Euro 2024
2023-10-16 - Belgium vs Sweden
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifier
Monday 16th October 2023 - Kick Off 7:45pm
This game is live on TV
Belgium
The national team are under a new manager and a new direction and Belgium will be encouraged by the results in this Qualifying Group. Domenico Tedesco will appreciate the efforts of predecessor Roberto Martinez, even if some fans believe Belgium ultimately underachieved, and the new manager will know the national team is in some form of transition.
A miserable World Cup that ended in the Group Stage spelled the end of Roberto Martinez and his time in charge of Belgium. The draw with Austria at home aside, the squad have clearly enjoyed playing under Domenico Tedesco and Belgium have put plenty of wins on the board which has enabled them to join Germany, France and Portugal in securing a spot at the next European Championships.
Belgium are unbeaten in 8 games since the upset defeat to Morocco at the 2022 World Cup, while they have won 6 of 7 matches played under their new manager. They have won 12 of their last 13 home Qualifiers and Belgium also won 2 of 3 at home in their last Nations League schedule.
Sweden
They reached the Quarter Final at the 2018 World Cup, but that has been the peak of recent Swedish national football and the team were not able to have a really big impact at the last European Championships played in 2021. Since then Sweden have missed out on a place at the World Cup in Qatar and they are on the brink of failing to reach the European Championship Finals for the first time since 1996.
It will be a considerable disappointment for Sweden considering the format has been expanded to twenty-four teams since 2016, but they have had a miserable time in this Qualifying Group. The team are 7 points behind Austria in 2nd place and with just three Qualifiers left to play and Sweden could be confirmed in missing out on a top two finish before kick off. To make matters more frustrating, Sweden are unlikely to have finished high enough in the last Nations League tournament to earn a Play Off place for Euro 2024.
Sweden beat Moldova 3-1 at home in an international friendly a few days ago, but they have won 4 and lost 3 of their last 7 games played. In their last Nations League Group, Sweden lost all 4 matches played against Norway and Serbia, while they have lost all 3 Euro Qualifiers in this Group against Austria (twice) and Belgium. Sweden won their last away Qualifier at Estonia, but had lost 5 Qualifiers on their travels prior to that.
Head to Head
On Match Day 1 of the Euro 2024 Qualifiers, Belgium left Sweden with an impressive 0-3 win.
Belgium have won the last 4 matches played against Sweden and all of those since 2000.
Prediction
There is still a feeling of transition around this Belgium national team, but they have plenty of quality and the results have remained strong.
Eden Hazard has retired and Kevin De Bruyne is out injured, but Domenico Tedesco is still giving his squad some freedom to express themselves and has been rewarded with some strong results.
Belgium have Qualified for Euro 2024, but they are playing at home and that should mean motivation is still high to secure another victory.
They could also benefit from playing a Sweden team that might officially have been eliminated from a top two finish before a ball has been kicked on Monday. It might allow the team to play with 'nothing to lose', but more likely is that Sweden will be trying to avoid thinking about the disappointing efforts made in this Group.
Sweden have struggled to compete with the better nations faced over the last fifteen months and they had lost 5 away Qualifiers in a row before winning in Estonia. Once again they are facing an opponent with plenty of qualities and Belgium might have too much for their visitors in this latest Euro Qualifier.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Belgium 3-1 Sweden
