Luxembourg will be looking to continue their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign when they travel to Iceland. The visitors have had a successful Group J campaign thus far, currently sitting third in the standings. They are three points behind Slovakia in second position, and Iceland in fifth place with six points.
Preview (Iceland vs. Luxembourg)
Iceland has had trouble maintaining consistency in Group J, winning two and losing four of their six games to earn six points, which has dropped them to fifth place in the standings. Our Boys still have a mathematical chance of making it to the European Championship next summer, but a lot would have to go their way in the section’s final stages. Age Hareide’s team comes into this game off a 1-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina on September 11. Alfred Finnbogason scored the game’s lone goal in the 91st minute. It put an end to the team’s string of three consecutive defeats in the group.
During this international break, Iceland has back-to-back home games against Luxembourg and Liechtenstein before traveling to Slovakia and Portugal for their final two Group J fixtures the following month. The national team has missed the last two major competitions despite famously qualifying for Euro 2016. They advanced to the quarterfinals and then appeared in the 2018 World Cup. Luxembourg has never been in a major event final. This is already their best point total during a World Cup qualification phase. They played six games, winning three, drawing one, and losing two. This impressive campaign netted them 10 points, placing them in third place in the standings.
Luxembourg is only three points behind Slovakia in second place. They will be coming off a crushing loss to Portugal last time out. They let up nine unanswered goals. After this game, Luc Holtz’s team plays at home against Slovakia and Bosnia-Herzegovina before wrapping up the season on the road against Liechtenstein on November 19. It would be an interesting tale if the national team was able to earn a top-two spot in the section.
Team News
Finnbogason, 34, will again be at the spearhead of Iceland’s assault after scoring his 17th goal for the national team in the side’s tight victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina last time out. Johann Berg Gudmundsson of Burnley is noticeably absent due to injury, but captain Aron Gunnarsson is on the roster and will likely start on Friday. Victor Palsson will continue to play defense for Iceland. Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson and Hakon Arnar Haraldsson will likely start in an attacking lineup. Holtz, the head coach of Luxembourg, is anticipated to resist the urge to change his lineup despite the team’s recent nine-goal defeat to Portugal.
The team is anticipated to look fairly similar for the game on Friday because the majority of the players who participated in the lopsided loss have done him well in the division. Gerson Rodrigues has scored 16 goals for his nation, while Danel Sinani has scored 12. Sinani is likely to play in a midfield position for Luxembourg once more. It is impossible to predict the outcome of this game. It is unclear what may be expected from each side. A home or away victory would not be unexpected. We just have a hunch that this cagey contest will end with the spoils being split.
Iceland 1 – 1 Luxembourg
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