International Tips: USA to continue their strict goal diet

Jurgen Klinsmann's omission of Landon Donovan has split opinion

Michael Lintorn expects USA's friendly with Azerbaijan to duck under the 2.5-goal bar, and France to shut out Norway...

France v Norway
Tuesday, 20:00
BT Sport 1

Match Odds: France 1.444/9, Norway 10.09/1, The Draw 4.84/1

The latest evidence of France's quality centre-back boom was provided by Raphael Varane's assured Champions League final display. Didier Deschamps has so many enticing national team options that he was able to ignore the likes of Kurt Zouma and Adil Rami when picking his World Cup squad.

With Varane recovering from his Lisbon success, two of Laurent Koscielny, Mamadou Sakho and Eliaquim Mangala will lead the Norway resistance, encouraged by the six clean sheets that Les Bleus have kept in their last eight internationals, in which only Belarus and Ukraine found a way through.

Norway have been shut out in two of their last four matches, failing to plot a route past Scotland and Poland's far less belligerent backlines.

The likes of Olivier Giroud and Loic Remy have been getting increasingly effective at ensuring that the frequent opposition zeroes are being capitalised on, with France prevailing in five of their last six games, so the win to nil is also worthy of consideration at 2.0621/20.

Recommended Bet: Back France to keep a clean sheet @ 1.728/11

USA v Azerbaijan
Wednesday, 03:00
Betfair Live Video and BT Sport 2

Match Odds: USA 1.261/4, Azerbaijan 16.015/1, The Draw 6.611/2

If you thought Roy Hodgson was bold for leaving Ashley Cole at home, it was nothing compared to Jurgen Klinsmann's courageous and contentious call to drop USA's all-time leading scorer and fan favourite Landon Donovan, a decision with the potential to define his reign.

The Stars and Stripes aren't overloaded with high-class internationally-proven attacking performers to guarantee goals in his absence. Clint Dempsey has regained his scoring groove for Seattle Sounders in this new MLS season, but line-leader Jozy Altidore is fresh off a two-goal campaign at Sunderland.

Four of USA's last five games have produced under 2.5 goals, with Klinsmann's side firing three blanks in that sequence. Azerbaijan are rarely thrashed nowadays either, conceding two goals or fewer in each of their 14 encounters since a 0-3 loss to Portugal in September 2012.

Best Bet: Back under 2.5 goals @ 2.245/4