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Preview: Slovenia vs. Denmark - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 17 June 2023, 21:57
Denmark will attempt to claim back-to-back victories when they travel to Ljubljana to face Slovenia on Monday.

Meanwhile, the hosts will be looking to return to winning ways after losing 2-0 in Friday's away meeting with Finland.

Match preview

Slovenia began Euro 2024 qualifying with consecutive wins over Kazakhstan and San Marino, but they were stopped in their tracks by Finland in Helsinki.

Goals from Joel Pohjanpalo and Oliver Antman condemned Slovenia to a 2-0 defeat, bringing an end to their eight-game unbeaten run.

With Slovenia currently sitting on six points alongside Denmark, Finland and Kazakhstan, Group H is promising to go all the way to the wire.

Slovenia are hoping to qualify for the European Championships for the first time since 2000, and they will look to get their campaign back on track in Friday's contest.

Denmark will provide Matjaz Kek's side with a tough test, but they can take confidence from the fact that they have won their last three home internationals.

Like their hosts, Denmark have also experienced a mixed start to their qualifying campaign, which began with a routine 3-1 win over Finland.

However, Kasper Hjulmand's side suffered a surprise defeat on matchday two, giving up a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 away to Kazakhstan.

Denmark had three months to mull over that defeat, but they bounced back on Friday with a narrow home win over Northern Ireland.

Jonas Wind opened the scoring in the 47th minute, and although Northern Ireland had the ball in the net in stoppage time, a VAR review determined that there was an offside infringement, ensuring that Denmark could celebrate a 1-0 win.

They will now face Slovenia for the first time since February 2008, and after winning their previous four games against Monday's opponents, they will be confident about their chances of clinching all three points on Monday.

Slovenia Euro Champ Qualifying form:

W

W

L

Slovenia form (all competitions):

D

W

W

W

W

L

Denmark Euro Champ Qualifying form:

W

L

W

Denmark form (all competitions):

D

L

L

W

L

W

Team News

Slovenia's Vid Belec will keep his place in goal with Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak unavailable due to an injury issue.

Kek could opt to make a change to the front three with Benjamin Verbic in contention to start at the Stadion Stozice.

Benjamin Sesko, who will join RB Leipzig this summer, will be looking to add to the six goals that he has scored for his country when he features in the forward line.

As for the visitors, Hjulmand is expected to name an unchanged back four, with Simon Kjaer and Andreas Christensen set to operate in central defence, while Joachim Andersen and Joakim Maehle will be utilised as the two full-backs.

After featuring as a substitute against Northern Ireland, Mikkel Damsgaard could be brought into the starting lineup.

Rasmus Hojlund, who registered 16 goals for Atalanta in the 2022-23 campaign, will lead the line for the hosts, and he will be looking to add to the four goals that he has scored in five international appearances.

Slovenia possible starting lineup:

Schmeichel; Andersen, Kjaer, Christensen, Maehle; Hojbjerg, Eriksen; Skov Olsen, Wind, Damsgaard; Hojlund

Denmark possible starting lineup:

Belec; Karnicnik, Brekalo, Bijol, Balkovec; Zajc, Gnezda Cerin, Lovric; Stojanovic, Verbic, Sesko

We say: Slovenia 1-1 Denmark

Denmark may have won their previous four games against Slovenia, but the hosts have won their last three home internationals, and we think that they will utilise the home support to hold the visitors to a draw.

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