Georgia vs Luxembourg prediction: EUROPE: Euro – Qualification – Promotion betting tips on match 2024-03-20 17:00.
[p]Despite an underwhelming UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying campaign that saw them finish fourth in their group, Georgia have the chance to make it to the tournament proper this summer thanks to their performances during the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League (UNL), when they won Group C4 by seven points. Willy Sagnol’s men will now be looking to benefit from home advantage as they play Luxembourg in Thursday’s qualifying semi-final, with the winner facing Greece or Kazakhstan early next week for a place in Germany. [/p]
[p]They’d be wise not to look too far ahead, as simply making the qualifying final isn’t assured, given Georgia have only claimed victory in two of their four previous meetings with their upcoming opponents (D1, L1). Although that defeat came during their most recent H2H in 2018 (1-0), they should still have high hopes coming into this crucial clash, as they are unbeaten in three home games (W2, D1) since being battered 7-1 by Spain in September 2023. [/p]
[p]Luxembourg arrive in Tbilisi with a marginally inferior FIFA world ranking to their hosts – 85 to 77 – but their current crop of players is responsible for the greatest era in the country’s footballing history. An astonishing five wins during UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying – more than in their previous six Euro qualifying cycles combined – saw them finish third in Group J behind Portugal and Slovakia.[/p]
[p]Although those results weren’t enough to directly progress, similarly impressive displays in the UNL have given them another shot at reaching a first-ever major tournament. And Luc Holtz’s side will certainly not be overawed by the challenge ahead of them, as they have lost just one of their last nine competitive encounters on their travels (W5, D3), a run which includes a memorable 2-0 triumph over Bosnia-Herzegovina and draws against Slovakia (0-0) and Turkey (3-3) – all three of whom sit higher in FIFA’s rankings than Georgia! [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has scored in each of his last three starts for Georgia, with all four of those strikes coming before the hour mark. Gerson Rodrigues, meanwhile, has netted four of Luxembourg’s last six goals, with the 28-year-old avoiding defeat in his last 11 international scoring appearances (W7, D4). [/p]
[p]Hot stat: There have been five goals scored inside the first 15 minutes across Georgia’s last four matches. [/p]