Slovakia vs Germany prediction: EUROPE: World Championship – Qualification betting tips on match 2025-09-03 18:45.
[p]Slovakia get their bid to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup underway with a tricky encounter against four-time winners Germany.[/p]
[p]Match News and Current Form[/p]
[p]Slovakia don’t start this World Cup qualification (WCQ) campaign in great form having missed out on promotion to UEFA Nations League Group B in March, with their winless international run now standing at four matches (D1, L3). The expanded 48-team format for the 2026 World Cup does at least offer more qualification places and as the Falcons are the second-highest ranked side in this four-team group, a play-off place seems a realistic target, especially if they can build on their solid 2022 WCQ attempt (W3, D5, L2).[/p]
[p]Ranked ninth in the world by FIFA, Germany are the runaway favourites to win this group and will be expecting to extend a run of seven consecutive WCQ victories, five of which they achieved without conceding. The return of experienced defender Antonio Rüdiger should help Julian Nagelsmann’s side in that regard as they look to bounce back from winning none of their last three games (D1, L2), which is perhaps why he’s elected to call up three uncapped players in goalkeeper Finn Dahmen, defender Nnamdi Collins and midfielder Paul Nebel.[/p]
[p]Head-to-Head History[/p]
[p]Slovakia have played Germany six times since becoming an independent nation, winning two of six meetings (L4), although it was the Germans who won all three competitive H2Hs. Each of the last four clashes produced at least three goals.[/p]
[p]Hot Stats and Streaks[/p]
[p]Slovakia haven’t scored more than once in any of their last six games (W1, D1, L4).[/p]
[p]Four of Slovakia’s last five WCQ fixtures produced an even number of goals (W2, D2, L1).[/p]
[p]The side scoring first have won only one of Germany’s last five games.[/p]
[p]Germany have won their last 18 WCQ away fixtures, scoring an average of 3.28 goals per game.[/p]
[p]Key Players to Watch and Missing Players[/p]
[p]Defender Dávid Hancko netted Slovakia’s consolation against Greece in June but his last three international goals all came in defeats. He might be busier keeping an eye on Florian Wirtz, who has netted his country’s first goal of the game in four of his six scoring appearances at international level.[/p]
[p]Slovakia coach Francesco Calzona is without injured pair Tomáš Suslov and Denis Vavro. Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala and Marc-André ter Stegen are notable absentees from Germany’s squad due to long-term injuries.[/p]
[p]For all the latest team news, please check the Flashscore match centre.[/p]
[p]Betting Analysis[/p]
[p]Germany have never lost a WCQ away game and look good value to continue that sequence here, but backing them to win with a -1.5 goal handicap provides better value.[/p]
[p][i]Author: John Pennington[/i][/p]