Kazakhstan vs Norway prediction: EUROPE: UEFA Nations League – League B betting tips on match 2024-09-05 14:00.
[p]Having been beaten in the play-offs by Greece, Kazakhstan (#109) missed out on qualification for Euro 2024 and are still yet to reach a major tournament as an independent nation. Instead, the Hawks filled their summer calendar with friendlies against Armenia and Azerbaijan, losing both to extend their negative run to four successive defeats.[/p]
[p]New manager Stanislav Cherchesov was in place for both of those summer games, but had only taken charge a few days prior with fellow Russian Magomed Adiyev resigning from the role due to âfamily reasonsâ. Cherchesov now leads his side into a UEFA Nations League campaign in Group B3, the highest level of the competition the country has ever played at having been promoted as Group C3 winners in the previous edition, winning four of their six games (D1, L1), including all three at home.[/p]
[p]Norway visit the Almaty Central Stadium on Friday for the first-ever meeting between these two nations having also missed out on a spot at Euro 2024. StĂ„le Solbakkenâs side have won just one of the four friendlies theyâve played to date this calendar year (D1, L2), but theyâll expect a reaction here after a 3-1 loss to Denmark in their last outing as only once in Solbakkenâs three-and-a-half year tenure have they lost back-to-back games.[/p]
[p]The Scandinavians will begin a third consecutive UEFA Nations League term in Division B, missing out on promotion to the competitionâs top tier last time out by three points as runners-up in Group B4. Currently #50, Norway have lost just two games against nations currently ranked lower than them by FIFA since Solbakkenâs appointment in December 2020, and will be confident of kickstarting their campaign with three points.[/p]
[p]Key battle: Veteran goalkeeper Igor Shatskiy has kept just four clean sheets in his last 20 appearances for Kazakhstan, conceding 2+ in four of his last five international games. Up against him, Erling Haaland has netted 12 goals in just ten UEFA Nations League appearances, including six in the four away games heâs played in the competition to date.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Four of Norwayâs six games in their previous UEFA Nations League campaign were decided by a single-goal margin.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Ben Olawumi[/i][/p]