Bosnia-Luxembourg is a match on the fourth day of Euro 2024 qualifying Group J and is played on Tuesday at 20:45: predictions
Bosnia had started their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a bang, but two defeats in a row against Slovakia and Portugal have reduced the Balkan selection’s ambitions. Two straight defeats ended without scoring a single goal
But if the one against the Portuguese – the selection that is likely to finish ahead of everyone else in the group – was in the order of things, the one against the Slovaks in March was a misstep that unsettled everyone. And one that threatens to be decisive, given that Slovakia, the direct competitor for second place, has won seven points in three matches, a good four more than Dzeko and his team-mates, who are already with their backs to the wall. Ahead of Bosnia is also the small but ambitious Luxembourg, which has made significant steps forward in the last few years and is no longer the mattress team it used to be. Having entered the top 100 of the Fifa ranking, the Grand Duchy’s selection has so far only lost to Portugal, which is unplayable for a team of its level: on 26 March last, it ended with a score of 6-0 for the Lusitanians. In the other two matches, however, the Luc Holtz-coached team has not done badly at all. On the contrary, they have imposed a draw against a qualitatively superior selection such as Slovakia (0-0) and last weekend they beat Liechtenstein 2-0, destined to finish in last place.
Luxembourg are not out of the game
To say Luxembourg are in the running for qualification is a big word, but the group standings at the moment say this. And that, for now, is what we have to stick to.
Holtz
And the pressure will be all on the shoulders of Bosnia, who after two missteps need to get back to winning ways to keep believing in second place. The Grand Duchy selection has not won an away match in European Championship qualifying since as far back as 2007. There is a fairly recent precedent with Bosnia: in March 2022 they faced each other in a friendly, which ended 1-0 to the Balkans.
The Prediction
Bosnia have always won in their seven previous matches against Luxembourg and the match in Zenica should be no exception. However, we assume that it will be a close game, with the guests having to fight hard. In short, no goleada in sight.
Bosnia-Luxembourg lineup
- BOSNIA (3-5-2): Sehic; Barisic, Ahmedhodzic, Sanicanin; Dedic, Tahirovic, Cimirot, Hadziahmetovic, Kolasinac; Stevanovic, Dzeko
- LUSSEMBOURG (5-4-1): Moris; Bohnert, Martins, Mahmutovic, Chanot, Jans; Borges Sanches, Martins Pereira, Barreiro, Rodrigues; Sinani.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-0
