Estonia v Israel World Cup Qualifying Free Bets & Preview

Estonia v Israel World Cup Qualifying Free Bets & Preview

Estonia vs Israel Preview: A Baltic Battle With World Cup Dreams on the Line
Friday, 6 June 2025 – Kick-off: 7.45pm BST
Venue: A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn

Estonia and Israel are hardly names that strike fear into the hearts of international football heavyweights, but come Friday evening in Tallinn, both will be dreaming – some might say delusionally – of a return to the world stage. Each side has three points to their name after the first two rounds of World Cup qualifying in Group I, and while there’s plenty of road left on the journey to North America 2026, neither can afford to stall here.

Estonia, who miraculously avoided the dreaded drop to UEFA Nations League purgatory, otherwise known as League D, have found a sliver of momentum. By their standards, this is practically a golden era. Manager Jürgen Henn (who sounds like he should be coaching a Bundesliga side or making sausages in Stuttgart) will be pleased with their recent revival – especially a rather entertaining 3-2 win in Moldova, which was far more exciting than the local weather forecast usually suggests.

Their opening salvo in the group against Azerbaijan wasn’t half bad either – four points banked from that double-header, with Estonia even daring to take the lead in their reverse clash with Israel back in March. Of course, this being Estonia, that early spark fizzled out and the Israelis duly hit back to snatch a 2-1 win in Debrecen. One might say it was all a bit “Estonia” – brave, enthusiastic, but ultimately a few defenders short of a solid rearguard.

Still, they’re in with a sniff, and that’s more than you could say a year ago. With home ties against Israel and then Norway in the offing, there’s a chance (however slim) they might just keep clinging to second spot like a squirrel on a power line.

As for Israel, well, they haven’t been to a World Cup since the Beatles were still together – 1970, to be precise. But there’s hope in this crop of fresh-faced talent, overseen by Ran Ben Shimon, a man seemingly allergic to dull football.

Israel’s campaign began brightly enough with that comeback win over the Estonians, but the wheels juddered a touch in a 4-2 walloping at the hands of Norway. To be fair, they did manage to draw level during the contest, before inevitably being blown away by the Norwegian front line (which, it must be said, does include a certain goal machine from Manchester who eats defences for breakfast).

And yet, before you write them off, this is a team that’s gone to France and held the World Cup finalists to a goalless draw, and also handed Belgium a black eye not so long ago. So don’t count them out just yet. Victory in Tallinn would keep them firmly in the qualification mix, with Italy yet to fully turn up due to their other European commitments.

Oh, and before we forget – if you fancy spicing up your viewing with a cheeky flutter, Boylesports are offering new customers a tidy deal: Bet £10 and get £30 in free bets, plus a £10 casino bonus. Perfect for when you’re watching Estonia try to defend a one-goal lead like they’re balancing a tray of pints on a trampoline.

Team News: Patch-Ups and Promising Punts

Estonia are dealing with a couple of enforced absences. Kevor Palumets is suspended – one too many agricultural tackles, we assume – and Rasmus Peetson is nowhere to be seen, presumably recovering from something that’s keeping him off the squad list. That means Joseph Saliste could step in at right-back, with Markus Poom – yes, the son of THAT Mart Poom – slotting into midfield to keep the family name alive and kicking.

It’s likely we’ll see a back four of Saliste, Kuusk, Paskotsi and Schjonning-Larsen in front of Igonen, with Poom and Ainsalu anchoring midfield duties. Further upfield, Yakovlev, Kait and Simyavskiy will look to cause mischief behind Rauno Sappinen, who remains Estonia’s best hope of finding the net without the aid of divine intervention.

Israel, meanwhile, are juggling systems like a pub landlord with too many punters at last orders. Will Shimon stick with his wing-back formation, using flair players as auxiliary full-backs, or bottle it and revert to a flat back four? The absence of Sean Goldberg might force his hand, though young Stav Lemkin is in contention to bolster the central defensive unit.

Should they stick with the current setup, it could mean Liel Abada and Manor Solomon – both of whom prefer gallivanting forward to tracking back – could find themselves galloping up and down the flanks in more defensive roles than they’d perhaps prefer. Between the sticks, Peretz should keep his place, with the defence possibly consisting of Shlomo, Lemkin, Nachmias and the aforementioned Solomon.

Midfield will be manned by a trio of Peretz (D.), Peretz (E.) and Jaber – no relation, no confusion – with the young and rather exciting Oscar Gloukh pulling the strings behind the line-leading Turgeman.

What To Expect: Nerves, Nibbles and Narrow Margins

The reverse fixture back in March was tighter than a pair of jeans after Christmas dinner, and there’s little to suggest this will be much different. Estonia have the benefit of home turf, which means a familiar pitch, familiar weather, and a few thousand supporters doing their best impersonation of a Viking chant. That may give them a slight boost – especially if they get the early goal they managed last time.

But Israel have the better squad, more depth, and the kind of players who can change a game with one clever pass or one long-range thunderbolt. They’re also under pressure to get something here, with Norway and Italy looming large in the group.

Our verdict? Estonia will throw everything they have at this, including the kitchen sink and possibly a snow shovel, but we reckon Israel just have the quality edge. It’s likely to be tight, probably scrappy, and might just be decided by a moment of magic – or madness.

Prediction: Estonia 1-2 Israel

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Roll on Friday night.

From a Betting Perspective

Ah, World Cup qualifiers. The games where dreams are made, hopes are crushed, and occasionally, someone from Estonia scores a 30-yard screamer to ruin your accumulator. On Friday night in the frozen footballing outpost of Tallinn, Estonia and Israel square off with eyes firmly fixed on the prize: a potential ticket to the 2026 World Cup – and yes, we’re still pretending Estonia have a shot.

This one’s got all the ingredients of a low-key classic: underdogs at home with a point to prove, visitors with World Cup history and pressure to perform, and a price list of goalscorers longer than a Greggs queue on a rainy Monday.

Let’s unpack this with the level of seriousness it absolutely doesn’t deserve, but the detail it absolutely does.

Big Picture: Who’s Winning What?

The odds, for a start, don’t exactly scream “tight affair”. Israel are firm favourites at 8/15 to win outright, which is football bookmaker speak for “they probably won’t mess this up unless they forget how to play”. Estonia are out at 6/1, which is about the same price you’d get on a pig winning Crufts, while the draw – that sweet spot for neutrals and those hedging free bets – sits at 3/1.

This isn’t just about a win, though. It’s about points, pride, and putting pressure on Italy and Norway, who’ve probably already pencilled themselves in for a spot in the World Cup and a group stage date with Mexico.

Both Estonia and Israel come into this one with three points from their opening two games – neither spectacular, nor disastrous. Estonia nabbed a narrow win in Moldova in what was apparently a five-goal thriller (3-2), although whether anyone outside Tallinn noticed is up for debate. Meanwhile, Israel beat Estonia in the reverse fixture in March (2-1), then ran into a Norwegian brick wall and lost 4-2.

So here we are: a pivotal match-up, under the Baltic skies, with two teams who absolutely cannot afford to slip up – especially when they’re this close to something vaguely resembling qualification contention.

First Goalscorer Odds: Pick a Name, Any Name

If you’re the type to back first goalscorer punts with your morning tea and toast, then prepare for a buffet of choices. Dor Turgeman leads the pack at 19/4, which makes sense considering he’s Israel’s most likely route to goal and probably gets more touches in the opposition box than most strikers in this group.

Behind him is Oscar Gloukh at 13/2, a name that sounds like he should be solving crime in a gritty Israeli drama, but who actually has a decent eye for goal. Manor Solomon and Yarden Shua are both on 7/1, and given Solomon might spend more time galloping down the flank than defending, you wouldn’t rule him out.

Then there’s Liel Abada at 15/2, who has pace, flair, and a habit of popping up where it hurts. The mid-range danger zone includes Dan Biton and Timothy Muzie at 8/1, while Dor Peretz (17/2) brings some serious box-to-box vibes.

If you’re feeling particularly philosophical, the “No Goalscorer” market is sitting at 9/1 – because let’s be honest, sometimes it all ends in goalless mediocrity and two managers pretending 0-0 was “a fair reflection”.

From the Estonian camp, Rauno Sappinen is the leading candidate at 12/1 to strike first. He’s handy, and he knows his way around a set piece. But don’t sleep on Henri Anier, Eliel Peretz, or Robi Saarma – all listed at 14/1, all capable of punishing lapses in concentration.

Then there’s a glut of players at 20/1 or longer, including Mattias Kait, Dimitri Jepihhin, Martin Miller, and Ioan Yakovlev, who might sound like Bond villains but are actually midfielders who could sneak in unnoticed.

If you really fancy yourself as a football prophet, Marten Kuusk (66/1) or Maksim Paskotsi (75/1) are your long-odds options. They’re defenders. They might score. They probably won’t. But imagine the bragging rights.

Anytime Goalscorer: A More Relaxed Approach

If first goalscorer odds feel a bit like betting on which pigeon lands first on Trafalgar Square, the anytime scorer market offers more flexibility.

Again, Turgeman leads the pack at 7/4, with Solomon and Gloukh both 5/2, and Shua and Abada at 11/4. For the Israelis, Dor Peretz (3/1) and Dan Biton (3/1) are solid midfield picks, while Anan Khalaili (10/3) and Eliel Peretz(4/1) offer value.

From the Estonians, Sappinen is 17/4, while Henri Anier, Alex Tamm, and Robi Saarma are all floating around the 9/2mark. Kait, Jepihhin, and Yakovlev are 13/2 to 7/1, while the truly brave (or mad) can have a nibble on Maksim Paskotsiat 33/1 to notch anytime.

It’s the sort of market that’s perfect for using those free bets UK punters love to sniff out, especially when you’re hedging your hopes on a marauding centre-half or a last-minute penalty.

Correct Score: Thread the Needle

If you like your bets painfully specific, welcome to correct score betting – the emotional rollercoaster where one fluffed sitter ruins your evening.

The bookies reckon Israel 1-0 at 5/1 is the most likely, followed by 2-0 (11/2) and 2-1 (15/2). All fairly sensible, all entirely plausible.

If you think Israel have a few more goals in them, 3-0 is 10/1, 3-1 is 12/1, and 4-0 rockets to 25/1. For those dreaming of a Baltic blitzing, 5-0 is 55/1, and 6-0 is a frankly absurd 150/1 – though if Estonia go down to 9 men in the first 10 minutes, don’t rule it out.

For Estonia optimists, 1-0 is priced at 16/1, 2-1 is 20/1, while the truly wild-eyed faithful can have 3-0 at 150/1. Not quite lottery odds, but certainly in the same postcode.

The draw markets include the classic 1-1 (7/1), 0-0 (9/1) and a few barmy ones like 3-3 (100/1) or 5-5 (300/1). If that happens, buy a lottery ticket and a bottle of something strong.

Halftime/Fulltime: Timing is Everything

For the tactically-minded, halftime/fulltime markets can offer intrigue. The favourite outcome is Israel/Israel at 7/5, suggesting a wire-to-wire job. Draw/Israel is next at 10/3, which would suit their narrative of slow starts and strong finishes.

Fancy Estonia to lead at the break but fluff it? Estonia/Israel is a juicy 28/1. For the ultra pessimistic (or psychic), Israel/Estonia – now that would be chaos – sits at 75/1.

Goals, Glorious Goals: Total Goals Markets

There are options for those who care not who scores – just that someone does. Under 3 goals is the safest pick at 2/5, but if you like a little chaos, Over 2.5 is evens, and Over 3.5 sits at 13/5.

Think it’ll be tighter than a hipster’s skinny jeans? Exactly 2 goals is 5/2, while Exactly 3 is 10/3. If you predict a snoozefest, 0 goals is 17/2, and you’ll be cursing every saved shot and defensive clearance.

Winning Margin: Fine Margins, Fat Returns

If you think Israel will win but not run riot, winning by 1 goal is 5/2, 2 goals gets you 7/2, and 3 goals is a more ambitious 7/1. Estonia to win by 1 is 8/1, and by 2 goals is 20/1 – again, not impossible, just… unlikely.

There’s also Israel to win by 4 or more at 12/1, which would require a total collapse by Estonia. Not impossible, but you’d probably need divine intervention or three red cards.

Corners and Quirks: For the Stat-Heads

Corner markets are also in play, because of course they are. Over 7.5 corners is a firm favourite at 2/5, and you can stretch that to 10.5 corners at 87/50. Those expecting a cagey affair might fancy Under 10.5 at 5/12 – a good one to lump your free bets finds on when you’re unsure where the goals are coming from.

Final Thoughts: Baltic Grit vs Middle Eastern Fizz

Let’s be honest – this isn’t going to draw Super Bowl-level crowds, but for the punting public, Estonia vs Israel offers a feast of angles, odds, and opportunities for modest glory.

Israel have more talent, more depth, and more pressure – all of which points to a tight but clear away win. Estonia, however, are no mugs at home, and if they get the first goal, anything could happen. Just don’t expect Brazil ’70.

Prediction: Israel to win 2-1, possibly after a nervy first half and a few scrappy moments. Turgeman to score. Kait to rattle the bar. And somewhere, someone will curse a missed 90/1 shot on Estonia 2-0.

Whatever you back, use those free bets wisely, pick your first goalscorer with caution, and don’t say we didn’t warn you when a substitute scores in the 93rd minute and ruins your accumulator.

Now go forth, brave punter. Tallinn awaits.