18th Jun 2016 | Euro 2016
Euro 2016 Tips: Lowest Scoring Team - Albania
It's a momentous achievement for these underdogs to reach the finals but after scoring just seven times in qualifying, a tough tournament awaits.
Albania have qualified for their first ever major tournament and while nobody wants to take anything away from that achievement, it could be a tough baptism of fire.
The minnows scored just 10 goals in their eight qualifying matches except even that doesn’t tell the whole truth. Three of those so-called goals were awarded as part of a 3-0 forfeit result in Serbia after the match had to be abandoned.
So seven goals in seven matches is a fairer summation - not a total anybody would expect to qualify with! At 6/1 to finish as the lowest scorers at Euro 2016, they look worth a punt unfortunately.
In France they face the hosts - who they beat 1-0 in a friendly to be fair - but it’s very hard to imagine a repeat when it matters. Before that they play a reasonable looking Switzerland side who only conceded four times in eight qualifying games if you exclude the two clashes with England.
If Albania don’t score in that one then it may not get any easier. They finish against a Romania side who had the best defensive record in Europe in qualifying - conceding only two in 10 outings.
The outlook sadly looks bleak for the underdogs whose hopes of the odd good day rest heavily on the defence.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 13:28 18th Jun, 2016 but subject to change
