Netherlands face uphill task as they take on France
It might be an uphill climb for the Netherlands on Friday when they take on France in 2024 UEFA European Championships Qualifying in Amsterdam.
These are the top two teams in Group B, but the Oranje (3-0-1) have major injury concerns entering the match at Johan Cruyff Arena. Les Bleus (5-0-0) have no concerns at all, as they have breezed through group play and beat the Dutch 4-0 in their matchup in Saint-Denis in March.
They can secure a spot in Germany for the 2024 European Championships with a victory. The Netherlands are tied on points with Greece but have a game in hand and face the Greeks in Athens on Monday.
Les Bleus have had little trouble in Group B and are facing a diminished Dutch side with a chance to seal their spot in Euro 2024. Kylian Mbappe scored twice as France cruised past the Oranje in the opening group-stage victory, and he has four goals in the five matches.
Antoine Griezmann also scored, and France are dangerous with the likes of Ousmane Dembele and Olivier Giroud available in attack. Kingsley Coman, Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani provide quality depth.
More than half of the Netherlands’ preferred 11 are out with injuries, including strikers Memphis Depay and Cody Gakpo and star defender Jurrien Timber. This means the Dutch could slow things down and play for a draw.
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Austria, Belgium go head to head in Group F
The top two teams in Group F of Euro 2024 qualifying go head to head at the Ernst Happel Stadion on Friday as Austria play host to Belgium.
Both nations are sitting on 13 points after five matches and know that a victory here will book their place at next year’s tournament in Germany.
Austria are on course to qualify for their third successive European Championships after winning four and drawing one of their first five matches in Group F.
Austria boast an impressive home record in Euro qualifying as they have won 11 of their last 12 matches on their own turf, dating back to October 2014. However, Austria have failed to win any of their last six meetings with Belgium, who are on the cusp of qualifying for their third consecutive European Championship.
Belgium, ranked fifth in the world by FIFA, head to the Ernst Happel Stadion looking to claim their second successive victory on Austrian soil; the Red Devils have won each of their last 10 away games in Euro qualifying since a 1-0 loss to Wales in June 2015.
An entertaining Group F contest could in store on Friday between two nations who will want to clinch qualification for Euro 2024 with a victory and get the job done with two games to spare.
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Victory for Portugal would secure them Euro 2024 qualification
Portugal will welcome Slovakia on Friday evening knowing that a victory would see them secure their spot in next summer’s European Championship finals with three games to spare.
An excellent campaign to date has left Roberto Martinez‘s side at the top of Group J on 18 points, while Slovakia are second in the section, picking up 13 points from their opening six matches.
Portugal have not missed a step in Group J, posting six wins out of six, which has left them comfortably at the top of the table, boasting 18 points, five clear of second-placed Slovakia and crucially eight ahead of third-placed Luxembourg on the same number of games.
It is simple for Martinez’s side; a win would guarantee their spot at Euro 2024 with three games in hand, while a draw would be enough if Luxembourg fail to beat Iceland, with the fixture also taking place on Friday.
Portugal have never lost to Slovakia, winning four of the last five meetings between the two sides, including a 1-0 success in the reverse match last month, with Bruno Fernandes netting the winner.
Slovakia are a national team to be respected, and they are more than capable of picking up a strong result on Friday evening. Portugal are on a roll at the moment, though, and we are expecting Martinez’s side to make it seven wins from seven in the section courtesy of a comfortable victory.
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Republic of Ireland host Greece in Group B
The Republic of Ireland‘s wafer-thin chances of Euro 2024 qualification could be wiped out on Friday, when the Boys in Green host Greece in Group B at the Aviva Stadium.
The fourth-placed hosts sit one spot and six points worse off than their upcoming opponents, who are guaranteed a playoff spot at the very least.
Only cellar-dwelling Gibraltar have fallen to Ireland’s superiority during a dismal period of Euro 2024 qualifying for the Boys in Green, who sought to make it to the Finals for the third time in four cycles this time around, having punched their tickets to the 2012 and 2016 tournaments.
Pipping Les Bleus or Oranje to one of the automatic qualification places was always going to be a tall order for the Irish, but scoring in 14 of their last 15 home matches in Euros qualifying – the aberration being a 1-0 loss to France in March – at least gives the Dublin faithful a tiny sliver of hope.
However, the head-to-head column overwhelmingly favours, Greece, the 2004 winners, who have gone unbeaten in their four previous meetings with Ireland.
A draw will not be sufficient to keep Ireland’s top-two hopes alive if the Netherlands can put France to the sword, and the Ferguson-led Boys in Green ought to go for broke on a ground where they traditionally have few problems finding the back of the net.
Greece’s dissatisfactory run on the road also serves as a reason for Irish optimism, but Poyet’s resilient side are not to be taken lightly and can hold Kenny’s men to a point, which may or may not condemn them to their fate.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
