Slovenia vs Austria prediction: EUROPE: UEFA Nations League – League B betting tips on match 2024-09-05 18:45.
[p]After reaching the last 16 of Euro 2024 despite not even winning a game at the tournament (D3, L1), Slovenia now return to UEFA Nations League action looking to continue their trend of constant progress across their three seasons to date. Beginning their journey in League C, Slovenia achieved promotion to League B in their second campaign before posting a middling third-place finish last time around, drawing half of their games (W1, D3, L2).[/p]
[p]Another stalemate may not be the worst start to this group campaign as Slovenia enter this clash as outsiders against a strong Austria side, who Slovenia boss Matjaž Kek has a 100% losing record against (L2). Yet with no side beating Kek’s side within 90 minutes since Denmark in November 2023 (W4, D6), the Slovenians truly have nothing to fear ahead of this opener, especially after avoiding defeat against the likes of top-ten ranked nations England and Portugal during that run. [/p]
[p]Also being eliminated in the Round of 16 at Euro 2024, Austria now return to UEFA Nations League B after relegation in their first campaign in League A last time around (W1, D1, L4). That woeful campaign was Ralf Rangnick’s first action as the Austria manager, but he’ll now rightly expect something similar to their promotion campaign under Franco Foda the last time they were playing at this level (W4, D1, L1). [/p]
[p]No matter what happens here, history suggests that the first goal will be crucial as the side scoring first went on to win ‘to nil’ in all four H2Hs between these nations (AUS: W3, L1). A similar trend can be seen in Austria’s away games in this competition, with every one being won by the side scoring first whilst all but two matches saw just one side score (W5, L3).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Touted as Slovenia’s hottest prospect, forward Benjamin Šeško has averaged more than one goal contribution every other game in his national colours (GP33: G11, A6), with five of those coming in just six Nations League games. Playing alongside Šeško at Leipzig, Austria’s Christoph Baumgartner has seen his nation win by multiple-goal margins in six of his last eight scoring appearances (W7, D1). [/p]
[p]Hot streak: Austria are without a clean sheet in any of their last seven internationals, conceding before half-time in six of those games. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Matthew Billon[/i] [/p]