In the upcoming Euro 2024 qualification match, Slovakia will be aiming to bounce back from their recent defeat against Portugal as they face Liechtenstein at home on Monday night.
Currently placed second in Group J with 10 points from five matches, Slovakia will look to secure a victory against the bottom-placed Liechtenstein, who are yet to register a point after five games.
Slovakia displayed a commendable performance in their previous encounter with Portugal, but ultimately fell short due to a first-half goal by Bruno Fernandes.
With 10 points, Slovakia currently sits five points behind group leaders Portugal, sharing the same points as Luxembourg in third place.
Francesco Calzona’s side started their campaign with a goalless draw against Luxembourg, followed by three consecutive victories over Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
Their narrow loss to Portugal was a setback, especially considering their upcoming match against the group leaders on October 13. Therefore, securing all three points against Liechtenstein becomes crucial for Slovakia.
Having reached the last-16 stage of the European Championship in 2016, Slovakia has maintained a strong presence in the tournament, although they were eliminated during the group stage of Euro 2020.
On the other hand, Liechtenstein has struggled to make an impact in the group, losing all five matches and scoring only one goal while conceding 16.
Although they suffered a 4-0 defeat to Portugal in their opening match, Liechtenstein has shown signs of improvement in recent games, with narrow losses against Luxembourg, Slovakia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Under the guidance of head coach Konrad Funfstuck, Liechtenstein has taken steps forward despite losing all three matches under his management.
Throughout their history, Liechtenstein has never qualified for the finals of a major tournament and has only won five matches in European Championship qualification.
Liechtenstein’s form has been disappointing, as they have lost their last 18 matches across all competitions and have not secured a victory since October 2020 when they defeated Luxembourg 2-1 in a friendly.
Form Guide:
Slovakia Euro Champ Qualifying form: DWWWL Slovakia form (all competitions): DDWWWL
Liechtenstein Euro Champ Qualifying form: LLLLL Liechtenstein form (all competitions): LLLLLL
Team News:
Slovakia has no reported injury concerns following their match against Portugal, but coach Calzona may consider making changes from their previous one-goal loss.
Tomas Suslov and Robert Bozenik, who were substitutes in the Portugal game, could potentially make it into the starting lineup for Monday’s clash.
Peter Pekarik and Juraj Kucka, the most experienced players in terms of caps, are expected to retain their spots, while Lukas Haraslin is set to feature in the attacking third.
For Liechtenstein, head coach Funfstuck may stick with a similar lineup to their match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, having been pleased with the team’s performance.
They are likely to adopt a 5-3-2 formation, with Sandro Wolfinger and Maximilian Goppel operating as wing-backs.
With four goals, Dennis Salanovic is Liechtenstein’s leading goal scorer and is expected to partner with Ferhat Saglam in the attacking third, alongside Aron Sele in a wide position.
Predicted Starting Lineups:
Slovakia:
- Dubravka
- Pekarik
- Vavro
- Skriniar
- Hancko
- Kucka
- Lobotka
- Duda
- Suslov
- Bozenik
- Haraslin
Liechtenstein:
- Buchel
- Wolfinger
- Beck
- Traber
- Malin
- Goppel
- Luchinger
- Wieser
- Sele
- Salanovic
- Saglam
Match Prediction:
Considering Liechtenstein’s winless streak spanning almost three years, it is challenging to support them despite their recent improvements under new management.
Slovakia might face some resistance from Liechtenstein but is expected to secure a significant three points in this crucial match.