Football Results

Slovenia started European qualifiers a bit better and drew both matches but it underperformed in the Nations League. Austria won friendly with Slovenia played last year by 3-0.

Austria

The qualifications have just started and the Austrians are already in a great trouble. Scenario from the previous qualifying cycle when they failed to qualify for the World Cup in Russia is looming over them. It could be seen that Austria was not in good shape in the Nations League, where they won Northern Ireland two times but won one just point from two matches with B-H and ended up at the second place in the group. At the beginning of qualification they lost at home to Poland 0-1, and then were defeated in Israel by 4-2. In this match they took a lead and held everything under control in the first half an hour, but then received four goals in next half an hour and everything felt apart. There are no major changes in the starting line-up compared to the previous match.

Probable lineups Austria: Lindner – Laimer, Dragovic, Hinteregger, Ulmer – Baumgartlinger, Ilsanker – Sabitzer, Grillitsch, Alaba – Arnautovic

Slovenia

It is difficult to say whether the Slovenians can be satisfied with the beginning of this qualifying cycle or not because they drew first two matches. Of course, away draw with Israel is a good result but home draw with North Macedonia is not. Both times the result read at the end 1-1 and both time the Slovenians had a led but didn’t manage to keep the advantage. Before the qualifications they played very poorly in the Nations League where they ended up in the last place. After that Matjaz Kek took the helm and he sent the same team to face Israel and North Macedonia, which he may choose to do now as well.

Probable lineups Slovenia: Oblak – Stojanovic, Struna, Mevlja, Jokic – Zajc, Krhin, Kurtic – Ilicic, Sporar, Verbic

Verdict:

Austrian national team is objectively capable for a lot more that it showed in first two rounds and now they have chance to prove that. The Austrians have imperative to win and the Slovenians will play to draw, however, we don’t believe that will succeed in that.

Pick: 1 - Austria wins 1.89 - 89/100 @1XBet