Czech Republic vs Poland

Fortuna Arena provides the stage for an enthralling Euro 2024 qualification Group E showdown between the Czech Republic and Poland.

Despite sharing an evenly-balanced H2H record with neighbors Poland with four wins apiece, the Czech Republic have gone victorious in three of their last four showdowns. That should boost the Czech’s confidence as they open their Euro 2024 qualification campaign looking to maintain a stellar record of appearing at every Euro finals since gaining independence from Czechoslovakia in 1993. Paired with less prominent Albania, Moldova, and the Faroe Islands in Group E, the Czechs could set the tone for another successful qualification win over group favorites Poland. Though they’ve only won once in their last seven outings (D1, L5), Jaroslav Silhavy’s men have gone from strength to strength at home, having lost just one of their last nine internationals played on their home turf (W5, D3) while notably taking the lead within 15 minutes in three of the most recent four.

In the meantime, Poland may have fallen in the round of 16 of December’s World Cup to eventual runners-up France, but reaching the tournament’s knockout stages for the first time since 1986 was a huge step forward. Keen to pick up where they left off in Qatar and qualify for a fifth successive Euro finals, the Poles embark on this qualification campaign under new manager Fernando Santos. Masterminding an elusive first H2H win over the Czech Republic in the 21st century would be a perfect start to his managerial tenure in Poland. The visitors can draw confidence from going unbeaten in six of their last seven away matches (W4, D2 – excluding walkovers) and getting on the scoresheet in ten of their 11 previous Euro qualifiers played on foreign soil (W6, D3, L2).