Iceland vs Slovakia

High-flying Slovakia head to the Laugardalsvöllur to encounter Iceland in an exciting Euro 2024 qualifying fixture.

Iceland had a dreadful start to their UEFA European Championship qualifying campaign with a 3-0 loss against Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, they responded with an emphatic performance by defeating minnows Liechtenstein 7-0 in March. Despite this positive result, Arnar Viðarsson was unable to retain his job. Nevertheless, the victory has rejuvenated hopes of qualifying for the Euros, a feat they achieved only once in their history during their remarkable 2016 campaign. As they prepare to face Slovakia in Reykjavík for their inaugural competitive encounter, the hosts desperately need to improve their abysmal home form. They’ve managed a victory in only one of their last nine home games (D4, L4). However, returning to the Euro qualifying stage comes at an opportune moment, as they have suffered only one defeat in their last 12 home matches in this competition (W9, D2).

Meanwhile, Slovakia can approach this contest in a buoyant mood, having made an undefeated start to their qualifying campaign without conceding a single goal (W1, D1). While Francesco Calzona’s team may rue the missed opportunity and dropped points in their opening match against underdogs Luxembourg (0-0), they remain optimistic about securing a victory in this encounter. The ‘Falcons’ have historically held the upper hand in their previous five head-to-head meetings with Iceland (W3, D1, L1), further fueling their belief in a positive result. Keen to secure a third consecutive appearance at the Euro finals, the visitors can draw further confidence from racking up eight wins on their last 13 travels in Euro qualifiers (D2, L3). Keeping things tight at the back is crucial, with Slovakia’s four most recent triumphs on foreign soil all yielding a clean sheet.