Iceland vs Slovakia prediction: EUROPE: Euro – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-06-16 18:45.
After their UEFA European Championship Qualifying campaign (ECQ) started in miserable fashion against Bosnia and Herzegovina (L 3-0), Iceland responded emphatically by dispatching minnows Liechtenstein 7-0 in March. That victory wasn’t enough for Arnar Viðarsson to keep his job, but such a positive result has restored hope of reaching the Euros for the first time since the Scandinavians’ 2016 heroics, although that is the only time in their history that they’ve made the tournament finals.
They welcome Slovakia to ReykjavĂk for a first-ever competitive meeting needing to improve their dire home form, with Iceland victorious in just one of the last nine games they’ve hosted (D4, L4). Returning to the ECQ stage therefore comes at a good time as they’ve lost only one of their last 12 such home matches (W9, D2), something that should give new boss Ă…ge Hareide cause for optimism.
Slovakia should be confident travellers though after making an unbeaten start to their qualifying campaign without conceding a goal (W1, D1). Francesco Calzona’s men may yet come to regret dropping points in their opening clash against minnows Luxembourg (D 0-0), but will remain confident of victory here having had the better of their five previous H2H meetings with Iceland (W3, D1, L1).
The Falcons are bidding to reach a third consecutive Euros finals, so they’ll be looking to continue their solid run of ECQ away form that’s seen them win eight of their last 13 qualifiers on the road (D2, L3). Powered by captain Milan Škriniar, a tight defence could well prove key to picking up three points as each of Slovakia’s last four wins outside their homeland in any form has been accompanied by a clean sheet.
Players to watch: Iceland captain Aron Gunnarsson sits fourth on the list of all-time appearance makers for his country (101), while three of his five goals came in the 7-0 rout of Liechtenstein. Slovakia’s Juraj Kucka is approaching a century of caps himself, and the former Watford midfielder scored and assisted in his country’s last away trip (D 2-2 vs Montenegro).
Hot stat: Both sides have scored in each of the previous five H2Hs.