Czech Republic vs Poland prediction: EUROPE: Euro – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-03-23 19:45.
Czech Republic’s H2H record with neighbours Poland is evenly matched at four wins apiece, but the hosts have won three of the last four encounters. That should give them a boost as they open their European Championship qualification (ECQ) campaign bidding to maintain a proud record of appearing in every Euro final tournament since becoming an independent nation, something they will be fancied to continue in a group also featuring Albania, Moldova and the Faroe Islands.
Although the Czechs have only won one of their last seven games (D1, L5), at home they’re a difficult side to beat, losing just one of the last nine internationals they hosted (W5, D3). They took the lead inside 15 minutes of three of the last four of those (W2, D1, L1) so manager Jaroslav Šilhavý – whose final international appearance as a player was against Poland – would certainly like his side to make another fast start.
Poland fell at the last 16 stage of December’s World Cup when they were beaten by eventual runners-up France, and begin their ECQ campaign with a new manager in Fernando Santos. “We have chosen the best,” Cezary Kulesza, head of the Polish Football Federation, said after they got their man, who led Portugal to victory in Euro 2016 and the 2018/19 UEFA Nations League.
His stock with his new employers would rise even higher if he can mastermind a win in the Czech Republic, as the Eagles have lost both previous H2Hs in this country. But as they prepare to make the trip south, they can be encouraged by only losing one of their last seven away games (W4, D2 – excluding walkovers) and scoring in all but one of their last 11 ECQ away fixtures (W6, D3, L2).
Players to watch: Czech Republic will lean heavily on the experience of Tomáš Souček, who has earned more caps (56) than any of his fellow squad members and only lost one international in which he scored (W5, D1). Record goalscorer Robert Lewandowski netted Poland’s last two goals, both coming after the 80th minute.
Hot stat: Six of Czech Republic’s last seven ECQ games produced exactly three goals (W5, L2).