World Cup
2025-10-13 - Ukraine vs Azerbaijan
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: World Cup Qualifier
Monday 13th October 2025 - Kick Off 7:45pm
This game is live on TV
Ukraine
They have played in each of the last four European Championship Finals, but next summer will be twenty years since Ukraine last competed at the World Cup Finals. Since last Qualifying in 2006, Ukraine have lost in the Play Offs in three of the last four campaigns to return to the biggest stage and their best hope to play in North America is likely going to be finding a way through that pathway next March.
Before they can think about doing that, Ukraine need to at least finish 2nd in this Group and they have moved past Iceland into that position after the 3-5 win in Reykjavik on Friday. After blowing a 1-3 lead and looking like hopes of playing at the World Cup Finals were fading, Ukraine scored two late goals to move a point clear of Iceland in this section and with a more comfortable fixture coming up on Match Day 8.
Ukraine had won 1 of their previous 5 games in all competitions and had been held to a 1-1 draw in Azerbaijan before producing a late show in securing three priceless points in Iceland last time out. With the ongoing war in their homeland, Ukraine continue to host games in neutral settings and so it is unsurprising that results have been mixed. They were beaten by France in Poland last month, and Ukraine have won just 6 of their last 16 fixtures when 'hosting'.
Azerbaijan
Since becoming an independent nation, Azerbaijan have hosted some big sporting events and the Capital, Baku, has also been awarded UEFA Club competition Finals. However, the national team have never really threatened to make it through to a major international tournament and they are unlikely to be in contention in this Qualifying Group.
It is a four team Group so a couple of upsets would give Azerbaijan an opportunity to finish at least 2nd in the section and try and progress to the World Cup Finals via the Play Offs. Instead they have a single point from the opening three fixtures after the 3-0 defeat in France on Friday and Azerbaijan's sole point came from a 1-1 draw with Ukraine at home last month.
Azerbaijan have not won any of their last 13 games in all competitions and they were Relegated from the League C Nations League Group- during that run, they have only avoided defeat 3 times. The defeat in Paris last time out means Azerbaijan have lost their last 6 away competitive fixtures played.
Head to Head
These nations drew 1-1 in Baku last month.
The only time Ukraine have hosted Azerbaijan ended in a 6-0 win for the former back in August 2006, which was weeks after Ukraine last played a match at the World Cup Finals.
Prediction
With Iceland hosting France on the same night, Ukraine will see this as a big opportunity to move clear in the race for 2nd place in this Group.
There is still an outside chance they can finish above France, but that would involve the latter losing to Iceland and Azerbaijan and Ukraine winning away from home against the French.
It is unlikely to say the least.
That being said, Ukraine have to be focusing on at least securing a Play Off spot for a place in the World Cup Finals and they will want to make sure they avoid any slip ups against Azerbaijan.
Over the last couple of years, Azerbaijan have been losing a lot of football matches, but they did hold Ukraine to a 1-1 draw in Baku last month.
Travelling has proven to be a much tougher challenge for Azerbaijan though and over the last thirteen months they have been beaten heavily at Sweden, Iceland and France. This is a neutral field, but Ukraine should have enough in the final third to secure the three points behind a relatively comfortable victory of their own and that should mean one foot into the Play Offs for a nation looking to end a twenty year wait to play football on the biggest stage.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Ukraine 2-0 Azerbaijan
