We’re back with the final international break of 2023 as we continue down the road to UEFA Euro 2024. It’s safe to say that things are really starting to heat up in pretty much every group as nations qualify and make their push to reach the playoffs. Today, we’ll be taking a look at what should be an intriguing battle between Latvia and Croatia.
Latvia Form GuideLatvia are the kind of team that can pull a surprise result out of nowhere from time to time. However, their lack of consistency and overall quality continue to harm them. This is the first chance they have to really test themselves in this group and although it’ll be difficult, the spirit of their Euro 2004 exploits could be enough for them to make a bit of noise this year.
Last month, Latvia surprised a lot of people when they played host to Armenia and put in a really solid performance, coming away with a 2-0 win. They did, however, falter just a few days later, falling to a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Turkey.
Croatia Form GuideThey may have only made it to the round of 16 at Euro 2021, but on the biggest stage of them all, Croatia have proven themselves to be the ultimate dark horse. They have finished in 2nd place and 3rd place at the last two World Cups and although it must be said that they have an ageing squad, we still think they’ve got enough gas left in the tank for one more big run.
After a strong run of form that was seemingly leading them down the path of qualification, Croatia hit a few surprising road blocks last month. First, they were beaten 1-0 at home by Turkey, and then, they went on the road and lost 2-1 to Wales.
Match PredictionLatvia are going to give as good as they get in this one and we don’t think it’ll be the kind of walk in the park that many critics are expecting. If anything, it’s a game that’ll likely go down to the wire, with our official prediction being a narrow and tense Croatia win.
