Slovakia - Iceland predictions and free betting tips [16/11/2023]

On Thursday, in the 9th round of the group stage of the European Championship qualifiers, Slovakia will host Iceland in Bratislava's "Tegelne Pole" stadium. 

Probable Line-ups

Slovakia: Dubravka; Pekarik, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko; Duda, Lobotka, Kucka; Schranz, Bozenik, Haraslin.
Iceland: Runarsson; Sampsted, Palsson, Ingason, Finnsson; Willumsson, Traustason, Haraldsson; Gudmundsson, Oskarsson, A Sigurdsson.

Slovakia

Slovakia is nearly qualified for the European Football Championship, the team is leading 5 points ahead of its nearest rival, Luxembourg. The team has amassed 16 points, with a goal difference of 11:5. In their last game, Slovakia secured a crucial 1:0 victory on the road against a direct competitor, weathering the home team's onslaught in the first half. The team's Italian head coach, Francesco Calzona, employed a 4-3-3 formation. Under a new manager, "Furias" are learning to play without local football legend Marek Hamsik; the coach has managed to foster a positive atmosphere in the locker room and extinguish all conflicts.

The team's weak spot remains the goalkeeping position – Dubravka hardly plays in England, but remains the unchallenged goalkeeper in the national team. Calzona is trying to compensate for the athlete's lack of game practice with a solid defensive game, instructing his charges not to foul near their penalty area. Attacking players often drop back into their own half.

Iceland

The Icelandic national team continues to perform tenaciously on the field, but the team isn't getting any results. After their impressive performances in the World Cup and European Championships in 2016, the team haven't been able to qualify for a major tournament, due to generational change. The islanders have accumulated 10 points, with a goal difference of 15:10. In their last round, Iceland won 4:0 against Liechtenstein, with Gylfi Sigurdsson scoring a brace.

The athlete was close to ending his career because of charges of paedophilia, and he recently signed a contract with Denmark's "Lyngby". The head coach Oge Hareide applies a 4-3-3 formation. In recent years, Iceland have consistently lost their big matches, predictably becoming underdogs. The "Vikings" struggle to score in direct confrontations, and their away statistics are rather gloomy.

Head-to-head

The rivals have played 6 matches against each other, with Slovakia winning 4 and losing 1. Slovakia won the first-round clash away, the final score being 2:1.

Slovakia – Iceland match prediction

Slovakia will aim to avoid risks in the upcoming match and spare fans from nail-biting tension. A minimal victory will suffice for the hosts to qualify for the European Football Championship.

Goals-scored total prediction

The Slovakian national team displays dependable defence and doesn't allow opponents like Iceland to take shots at their goal. The recommended bet on the match is a "no" in both teams scoring.