worse by the fact that this is their first game of the qualifying stage. This team hasn’t been together much recently, but they have to come straight in and be at their best.

I actually think that is exactly what they will do here, and I fancy Scotland to get off to the best possible start by winning this game. They have a better team that Kazakhstan and although it is not ideal to come into a game as big as this one straight away, the team will know the importance of it and they will be aware of the job they have to do.

A big three points are at stake here, and in the very first game of the euro 2020 qualifying stage, I am backing Scotland to take them and get off to a great start in their quest to qualify for the tournament next year.

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