Estonia will host Azerbaijan in the battle of the bottom two of Group F in Euro 2024 qualifying. In their previous meeting in June, these two clubs were unable to split the spoils. They were forced to play to a 1-1 draw in Baku.
Preview (Estonia vs. Azerbaijan)
With only three games left, they are 12 points behind second-placed Austria. The Blueshirts had a humiliating international break in the past month. They lost to both Sweden and Belgium by scores of 5-0. Estonia is hoping to avoid enduring an entire Euro qualifying campaign without a win for the first time since 1996. They are ranked 115th in the world by FIFA, is just playing for dignity in their remaining qualifiers.
In their last seven home games for Euro qualification, Estonia have lost all seven games. They are unbeaten in their previous four meetings with Azerbaijan. It included a 2-1 victory in their most recent home match in November 2013. To maintain their tenuous hopes of qualifying, Gianni De Biasi’s team must defeat Estonia on Friday and pray that joint leaders Austria and Belgium do not tie in Vienna.
Azerbaijan also wants to avoid enduring the first full Euro qualifying season without a victory since 1996, They are aware that their match against Estonia on Friday represents their greatest opportunity to win. FIFA’s 121st-ranked Azerbaijan nearly earned a point against former world champions Belgium at home last month. Their heroic efforts were ultimately in vain as Yannick Carrasco’s first-half goal gave the Red Devils a narrow 1-0 victory.
Just three days later, though, De Biasi’s team won again when they defeated Jordan 2-1 at home. They are now attempting to win back-to-back games for the first time since a run of five straight triumphs in all competitions from June to November of last year.
Team News
Karol Mets of Estonia is suspended for Friday’s game, the St. Pauli defender is still dealing with a knee ailment. The 39-year-old captain Konstantin Vassiljev is expected to start in an advanced midfield position. She will play alongside Henrik Ojamaa, with Henri Anier set to lead the line. Konstantin Vassiljev has scored 26 goals for Estonia in international competition. She is one goal away from moving into joint second place on Estonia’s all-time scoring charts. Roma youth Martin Vetkal is in a position to make his first senior appearance for the national team. Arsenal goalkeeper Karl Hein is certain to win his 25th international cap in the net.
Eddie Israfilov, a defender for Azerbaijan, will miss Friday’s game owing to an injury he sustained while participating in the team’s training camp. In the 1-1 draw with Estonia four months ago, Anton Kryvotsyuk scored his first goal for his country. Friday’s matchup between these two evenly matched nations could be a tough one, but given Estonia’s recent defensive struggles and Azerbaijan’s strong showings against Jordan and Belgium in their previous matches, we think the visitors will pull off a narrow victory.
Estonia 1 – 2 Azerbaijan
For more football previews, click here
