Football Bet of the Day: Beauvue and the boys can catch Kiev cold

Guingamp's Claudio Beauvue is in red-hot form

After a chunky winner in Greece yesterday, Kevin Hatchard's taking us to France for a Europa League tie involving one of Ligue 1's hottest sides.

Guingamp v Dynamo Kiev
Thursday February 19, 20:05

As it turned out, our brief stay in Greece was a happy one. We wanted three goals from Ergotelis v Panionos, and they arrived before the 39th minute, which gave us time to laze on the beach before our next flight. For the sticklers among you, the match finished 2-2.

It's with a spring in our step that we bound over to France for a Europa League clash between resurgent Guingamp and Ukrainian league leaders Dynamo Kiev. Guingamp qualified in second place from Group K behind Fiorentina, while Serhiy Rebrov's Dynamo won five of their six games to top what was in truth a pretty weak section.

Last season's French Cup winners Guingamp started the campaign abysmally, losing ten of their first 15 games in all competitions, including an embarrassing 7-2 home defeat to Nice. Despite such a catalogue of poor results, Guingamp stuck by their cup-winning coach Jocelyn Gourvennec, and that faith has paid dividends.

EAG have won 12 of their last 16 matches, they are up to eighth in Ligue 1, and their French Cup defence is alive and well. They have only failed to score in one of their last 15 games, and a defence that was seriously malfunctioning a few months ago has kept clean sheets in home wins over PSG and Monaco.

A big reason behind the improvement has been the eye-catching form of Claudio Beauvue. The Guadeloupe-born winger has thrived since being deployed as an emergency striker, and has scored 16 goals, including 12 in his last 14 appearances.

Dynamo Kiev are undoubtedly a strong outfit, but a long winter break means they haven't played a competitive game in 2015. They'll be well-rested, but against a team in excellent form, they may take a while to get going. 

Dynamo's 3-0 group-stage defeat at Danish side Aalborg shows what can happen when Rebrov's men aren't at their best, and they do have players missing. Defender Mykyta Burda is suspended, while striker Dieumerci Mbokani is out with a thigh injury.

Guingamp are slight favourites to win at 2.8615/8, and that chunky price gives us the chance to take out a bit of insurance by backing them Draw No Bet at 1.9210/11, which means only a Dynamo win will see us lose money.

Recommended Bet

Back Guingamp Draw No Bet at 1.9210/11

2015 P/L (1pt per bet)

Points Staked: 24

Points Returned: 19.72

P/L: -4.28 points