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Wales v Georgia Betting

WALES v GEORGIA BETTING – 20th AUGUST

Wales’ friendly against Georgia will go ahead as planned at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea, on 20th August, after travel difficulties involving visas were resolved. The Georgians had problems getting their documents because the British Embassy in Tbilisi was closed, due to the recent hostilities with Russia. However, the British Embassy in Azerbaijan was able to process the applications and the Georgians travel to Wales as planned. Wales are 8/13 favourites with skybet , with the 1-0 home win priced at 11/2 with the same firm.

Leading Players / Team News

‘Keeper Lewis Price is unavailable due to a cartilage operation, so young Chelsea goalkeeper Rhys Taylor has received his first call-up for the Senior Wales squad. He has been a regular in the under 21 squad for the last year. Sheffield United striker David Cotterill has been added to the squad and Oldham defender Neal Eardley has also been called up from the Under-21s. Nottingham Forest midfielder, Arron Davies, has withdrawn with a calf injury. Wales are also without captain Craig Bellamy, the West Ham forward out for a month with a hamstring strain, while Derby defender Lewin Nyatanga is sidelined by a knee problem.

Young Welsh striker, Craig Davies, has been axed from the Georgia game on disciplinary grounds. Davies was named in Brian Flynn’s under-21 squad for their key Euro qualifier with Romania, but would have been called into John Toshack’s senior side. However, he has been axed from both squads after being sent off for head-butting an opponent, while playing for Oldham in their Carling Cup win over Rochdale. Oldham asked Wales to drop Davies to make an example of him, and Toshack and Flynn have agreed to the request. Ironically, Davies had only just returned to the Welsh international fold from a five-match ban, after being sent off for the spitting at an opponent while playing for the Under 21s against Israel.

Cardiff midfielder Paul Parry has blamed the stress of his recent divorce for his lengthy absence. Parry was one of the stars of Cardiff’s run to the FA Cup final last season, but his talents have been unavailable to Wales boss John Toshack since March 2007. Parry has told the Wales chief he is ready to rekindle his international career and was named in the squad to face Georgia at Swansea.

Nottingham Forest striker Robert Earnshaw has been recalled to the Wales squad after six months in the wilderness. Coach John Toshack has recalled the forward for the friendly with Georgia despite Earnshaw missing the previous three matches against Luxembourg, Iceland and Holland. Toshack has had major doubts about the former Cardiff striker’s form and attitude during his discontented period at Derby. 27-year old Earnshaw, who has will be collecting his fortieth Welsh cap, has now moved to Forest, and Toshack hopes the move will rejuvenate both his enthusiasm for the game and his goalscoring form. Wrexham defender Steve Evans will be the first non-league player to compete in a senior Welsh international since 1930 if he takes part against Georgia.

Georgia still desperately want to play the match, as much as to make a political statement as to prove to FIFA they remain able to function as a football authority, despite the conflict with Russia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia. Wales’ boss John Toshack will use the match as a warm-up to the opening World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Russia. Georgia is best-priced at 4/1 with skybet, with the draw at 5/2 with the same firm. Amongst the correct score bets, the 2-0 home win is favourite at 5/1, with the 0-0 draw at 13/2 and 1-1 at 6/1. A 1-0 away win for Georgia is a 17/2 chance, while 2-0 is 25/1. (All prices from skybet). Georgia must surely have their work cut out to gain a result at the Liberty Stadium, being ranked 86th in the world by FIFA, compared to Wales’ 51st place. Georgia will be relying on top goalscorers Georgi Demetradze of FC Arsenal Kyiv and midfielder Levan Kobiashvili, of Schalke 04. Captain, AC Milan’s Kakha Kaladze, who has 62 caps and is team captain will need to marshal his troops well at the back, in order to repel Welsh invaders.

All odds correct at time of writing. Please click here for the latest odds