In the group stage of the European qualifiers for the World Cup today, Croatia will host Slovakia.
Croatia
Croatia were the runners-up in the last FIFA World Cup in Russia and are currently ranked 18th in the world.
The team has had an average year. In the Europa League, although they qualified in the group stage, they only played one game in the knockout stage and stopped in the round of 16.
In the European qualifiers for the World Cup, the team has performed impressively, with five wins, one draw and one loss in seven group matches, and currently sits at the top of the group with 16 points. They are currently tied on points with Russia, who are next on the list, and only have a slight lead over their opponents on goal difference.
The Croatian team has had serious problems with an ageing squad in recent years, but many of its players have played in the top five leagues and are experienced. The Georgians have recently won three straight games, all of which have been clean sheets, and the team’s morale is extremely high.
In their last match against Cyprus, they dominated the field, with 74% possession, 27 shots and 11 on target, nearly four times as many as their opponents. With goals from Perisic, Gwadiore and Livaja, the team took down their opponents 3-0 to extend their winning streak.
Slovakia
The Slovakian team is currently ranked 38th in the world and has had a very poor year. The team has only played 3 group matches in the Euros, and although they got the 3rd place, they are still not qualified for the knockout stage.
While in the World Cup European qualifying, the team has made 2 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses in 7 matches, and is currently ranked 4th in the group with 9 points. With a seven point gap to the top 2 teams in the group, Croatia and Russia, the team’s chances of qualifying are very slim!
In their last match away to Russia, the team dominated the field, with 74% possession, 27 shots and 5 on target, nearly 3 times the number of shots on target as their opponents. However, their ability to grasp the game was unsatisfactory, with defender Skriniar giving away an own goal and eventually losing 0-1 to their opponents.
It is worth noting that the team’s away record is poor this year, with no wins in all four away games.
Comprehensive Analysis
In their previous meetings, Croatia have won all three of their matches against Slovakia, giving them a psychological advantage.
In recent times, the Croatian team has been on a winning streak and is now at the top of the group, with morale very high. Slovakia, on the other hand, have been in poor form recently, with not only a decline in their attacking form, but also a growing number of defensive vulnerabilities.
With such a stark contrast in form between the two sides, it is still important to be wary of the possibility of a draw in this match.
Prediction：Croatia-0.75@1.472
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