Iceland will play Ukraine in a key match for the World Cup European qualifiers on Friday, October 10, in Reykjavik. The match will kick off at 20:45 Central European Time. Here’s a look at the upcoming game.
Match preview
Iceland started their World Cup qualifying campaign strong with a 5-0 victory against Azerbaijan. However, their next match against France was more challenging. They nearly achieved a draw, scoring in the 89th minute, but Andri Gudjohnsen’s goal was disallowed after a VAR check.
Iceland has qualified for the World Cup only once, in 2018, where they finished last in their group with just one point against Argentina, Nigeria, and Croatia.
Ukraine is currently facing difficulties. Coach Serhiy Rebrov’s team has struggled to perform, leading to speculation about a coaching change. Their qualifying journey began poorly with a 0-2 loss to France and a draw against Azerbaijan. Positive results are crucial for Ukraine to keep their World Cup dreams alive.
Ukraine has only reached the World Cup once as well, in 2006, when they made it to the quarterfinals. Their supporters are eager for a return to the tournament.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Over 2 goals have been scored in six of Iceland’s last seven matches.
- Iceland has scored first in four of their last five games.
- Five of Ukraine’s last seven matches have had over 2 goals.
- Both teams scored in five of Ukraine’s last seven games.
- In their five previous encounters, Ukraine has won twice, Iceland once, and there have been two draws.
Probable lineups
- Iceland: Ólafsson – Pálsson, Ingason, Grétarsson, Ellertsson – Thorsteinsson, Haraldsson, Johannesson, Anderson – Gudjonsen A., Gudjonsen D.
- Ukraine: Trubin – Konoplia, Zabarnyi, Marviyenko, Mykolenko – Kalyuzhnyi, Yarmolyuk, Bondarenko – Hutsuliak, Sudakov, Dovbyk
Prediction
Despite their current challenges, Ukraine has the potential to win against Iceland. They previously triumphed over Iceland in the Euro 2024 playoff. With World Cup ambitions at stake, Ukraine is likely to perform well. A safe bet would be for Ukraine to win with an Asian handicap of 0.