The EV Eagle has picked out five betting tips for Thursday night's World Cup play-off matches.
World Cup Play-Off Matches
The EV Eagle is currently 19pts in profit for the 2025/26 season and has picked out five bets for Thursday's World Cup play-off matches, check them out here!
Tip 1: Harry Wilson - Over 2.5 Fouls Won vs Bosnia - 1.5pts
Wilson consistently draws contact as a high-touch winger/creator, with 29 fouls won this season in the Premier League play, so a 3+ line is reachable if he plays close to full minutes.
Bosnia’s WCQ profile is very foul-heavy (around 16.8 fouls committed per match), which naturally boosts the chance Wales’ ball-carriers win multiple free-kicks.
With Wales expected to have strong territory/possession in a home playoff semi, Bosnia should spend longer defending and making recovery challenges in wide areas where Wilson receives.
Wales vs Bosnia
Benjamin Tahirović — 2+ Fouls Committed vs Wales
Tahirović operates as a central/defensive midfielder, a role that racks up “stopper” fouls when the opposition dominate possession and transitions.
Bosnia commit ~16.8 fouls per match in this WCQ cycle, and a Wales side expected to control the ball increases Tahirović’s minutes spent tackling/covering rather than building play.
In a single-elimination playoff, tactical fouls to slow counters are common, so 2+ is a reasonable ask if he starts and plays the bulk of the match.
Benjamin Tahirović — 2+ Fouls Committed - 1pt @ 10/11 (Coral / Ladbrokes)
Patrik Schick — Anytime Goalscorer vs Republic of Ireland
Schick’s club output is elite: he’s around 0.55 goals per 90 in the Bundesliga with ~0.56 xG/90.
He’s also delivered in the WCQ cycle with 4 goals in 6 qualifiers for Czechia, so his international role remains “primary finisher.”
With Czechia at home in Prague in a knockout semi, the game script points toward sustained Czech pressure and box entries that suit Schick’s penalty-box profile.
Poland vs Albania
Matty Cash — 2+ Shots vs Albania
Cash has had 2+ shots in 4/6 matches, with shots on target in four of those matches too.
Poland being strong home favourites suggests sustained pressure, which typically pushes full-backs into advanced zones and creates second-phase shooting chances (recycled crosses/corners).
Albania have shown low-possession patterns versus elite opponents (including a recent match where they produced no shots on target), which again increases the likelihood Cash spends time high up the pitch.
