Ukraine vs Iceland Prediction: Team News and Lineups Preview

After Thursday’s goal fest (26 goals in six matches), it’s time to decide who’ll play in Germany this summer so here’s Ukraine vs Iceland prediction, team news, lineups and fixtures previews.

Prediction: Ukraine 2-1 Iceland

The Euro 2024 play-off final for path B will be staged at Wrocław Stadium in Poland and one of our international football experts, Daniele Fisichella, has selected the three best bets for this match.

1. Ukraine vs Iceland Tip 1: Number Of Goals In The Match: 2 Or 3 Goals 
2. Ukraine vs Iceland Tip 2: Ukraine Asian Handicap -0.75
3. Ukraine vs Iceland Tip 3: Over 2.5 Goals and Both Teams To Score – Yes

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The pair also analyses a tightly bunched Championship table ahead of Sam bringing shame to his hometown club with a relegation outright betting opportunity.

Ukraine vs Iceland Prediction 1: Another epic match in store?

Euro 2024 Qualifiers, play-offs final, Path B, Tuesday 26th Match, 19:45 (UK)

At the end of two evenly matched games Ukraine and Iceland advanced to the play-off finals.

The winner will play at the Euros in Group E with Belgium, Slovakia and Romania.

Successes in the semi-finals did not come easy for neither of these sides who had to mount a comeback to beat, away from home, Bosnia and Israel respectively.

The Ukrainians were not able to threaten Bosnia’s goal for over six minutes and suffered Edin Dzeko & co initiatives from setpieces and wide areas.

With five minutes to go, Ukraine looked destined to get knocked out, but two opportunities, the first one created by Mudryk, who initiated the action that led to Yaremchuk’s equalizer with a great cross-field ball to Konoplya, and the second, only two minutes later, thanks to the same Yaremchuk, who assisted Dovbyk for the winner, were enough to guarantee a stunning victory.

Initially the high pressing of Bosnia made it hard for Ukraine to find spaces, but as Serhiy Rebrov introduced Malinovsky and Yeremchuk, and Hajradinović and Ahmedhodžić left the field for Bosnia, the whole game changed.

• Ukraine vs Iceland Prediction 3: Number Of Goals In The Match: 2 Or 3 Goals (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.95
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 9/10

Ukraine vs Iceland Prediction 2: hosts can match Europe’s elite at home

This late win confirms that, ultimately, Ukraine remains a strong side in Europe and its squad depth allows them to turn around tricky games.

Artem Dovbyk has scored 16 goals this season for club and country and players like Mudryk, Mykolenko, Zinchenko and Lunin all play at the highest level.

The hosts have only lost two (against England and Italy away) of their last 11 competitive matches and have qualified for the last three editions of the Euros.

Their home record is extremely strong: in fact, they’re unbeaten in the last 15 games in front of their crowd, as their results have not suffered from having to play outside of their country since February 2022.

Ukraine’s last home defeat came in October 2020 (2-1 at the hands of Germany), and they haven’t lost a qualifier match at home since October 2017 (2-0 against Croatia).

In this period of time they held to draws teams such as France (1-1), England (1-1) and Italy (0-0). No wonder why Rebrov’s side are ranked 24th in the world, 49 places above Iceland.

• Ukraine vs Iceland Prediction 2: Ukraine Asian Handicap -0.75 (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.80
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 8/10

Ukraine vs Iceland Prediction 3: young visitors have a striker on fire

However Thursday’s game in Zenica highlighted that Ukraine can suffer defensively, in fact they’ve only kept three clean sheets (against Malta, North Macedonia and Italy) in the last 10 games.

Iceland, who have only qualified once for the Euros, are a young side that has slightly underperformed after their exploits in 2016 but, therefore will play with no pressure come Tuesday.

They beat Israel thanks to an Albert Gudmundsson masterclass.

The Genoa striker (15 goals already this season for club and country), scored a hat-trick to help his side overcome the initial 1-0 deficit.

The visitors had to defend deep in the second half and Valdimarsson had to make a couple of good saves. With 10 minutes to go Israel, who were already down to ten men because of Revivo sending off, missed the penalty that could have leveled the tie.

The one obtained in Budapest was Iceland’s only fourth victory in the past 11 games, and the third (the other two all come against Liechtenstein) on the road in the previous 16 official encounters.

The side managed by Åge Hareide finished fourth in their group, seven points behind Luxembourg, and have kept only two clean sheets (against Liechtenstein and Bosnia)  in the last 11 games.

Their most recent Nations League campaign has been slightly better, as Iceland picked up four draws that helped them avoid relegation into League C.

However, since the UEFA competition started in 2018, the Icelandics haven’t won a single game.

• Ukraine vs Iceland Prediction 1: Over 2.5 Goals and Both Teams To Score Yes  (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 2.70
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 3/10

Ukraine vs Iceland Prediction odds via bet365 as at 09:20, March 22nd, 2024. Odds may now differ.

Ukraine vs Iceland Team News and Possible Lineups: no changes to the winning formula

Both managers should confirm the starting XI that won the semi-finals on Thursday.

For Ukraine Dovbyk will play at center-forward supported by Mudryk, Sudakov and Zubkov. The only doubt is whether Brazkho, who debuted against Bosnia, will feature from the start once again. Hutsuliak or Shaparenko might replace the 22-year-old from Dynamo Kyiv.

‘We played against a very good team and were ready for it, but until we scored that first goal, the defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina was very good,’ said Ukraine coach Serhiy Rebrov after the match.

‘Then introduced another striker, and that was a good move. We expected this kind of match.’

Iceland will line-up with the usual 4-4-2 with Oskarsson and Gudmundsson up front. Ingason and Gretarsson will lead the back line.

‘It was a very important victory for us because we were lacking goals earlier in qualification last year, and now we got Albert Gudmundsson back, and he showed that he’s a class player’, said Åge Hareide, Iceland coach.

Ukraine possible starting lineup: Lunin; Konoplya, Zabarnyi, Matvyenko, Mykolenko; Zinchenko, Hutsuliak; Zubkov, Sudakov, Mudryk; Dovbyk.

Iceland  possible starting lineup: Valdimarsson; Palsson, Ingason, Grétarsson, Thorarinsson;Willumsson, Traustason, Haraldsson, Sigurdssoni; Óskarsson, Gudmundsson

Match Stats: Ukraine are hard to beat at home

• Ukraine and Iceland have met four times with one win a piece and two draws.
• The hosts have only lost one of their last six competitive matches, 2-1 away to Italy.
• The last defeat in a home qualifier match for Ukraine came in October 2017.
• Iceland have won only two of their previous six official away games.

Ukraine Fixtures: three friendlies on the road

• Vs Germany (A)
• Vs Poland (A)
• Vs Moldova (A)
• Vs Albania, Nations League (H)
• Vs Czech Republic, Nations League (A)

Iceland Fixtures: a taste of British football

• Vs England (A)
• Vs Netherlands (A)
• Vs Montenegro, Nations League (H)
• Vs Turkey, Nations League (A)
• Vs Wales, Nations League (H)

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