Belarus vs Switzerland

Stadion Karadjordje in Novi Sad, Serbia, plays host to Belarus’ Euro 2024 qualifying Group I opener against Switzerland.

It’s been over 20 years since Belarus last qualified for a major international tournament, most recently reaching the 2002 World Cup. Yet to secure a European Championship appearance as an independent nation, the hosts will be desperate for a strong start after an underwhelming run of form in their last eight matches down the tail-end of 2022 (W1, D3, L4). Unfortunately for the ‘White Wings,’ Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced them to play home games in Serbia, derailing their faint hopes of capturing a first competitive triumph since March 2021. Indeed, they’ve suffered ten defeats in their last 13 matches in all competitions (D3). Another disappointment is well on the cards, considering they’ve lost both previous competitive meetings with Switzerland without scoring. The last time they met, the Swiss ran out 1-0 victors in an international friendly in 2017.

In stark contrast to their less-fancied hosts, Switzerland have been an always-present fixture in major international tournaments of late, having qualified for the last two European Championship finals. Despite a humiliating 6-1 defeat to Portugal in the 2022 World Cup round of 16 last December, Switzerland kept hold of manager Murat Yakin, who took charge of the team after a Euro 2020 quarter-final exit. Entertainment has been a common feature in Switzerland’s recent matches, as their last seven outings have produced an average of 3.14 goals per game, highlighting their attacking prowess. It’s also worth noting that the ‘Nati’ haven’t drawn an international fixture since March 2022, recording five wins and six losses in their last 11 matches. But Yakin may not mind a share of the spoils after his men picked up just one triumph on their five most recent travels (D1, L3).