Paul Higham returns to the daily football bets chair on Monday and heads to Sweden where he’s backing Halmstads to get a surprise point at big home favourites AIK Stockholm…
“Halmstads have had a league-high six draws and held some of the best teams in the league – their overall record isn;t great but recent form suggests they’ve found their feet and are good value to earn a point.”
AIK Stockholm v Halmstads
Monday 2 August 18:00 BST kick-off
We’re off to Sweden to start the week with a strong fancy for the game in Stockholm as AIK look to maintain their fine home form against visiting Halmstads.
The hosts are unbeaten so far at the Friends Arena this season with five wins and two draws from their seven home ties – they’ve only won once on the road so they’ve most certainly used home comforts to their advantage.
It’s that strong home record that makes them big 1.784/5 favourites for another three points here, but newly-promoted Halmstads may not be the 5.59/2 pushovers the layers reckon, as they’ve been warming to their task in the top flight.
This could be a classic case of just getting on the right side of a team that may have a dodgy overall record but whose best form has all come in the last few games – they’re trending upwards and we’re jumping on them early to enjoy the ride!
Halmstads have two wins and a draw on the road this term and all of those seven points have been earned in their last three trips, including a draw at fourth-placed Hammarby and 3-2 victory a third-placed Elfsborg.
That recent form means that Halmstads will offer a threat to AIK, and it also means that there’s some value to be had here as they’re probably a better team than their bare form suggests.
They’ve only scored six away from home but they’ve all come in the last five games, while AIK have bagged 12 in their seven home games this term and haven’t once failed to score.
The visitors are also a tough side to beat – they’ve got three defeats this season but they all came in their opening three away games, but now they’ve got to grips with facing the big boys they’re forgotten how to lose.
It’s sending just a few too many red flags to pull the trigger on a short-priced home win, as instead there looks much more value in the draw at 3.65 as being a lively runner.
Both teams to score was a tempter but the two sides on display aren’t exactly prolific overall, even though they do have their moments the high-scoring affairs are more outliers than the norm.
Halmstads have drawn a league-high six games, and although most have been at home, the battling 0-0 with table toppers Djurgarden was a blueprint for how they’ll try and thwart AIK’s dominant home run.
They’d take a draw if offered and there is plenty of evidence to suggest that they could well get that point on Monday.
Source: BetFair Tips
