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Preview: Liechtenstein vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 11 October 2023, 11:24
Liechtenstein's search for their first points in Group J will continue on Friday evening when they host Bosnia-Herzegovina in a Euro 2024 qualification fixture.

The home side are bottom of the section, losing all six of their matches thus far, while Bosnia sit fourth, collecting six points from their opening six games in the qualification process.

Match preview

Liechtenstein have never been present in the finals of a major tournament, while they have not managed to win a qualification match for a World Cup for almost 20 years and have been victorious just twice in their last four European qualification campaigns, so their struggles in Group J are not much of a surprise.

The national side opened their Euro 2024 qualification campaign with a 4-0 loss to Portugal, and they have also been beaten in their last five, including a 7-0 defeat to Iceland back in March.

There have been improvements since Konrad Funfstuck arrived as head coach in June, as the results in the team's last four matches have been closer, although they will enter this game off the back of a 3-0 defeat away to Slovakia last month.

Liechtenstein have scored once and conceded 19 in their six games, but three of their final four matches in the group are at home, and it would be an achievement if they were able to put some points on the board.

The Blue-Reds are currently on a 19-game losing run in all competitions, while they have not been victorious since a 2-1 success over Luxembourg in a friendly in October 2020.

Bosnia-Herzegovina have previous when it comes to featuring at the finals of a World Cup, having been present in the 2014 edition of the tournament, failing to make it out of the group stage, but they have never competed at a European Championship.

The national side have actually lost in the playoffs in their last three attempts to qualify for the finals of a European Championship, but they have a lot of work to do in Group J, with a poor campaign to date leaving them in fourth position in the table.

Savo Milosevic's side have won two and lost four of their six matches to collect six points, some seven behind second-placed Slovakia on the same number of games.

The Dragons will be aware of the importance of picking up all three points in this match, but they will enter the contest off the back of a disappointing 1-0 loss to Iceland last time out.

Bosnia-Herzegovina are on a run of just one win from their last five games in the group, and they have three tough games to finish, travelling to Luxembourg, in addition to hosting Portugal and Slovakia.

Liechtenstein Euro Champ Qualifying form:

L

L

L

L

L

L

Bosnia-Herzegovina Euro Champ Qualifying form:

W

L

L

L

W

L

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Team News

Ferhat Saglam is a notable absentee from the Liechtenstein squad, so there will have to be at least one change to the side that started the three-goal defeat to Slovakia last time out.

Julien Hasler could be the player to benefit, with the 34-year-old potentially in line for just his third cap for the national side, while Sandro Wieser and Aron Sele should again feature in midfield.

Dennis Salanovic is the leading goalscorer in the Liechtenstein squad with four, but the 27-year-old is actually without a club side at this moment in time, having left Spanish team CF Talavera in July.

Bosnia-Herzegovina, meanwhile, are without the services of four important players through injury, with Adnan Kovacevic, Dennis Hadzikadunic, Rade Krunic and Benjamin Tahirovic all missing.

Edin Dzeko has scored 65 times for his national side and remains a vital player at the age of 37, so he will again lead the line on Friday night.

Miralem Pjanic could start in central midfield alongside Gojko Cimirot and Miroslav Stevanovic, while Ermedin Demirovic is expected to be given the nod alongside Dzeko in attack.

Liechtenstein possible starting lineup:

Buchel; Wolfinger, Beck, Traber, Malin, Goppel; Luchinger, Wieser, Sele; J Hasler, Salanovic

Bosnia-Herzegovina possible starting lineup:

Sehic; Dedic, Civic, Kolasinac; Gazibegovic, Cimirot, Pjanic, Stevenovic, Barisic; Dzeko, Demirovic

We say: Liechtenstein 0-2 Bosnia-Herzegovina

Bosnia-Herzegovina have not exactly been impressive in the section, and they will be missing some important players for Friday's match, but we are still expecting the visitors to be too strong for Liechtenstein, backing them to win relatively comfortably here.

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