Belarus vs Kosovo prediction: EUROPE: Euro – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-06-18 18:45.
Belarus faltered when it mattered most against Israel on Friday, conceding twice beyond the 80th minute to squander the lead in a 2-1 defeat. That made it four straight defeats for the first time since November 2021, whilst also keeping them rooted to the bottom of Group I of the UEFA European Championship qualifiers (ECQ) – meaning itâs already looking increasingly unlikely that theyâll reach the Euros finals for the first time in the post-Soviet era.
Such a disappointing collapse against Israel made it six straight ECQ losses for Belarus, although it was the first match in that sequence which saw them score first. Ending that dismal run will have to be done without the support of a home crowd though, as Georgy Kondratyevâs men play this match at a neutral venue in Budapest.
Kosovo warmed up for this first-ever H2H clash with a goalless draw against Romania, a result that keeps them four points adrift of the qualification places. A run of five straight draws illustrates that theyâre a tough nut to crack, but three of those stalemates saw them fail to hold on to a lead which remains a cause of concern. Breaking that barrier is critical for Edward IordÄnescuâs men, who are looking for a first ECQ win since October 2019 (D3, L3).
A victory here could be crucial to their qualification hopes, as their following two fixtures in September will be against the current top-two sides in Switzerland and Romania. Whichever way the result goes, excitement looks to be on the menu as both teams have scored in each of Kosovoâs last six ECQ away matches (W1, D2, L3).
Players to watch: Maks Ebong netted Belarusâ goal on Friday – his three scoring appearances for the national team have been in games where at least one side has scored twice. Milot Rashica has certainly been the man Kosovo rely on away from home, with seven of his eight international goals arriving on the road.
Hot stat: Three of Belarusâ last six ECQ matches have ended in a 2-1 defeat.