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 Slovakia and Iceland.
Slovakia Form GuideSlovakia haven’t exactly blown many teams away on the big stage, but they’re pretty consistent when it comes to raising an eyebrow with qualification. The last decade or so has been their best run for that and although they seem to be moving something of a transition period, they have the ability to spring a surprise - even though their inconsistency has harmed them time and time again.
The Slovakians went toe to toe with Portugal last month and put in a really solid effort, but unfortunately for them, they walked away with a disappointing 3-2 defeat. They did, however, win the one that really mattered, edging past Luxembourg in a 1-0 win.
Iceland Form GuideThat sensational 2016 Iceland side feels a long way away from where they are right now. They served as the ultimate underdog story and although many still look at them in that light, we’d argue that the shoe doesn’t really fit anymore. Perhaps if they can get back to the root of their initial style and capitalise on their chances like they used to, they could start to surge back into contention.
Iceland’s decline became all the more evident when they struggled to get past Luxembourg at home last month, only managing a 1-1 draw. From there, though, they did regain some confidence in a convincing 4-0 win over Liechtenstein.
Match PredictionIn years gone by, Iceland would treat this as a pretty big occasion - and they’d also fancy themselves to use their physicality and set pieces to get a positive result. Unfortunately, we just can’t see them having much success, which is why we’re backing a Slovakia win.
