Switzerland vs Andorra prediction: EUROPE: Euro – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-09-11 18:45.
It could be a meeting of the unstoppable force and the easily movable object when Switzerland host Andorra in Group I of qualifying for the 2024 UEFA European Championship (ECQ), as the two sides occupy first and last place in the standings respectively at the halfway point of this ECQ campaign. With three home games against the groupâs three lowest-placed sides still to come, Switzerland are now expected to cruise into a third consecutive Euros.
Drawing with Kosovo for the second time in less than 18 months, which came three months after the same 2-2 result against Romania, should serve to remind the Red Crosses of the dangers of complacency, however. Whilst pointing out that they led in Kosovo for much of the game on a difficult pitch in Pristina, boss Murat Yakin bemoaned the teamâs display at both ends, stating his side âdid the minimum in attack and didnât defend well enoughâ.
Andorra should at least have some familiarity with the strengths and weaknesses of their opposition, having scored against them only three months ago despite losing the reverse fixture (2-1). It was an admirable effort against a side currently 141 places above them in FIFAâs world rankings, and there could be some grounds to make a case that theyâre currently outperforming expectations after they secured a 0-0 draw against top-100 nation Belarus on Saturday.
That was a particularly special game for the side, not only because it was just the second time that Andorra had ever taken points from more than one game in an ECQ cycle, but manager Koldo Ălvarez gave 43-year-old defender Ildefons Lima a record-extending 136th and final cap since his debut in 1997 with a two-minute stoppage-time cameo that allowed him to say farewell to his supporters prior to retirement. Holding Belarus scoreless was also a sign of some positive long-term development in the country, as theyâve now completed 12 straight matches without a 3+ goal loss that was once a frequent occurrence for the microstate.
Players to watch: Remo Freulerâs three competitive appearances since the start of June have all been for Switzerland, so itâs impressive he was able to open the scoring inside 15 minutes twice despite a lack of match practice. On a similarly remarkable note, 38-year-old MĂĄrcio Vieira was Andorraâs only goalscorer in the reverse H2H.
Hot stat: Switzerland last failed to win three consecutive ECQs in 1987!