The domestic season is on hold for matchday three of the Nations League, with games spread across Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

We have focused on five of the matches scheduled for Friday and Saturday, involving some of the strongest sides in Europe. 

A £10 wager on our three-leg acca would pay out £40.33 while the same stake on our five-leg version offers a potential return of £143.34.

Hungary vs Netherlands: Over 2.5 goals (4/7)

Semi-finalists at Euro 2024, the Netherlands are seeking to re-establish themselves as one of the continent’s leading lights.

Victory at the Nations League would certainly help in that regard, even if this tournament does not have the lustre of the Euros or World Cup.

The Dutch beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 5-2 in their first outing, before an enjoyable 2-2 draw with Germany. Those two sides are strong favourites to finish in the top two in this group.

The Netherlands are capable of playing some neat football under Ronald Koeman, who will not accept anything less than three points in this match.

Hungary are unlikely to trouble either Germany or the Dutch for a top-two place, but that does not mean they cannot shock either of the big boys on their day – especially at home.

No matter the final result, we anticipate plenty of goals when these two teams lock horns.

Choose over 2.5 goals at 4/7 with bet365

Iceland vs Wales: Both teams to score (5/6)

Craig Bellamy began his tenure as Wales manager with a 0-0 draw with Turkey and a 2-1 victory over Montenegro in September. That represented a pretty solid start for Rob Page’s replacement.

Bellamy will, at the very least, be looking to extend his team’s unbeaten run when they take on Iceland on Friday.

Iceland ran out 2-0 winners against Montenegro in their first match, before losing 3-1 to Turkey in their most recent outing.

With Turkey, who impressed at Euro 2024 with a quarter-final berth, expected to top the group, Wales and Iceland are the likeliest contenders for second place, which brings with it a spot in the relegation play-offs.

Head-to-head clashes like this one are therefore massively important. In the first one, we expect goals at both ends as both teams push for a win.

Back both teams to score at 5/6 with both teams to score

Spain vs Denmark: Spain to win (2/5)

Spain swept all before them at Euro 2024, beating the likes of Croatia, Italy, Germany, France and England to lift the trophy. It was a brilliant triumph which Luis de la Fuente’s side fully deserved.

They got their Nations League campaign off to a rocky start last month, drawing 0-0 with Serbia in one of the biggest surprises on matchday one.

Spain did at least make amends a few days later, as they thumped Switzerland 4-1 on the road. However, that stalemate against Serbia means it is Denmark who top the group heading into the October fixtures.

That will probably have changed by the end of the weekend. The Danes are a handy team under Kasper Hjulmand, but they belong in Europe’s second rather than top tier.

A trip to Spain is not easy for anyone and la Roja’s all-round quality should help them to emerge victorious in this one.

Go for a Spain win at 2/5 with bet365

Croatia vs Scotland: Croatia to win (8/13)

Croatia are targeting a top-two finish and a place in the quarter-finals in the 2024/25 Nations League, so they cannot afford to drop any points in a home game against Scotland. 

Steve Clarke’s side caught the eye in Euro 2024 qualification, only to crash and burn at the event itself. Back-to-back defeats by Poland and Portugal last month will have further dented confidence in the camp.

Scotland will set out to be defensively secure here. They will allow Croatia to dominate possession but will focus on holding a compact and narrow shape without the ball.

Whether that will be enough for the visitors to avoid defeat remains to be seen. Scotland may succeed in keeping the score down, not least because Croatia sometimes struggle to create clear-cut opportunities.

Overall, though, Zlatko Dalic’s team should have enough to collect maximum points against Scotland.

Tip Croatia to win at 8/13 with bet365

Poland vs Portugal: Draw at half-time (6/5)

At the European Championship it was clear for all to see that Cristiano Ronaldo was a burden on Portugal, but it is impossible to deny that the 39-year-old has been influential at the start of the Nations League.

Ronaldo scored Portugal’s second goal against both Croatia and Scotland last month, as Roberto Martinez’s men ran out 2-1 winners on both occasions.

A trip to Poland will not necessarily be easy given Portugal struggled in both of those home games.

The Poles remain reliant on their own ageing frontman in Robert Lewandowski, who has been scoring plenty of goals for Barcelona in the last couple of months.

Portugal flattered to deceive at the Euros for the most part, and it is easy enough to envisage Poland frustrating them in the first 45 minutes of this encounter.

Select a draw at half-time at 6/5 with bet365

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