12/1 punt for Bradford v Wycombe EFL Trophy

Under 2.5 Goals
Half-time/Full-time: Draw/Draw
First Goalscorer: Luke Leahy

All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

League One’s Wycombe take on League Two’s Bradford for a place at Wembley in the EFL Trophy final on April 7th, with Peterborough waiting under the arch after their 3-0 smashing of Blackpool on Tuesday night – and we’ve a few top tips for the game…

EFL Trophy match at Valley Parade
TV: Sky Sports Football, Wednesday, 8pm

Not wishing to put a downer on it or anything , but it’s tough to see this one turning into a classic back-and-forth cup tie. Bradford have turned into a stingy unit since Graham Alexander took over from Mark Hughes back in November.

They’ve kept five clean-sheets in a row. Four of those five games have seen no goals or a single goal decide them. In fact, in their last 11 games, just two games have gone over 2.5 goals.

Add the fact that their top scorer Andy Cook – 13 goals in 30 appearances this season – is suspended, and it’s hard to see too many goals coming from the home side here.

Their opponents have been more free-scoring recently, but their record on the road is less convincing than at home. Five of their last seven away days have ended with two goals or fewer on the scoreboard.

Also, given the stakes, it’s easy to see this one being cagey encounter, so under 2.5 looks a good shout.

If there’s something worse than losing a final, it’s probably losing a semi-final.

That’ll certainly inform the approach of both sides here. Given the likelihood this sets up as a cautious affair, we can’t rule out penalties and wouldn’t be all that surprised to see the sides cancel one another out for the full 90 minutes.

However, if there is to be a goal, Wycombe have a versatile option in the shape of Luke Leahy who looks undervalued here.

He’s their topscorer this season with nine goals in all competitions so far despite dropping back into a central defensive position from midfield.

Now, a crucial part of that is his cool head from 12 yards out as four of those have come from the penalty spot, where he also excelled previously for Shrewsbury, and he can use his left-foot from all deadball situations to great effect.

As such, he looks a reasonable punt to break the deadlock in what should be a keenly fought contest.

Under 2.5 Goals
Half-time/Full-time: Draw/Draw
First Goalscorer: Luke Leahy

All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

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