Sabasports Match Preview
Euro 2024 Qualification: Wales vs Finland
Kickoff Time: 2024-03-22 03:45 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/Matthew Childs
As a traditional powerhouse in Europe, Wales have a rich history of
participating in the European Championship and World Cup finals. Despite
finishing third in their group and entering the play-offs, Wales have shown
strong competitiveness in matches against Croatia and Turkey. Led by captain Aaron
Ramsey, the Welsh squad for the play-offs includes talented players such as
Brennan Johnson, Harry Wilson, Daniel James, Ben Davies, and other Premier
League stars. Having the advantage of playing at home in the play-off match
further strengthens their advantage. Wales have demonstrated their offensive
capabilities and resilient defense in their last two home games. They secured a
2-1 victory against Croatia and managed a 1-1 draw against Turkey. These
results highlight Wales’ ability to mount strong attacks while maintaining a
solid defensive performance.
Finland’s overall strength in Europe is indeed considered relatively
weak compared to some other nations. They have limited experience in major
competitions, which can impact their performance and confidence on the big
stage. Despite achieving a commendable record of six wins and four losses in
the 10 European Championship qualifying games, Finland still need to compete
for a spot in the finals through the play-offs. One challenge Finland faces is
that their squad primarily consists of older players, and their depth in terms
of reserve players is relatively weak. This lack of depth can be a disadvantage
when facing tougher and more competitive teams. Furthermore, Finland’s absence
from major competitions over an extended period has limited their training
opportunities and hindered their progress and development as a team. The lack
of exposure to high-level international matches can be a significant obstacle
for their growth and ability to compete at the highest level.
Compared to Wales, who have reached the quarterfinals of both the
European Championship and World Cup, Finland may be considered slightly less
experienced and less strong. Furthermore, Wales have been in excellent form
recently, and playing at home will undoubtedly provide them with a significant
advantage. Overall, Wales are favored to defeat Finland and advance to the
play-off finals, capitalizing on their home advantage and current momentum.
Wales’ Last 5 Games: DDWWW
23-11-22 Wales 1-1 Turkey
23-11-18 Armenia 1-1 Wales
23-10-16 Wales 2-1 Croatia
23-10-12 Wales 4-0 Gibraltar
23-09-12 Latvia 0-2 Wales
Finland’s Last 5 Games: WWLLL
23-11-21 San Marino 1-2 Finland
23-11-18 Finland 4-0 Northern Ireland
23-10-18 Finland 1-2 Kazakhstan
23-10-15 Slovenia 3-0 Finland
23-09-11 Finland 0-1 Denmark
Head To Head Record:
21-09-01 Finland 0-0 Wales
20-11-19 Wales 3-1 Finland
20-09-04 Finland 0-1 Wales
13-11-17 Wales 1-1 Finland
09-10-10 Finland 2-1 Wales
Prediction: Wales to win