In an important Euro 2024 qualifier, Belgium is set to travel to Azerbaijan in a bid to secure their place among the top two teams in Group F.
Currently positioned above Sweden and Austria, the Red Devils are expected to emerge victorious against their struggling hosts.
Belgium’s rebuilding process began after the disappointing end to the Roberto Martinez era, which concluded with World Cup disappointment.
Under the guidance of new coach Domenico Tedesco, Belgium has made progress towards the Euro 2024 finals.
They started their journey with a convincing win over Sweden in their opening qualifier, followed by a friendly victory against Germany.
The Red Devils continued their impressive form with a draw against Austria and a comfortable win against Estonia, featuring a brace from star striker Romelu Lukaku.
Sitting comfortably in second place in Group F, Belgium has a four-point lead over third-placed Sweden and is on track to secure a spot in Germany next summer.
While experienced players like Lukaku and captain Jan Vertonghen provide leadership, Belgium’s squad has seen the emergence of new talents such as Jeremy Doku and Johan Bakayoko, injecting freshness into the team.
Belgium aims to extend their unbeaten streak to seven matches during this month’s international window. Their upcoming matches against Azerbaijan and Estonia offer an opportunity to gather maximum points and strengthen their position in the group.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan earned their first point of the qualifying campaign by holding Estonia to a 1-1 draw.
With Belgium, Sweden, and Austria leading the pack in Group F, Azerbaijan will likely battle to avoid finishing at the bottom.
Failing to capitalize on their home advantage may disappoint coach Gianni De Biasi, who has endured challenging times since taking charge of the Azeri national side.
After a winless run, Azerbaijan bounced back with three consecutive victories in the UEFA Nations League.
However, they suffered back-to-back defeats against Austria and Sweden in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, conceding nine goals in the process.
Although they managed to salvage a draw against Estonia, Azerbaijan’s hopes of reaching their first major finals are distant.
Possible Starting Lineups:
Azerbaijan:
- Magomedaliyev
- Haghverdi
- Mustafazada
- Kryvotsyuk
- Cafarguliyev
- Diniyev
- Camalov
- Sheydayev
- Mahmudov
- Isayev
- Dadashov
Belgium:
- Sels
- Castagne
- Faes
- Vertonghen
- Theate
- Mangala
- Onana
- Tielemans
- Doku
- Lukaku
- Carrasco
Prediction: Azerbaijan 0-2 Belgium
Despite the gap in quality between the two teams, Belgium is expected to dominate the match. Azerbaijan’s heavy defeats have primarily occurred away from home, suggesting that the margin of victory for Belgium may not be as large as anticipated.