Switzerland-Belarus is a match on the eighth day of Group I of Euro 2024 qualifiers and is played Sunday at 6 p.m.: predictions.
In Israel on Thursday, it was impossible to think of playing soccer as anything after the tragic events of the past few days.
Uefa has therefore opted to postpone the match with Switzerland, which will be made up in November. Or at least that is the hope, while waiting for tensions to subside in the Middle East. So everything remains in the balance in Group I, where at the moment there are three teams fighting for the top two spots: behind the Swiss, who look down on everyone with 14 points, are Romania and Israel, with 13 and 11 points, respectively. Decidedly more detached is Kosovo (7), however still arithmetically in the running for qualification. Romania on the last day missed a great opportunity: drawing against Belarus on a neutral field (0-0), it failed to make the momentary breakthrough over Switzerland, which can now take advantage of it to stretch and further consolidate the lead. Murat Yakin’s men are the only undefeated along with the Romanians, but in their last three outings they have slowed down, drawing – in both cases with a 2-2 result – with Romania and Kosovo.
The goal remains well within the reach of the Red Swiss, but to avoid complicating life (there are still four matches left to play) they will need to get back on track.
The players of Belarus
The challenge with Belarus, which will be mathematically out of the game should it fail to beat the Helvetians, is certainly the one most within reach for Xhaka and his teammates, who have already dominated far and wide in the first leg: last March it ended 5-0 for Switzerland. Positive, in any case, the debut of Spanish coach Alos at the helm of the Belarusian representative: it was not a foregone conclusion to avoid defeat – and especially to keep the goal unbeaten – against Romania.
The prediction
Another performance of great sacrifice will hardly be enough for Belarus to hold off Switzerland’s assorted attack, always scoring in the qualifiers. An attack that, despite the absence of Milan’s Okafor – the former Salzburg man got injured in training – can count on a wild Amdouni, already on a season-high 5 goals. We expect a wide success from the Helvetians: they should win with at least two goals to spare.
The probable lineups of Switzerland-Belarus
- SWISS (3-4-1-2): Sommer; Akanji, Elvedi, Rodriguez; Vargas, Xhaka, Freuler, Steffen; Shaqiri; Amdouni, Itten.
- BIELORUSSIA (5-3-2): Ignatovich; Yuzepchuk, Politevich, Polyakov, Volkov, Pechenin; Bocherov, Gromyko, Korzun; Kontsevoy, Morozov.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-0