Euro 2024: It’s Now or Never for Poland

Poland vs Czech Republic

Poland’s Euro 2024 qualifying campaign comes to a climax in Warsaw when they host the Czech Republic in a vital Group E clash.     

Poland head coach boss Michal Probierz took over in September, following the dismissal of Fernando Santos, and he has kept his nations hopes alive, but his team now needs to beat the Czech Republic and then hope other results go their way.  

Probierz picked up four points from his first round in charge, as Poland won away to the Faroe Islands and drew at home to Moldova in October. In contrast Czech boss Jaroslav Silhavy has been at his nation’s helm since 2018; but his team struggled in October, beating the Faroe Islands at home by a single goal but losing badly away to Albania.

The results left the Czech Republic in second place in Group E, a point and a place ahead of Poland with a game in hand, and a victory in their final game with Moldova will confirm their top two place, but Moldova are still in it and so that game won’t be a walkover.    

With Albania in first place but still not qualified there are a few permutations and here at SBOTOP we picked this encounter out as one of the big matches of the weekend… and now Poland need to stand and deliver.   

Talking Points

The Poles must be brave

After a lacklustre campaign Poland have just about kept themselves in it and have showed more intent in their last two games. It’s only a year since Poland reached the knockout phase of a World Cup finals since 1986 and the big players are still in Probierz’s first eleven. Karol Swiderski scored a second half equaliser to win a crucial point against Moldova and the Charlotte striker almost snatched all three points with an injury time header destined for the bottom corner, but the Moldova keeper made a brilliant save. With 72 per cent possession and 21 shots to four, seven to one on target, it really should have been a Poland win and now they need to attack their final match with the same aggression.

Swiderski is a handful, scoring ten goals in 26 internationals and he could line up alongside Poland’s talisman Robert Lewandowski in this monumental game. He’s doing the business for Barcelona but can Lewandowski drag Poland across the border to Germany next summer?  Well, with 81 goals in 144 internationals there is certainly no doubt he has the ability.

The big players need to perform on Friday and Napoli’s Piotr Zielinski will be the man to dominate in midfield if he hits his bets form.   

Czech Republic’s danger men

Zielinski will be up against the Czech captain Tomas Soucek, who scored his nation’s crucial 76^th minute winner against the Faroe Islands, from the penalty spot. Such a narrow win over the group’s whipping boys, and that after the Czech team has just been battered 3-0 by Albania is not impressive. But Soucek is an imposing player; a box-to-box midfielder who is strong in the tackle and is very dangerous at set pieces, scoring ten goals in 62 internationals and 20 in 120 games for West Ham United in the Premier League.  

23-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach striker Tomas Cvancara is a lively customer, he has scored two goals in three games for Die Fohlen this season and is full of running, while defender Vladimir Coufal, a team-mate of Soucek’s at West Ham is an experienced wing back who loves to support his attack.    

Albania, ranked 66^th in the world, and way behind both Poland and the Czech Republic,  have come up with the best set of Euro 2024 results in Group E, but the Czech’s destiny remains in their own hands.   

History

These two teams have had some entertaining tussles over the years, and a 3-1 win for the Czech Republic in the return match back in March, gave them a four to three lead in the head to heads.

Two goals in the first three minutes, from Ladislav Krejci and Kvancara gave the Czechs a comfortable night, but they will have a tougher time in Warsaw.    

The hosts have three wins, one draw and two defeats from the last six games, while their visitors have won three, drawn two and lost one, but Poland are unbeaten in five games at home and have a new manager in charge. They can gather more momentum with a win in Warsaw on Friday so let’s take a look at the Euro 2024 betting odds and make a call.   

Betting Tip

The hosts are at 2.35 to win with their visitors at 2.79, and the Draw is priced at 2.79 so this is a really tight one. Poland are ranked 26^th in the world by FIFA with the Czech Republic close behind in 33^rd.

I’m backing the Poles to edge this game but it will be tense, and then they will have a nervy wait to discover their fate.

 

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