Euro 2016 qualifiers: Poland need big win v Gibraltar to increase gap

With Gibraltar (80/1 to win with Coral) yet to secure a point and scoring just one goal in their first qualifying campaign, it is inevitable that established nation Poland (1/250 to win) will beat them on home turf in this Euro 2016 Group D clash.

However, the tiny British oversees territory have shown signs of improvement after gaining UEFA recognition only two years ago, and most recently made Republic of Ireland work hard for their 4-0 win.

Gibraltar even held the White Eagles to just a 1-0 at half time in their group opener last September, although eventually succumbed to a 7-0 thrashing.

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski was the star for the visitors to GFA’s adopted home ground in Faro, Portugal, as he grabbed four goals, including in injury time. The prolific Pole, fresh from scoring in his side’s 3-1 loss to Germany, is 12/5 to net last once more, and the same price to break the deadlock.

Lewandowski’s strike partner and Ajax frontman Arkadiusz Milik, meanwhile, will also be a handful for Gibraltar, and is 10/3 to score first.

Other star names for the Central Europeans that could be on show at Warsaw’s Stadion Narodowy are Wojciech Szczesny (Roma, on loan from Arsenal), Jakub Blaszczykowski (Fiorentina, from Borussia Dortmund), and Lukasz Piszczek (Dortmund).

Meanwhile, for the smallest UEFA nation, they certainly looked a more organised unit and improved match fitness against the Green Army last time out, only conceding once in the first half and three in the second.

New boss Jeff Wood, a former Charlton Athletic goalkeeper and ex-Brighton and Hove Albion head coach, and assistant David Wilson have certainly done well to earn praise from their peers and will be aiming to help out British Isles duo Ireland and Scotland.

As it stands in Group D, those respective duo are two and three points behind Poland, and will be desperately hoping to leapfrog them in order to take the second-place, or at least the play-off, position.

While Gibraltar have no high-profile names to help halt Poland, with former Hull City defender Scott Wiseman not making the trip, they do have their own star in Liam Walker.

The ex-Portsmouth midfield playmaker is the focal point of the team, and had a good effort on goal against Ireland, and has troubled Germany’s Manuel Neuer on a couple of occasions. Walker is 28/1 to net last.

Scorer against Scotland, in their 6-1 loss at Hampden Park in March, Lee Casciaro, meanwhile, can be backed at 22/1 to get the first goal of the match.

Betting tip: Lewandowski ran riot against Gibraltar last time out, and has eight qualifying goals this campaign so far, so is a tempting 12/5 chance to score last.