First place in Group C might not officially be awarded until the final group stage games have been played, but the outcome of Thursday's tilt between visiting Austria and the Netherlands should effectively decide who will win the group.
The two group powerhouses meet at Johann Crujiff Arena in Amsterdam looking to build off solid victories in their respective Euro openers. The Austrians cruised to a 3-1 victory over North Macedonia, while the Netherlands pulled out a wild 3-2 victory over a game Ukraine squad on Denzel Dumfries' 85th-minute header.
Keep reading for our tips and predictions for Netherlands vs. Austria on June 17.
Netherlands vs Austria game info
• Location: Johan Cruijff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Date: Thursday, June 17, 2021
• Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN, TSN 1/3
Netherlands vs Austria betting tips
- Netherlands (-188)
- Over 2.5 (-138)
Read on for complete analysis
Netherlands vs Austria odds
Netherlands: -188
Austria: +500
Draw: +333
Total: 2.5
Over 2.5: -138
Under 2.5: +110
Odds as of June 16, 2021, at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Euro 2020 sharp money and line movement report
By Patrick EversonAt 1 p.m. ET, a couple of hours before match time, Netherlands is a -164 favorite, Austria a +450 'dog and Draw +280 at PointsBet USA. Bettors are all over the Dutch, at 91 percent of bets and 92 percent of dollars on the three-way moneyline. Austria is taking 5 percent of bets/4 percent of cash and Draw 4 percent of bets/4 percent of money. The total is at 2.5 (Over -120), with 56 percent of bets/70 percent of money on the Over.
Netherlands vs Austria betting preview
Weather
The weather at Johann Crujiff Arena should be positively gorgeous, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-80s. There is, however, a chance that things could get a bit steamy, with humidity expected to be around 60 percent by kickoff.
Key injuries
Netherlands: Matthijs de Ligt (Probable).
Austria: Marko Arnautovic (Out).
Netherlands vs Austria matchup
| Netherlands | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | World Ranking | 23 |
| 3 | Goals For | 3 |
| 2 | Goals Against | 1 |
| 3-2 vs. Ukraine | Previous Game | 3-1 vs. North Macedonia |
| Memphis Depay | Player to Watch | David Alaba |
Netherlands vs Austria predictions
Moneyline pick
The team formerly known as "The Orange Crush" are enjoying their return to marquee international competition following a seven-year dry spell, giving soccer fans plenty to cheer about in an entertaining opener vs. Ukraine. Yet, while they'll need to clean up their back end moving forward, their offensive attack looks positively dangerous heading into Thursday's encounter.
The sensational tandem of Memphis Depay and Wout Weghorst will make life difficult for an Austrian back line that had all sorts of problems against North Macedonia before the first-time European Championship participants simply ran out of gas. That won't happen to the Netherlands, which dominated possession and shots but needed a late goal after squandering a 2-0 advantage.
Similarly at the other end of the pitch, Austria isn't likely to put up the same level of fight as Ukraine did in the Netherlands' opening match. They fared well vs. North Macedonia, but the step up in competition is significant – and they'll be without skilled forward Marko Arnautovic, who scored in the 89th minute but will miss this game after he was suspended.
The Dutch would love to use Thursday's game to iron out some of their kinks on the defensive side of the field. And in facing an Austrian side that had gone three games without scoring before outlasting a team 39 spots below them in the FIFA rankings, they should be able to do just that.
PREDICTION: Netherlands (-188)
Over/Under pick
Sure, we just got done lambasting the Austrian attack for coming into the Euros on fumes. Still, it's difficult to understand how the O2.5 is priced so generously given a number of factors we just can't ignore.
For starters, the Netherlands have been a force for months, having scored 2+ goals in 11 of their previous 12 games across all competitions; they have also averaged exactly three goals in their nine Euro matches (qualifying and the opener), including six goals in two games against a powerhouse German team in qualifying.
On the Austrian side of the equation, Thursday's underdogs have seen an average of four goals scored over their previous four non-friendly international matches, which serve as much better indicators of overall form than meaningless friendlies. These teams also have a history of playing high-scoring affairs, having averaged four total goals in their past five meetings.
Both sides will be looking to secure the three points – and given how they both fared in their tournament openers, they know they aren't likely to get their with a terrific defensive effort. Expect the shots to come fast and furious in this one.
PREDICTION: Over 2.5 (-138)
Picks made on 6/16/2021 at 3:05 p.m. ET
Euro 2020 betting sites
As a signature tournament for the most popular sport in the world, almost every online sportsbook and betting site will offer odds for Euro 2020. Check out the best soccer betting sites available where you live.
