Slovakia vs Bosnia & Herzegovina prediction: EUROPE: Euro – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-03-25 18:45.
It was a frustrating start to the UEFA European Championships qualification cycle for Slovakia, who opened their competitive 2023 schedule with a goalless draw against Luxembourg to end a run of four straight wins in their opening game of a new Euro qualifying cycle. Euro 2016 and 2020 are the only two editions Slovakia have qualified for as an independent nation and they’ll leave themselves a lot of catching up to do behind Portugal and Bosnia & Herzegovina if they lose here.
Finishing in the qualification placings in Group J will be no easy task for a Slovakia side that have been on a downward spiral since those back-to-back qualifications and a last 16 appearance at the 2010 World Cup. Searching for his first win as national team boss (D4, L1), Francesco Calzona and his Falcons side somehow need to reverse their recent form and find a win in what could already be classified as a crucial game for their chances.
Bosnia’s quest for a historical first appearance at a European Championship got off to a flying start as they brushed Iceland aside by a 3-0 scoreline in the opener. That result ensured the continuation of their good form after they ended 2022 by earning promotion to the UEFA Nations League A, with that ranking already securing a guaranteed play-off spot for Euro 2024!
New manager Faruk Hadžibegić would prefer it doesn't come to that and improving on their woeful travelling record in European qualifiers will be high on his list of priorities in order to achieve that. Bosnia had picked up just three of their 13-point haul on foreign soil in the previous cycle (W1, L4), yet with five goals and two wins from their only two trips to Slovakia, confidence should be high.
Players to watch: Providing an assist in Slovakia’s only ever victory over Bosnia back in 2013, veteran Juraj Kucka’s goal in an eventual 2-2 draw with Montenegro in November was Slovakia’s last in over three hours of play. Bosnian midfielder Rade Krunić scored twice before half-time against Iceland, which is incredible considering he’s scored just once for club side AC Milan since the beginning of 2021/22!
Hot stat: Slovakia are on their joint-longest run of draws (D4) and the last such streak ended with that 1-0 win over Bosnia in 2013!