A new era for Belgium gets underway in Stockholm on Friday evening, as they look to bounce back from a disappointing World Cup with a first win in EURO 2024 qualification. Sweden will also be looking for a response after missing out on qualification for the World Cup.
EURO 2024 Qualifier Preview
It’s likely that both Sweden and Belgium will be the front runners for qualification from Group F. However, we will get a first look at both nations when they kick off their qualification campaign on Friday. The increased pressure will be on Belgium, who will see Domenico Tedesco in the dug out for the first time following the dismissal of Roberto Martinez.
It was an extremely disappointing World Cup campaign for Belgium, as they crashed out in the group stage. Their only win was picked up against Canada on matchday one, before they were beaten by Morocco and held to a goalless draw by Croatia. However, qualifying for major tournaments hasn’t been an issue for Belgium throughout their Golden Generation, as they have failed to lose a game in any qualifying campaign since reaching the 2018 World Cup.
Big questions were asked of Sweden after they failed to reach a third World Cup in four years. Their qualifying campaign for Qatar wasn’t near the high standards that they have set in recent years, as they lost four of the ten matches that they played. However, reaching the European Championships has been slightly easier, as they have reached the previous six.
Their recent form is slightly disappointing, as they were relegated from Division B in the Nations League last year after losing four of their six matches. But, a solid qualifying campaign would likely get fans back on side.
Sweden vs Belgium Head to Head
These two nations have met on three occasions since 2000, with Belgium running out in all three fixtures. However, the most recent meeting came at EURO 2016, with Belgium registering a 1-0 success. Sweden hasn’t beaten Belgium since a World Cup qualifier in 1961.
Sweden vs Belgium Prediction
There will be immediate pressure on Tedesco to hit the ground running with Belgium, as the nation can’t afford to miss out on their final opportunity to win silverware with their Golden Generation. This will be an interesting first test for Belgium, but we expect them to land maximum points on night one in Group F.
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