Poland vs Hungary Predictions

• Poland are unbeaten at home in this campaign, and haven’t tasted defeat in 6 matches since Euro 2020.
• The Poles have netted 29 goals in 9 matches, as many as England. Hungary, despite being eliminated, have scored 17 in 9.
• The two sides shared an entertaining 3-3 draw at the start of the qualification process in March.

Poland eye Playoff Seeding

While England are realistically certain to top Group I, Friday’s 4-1 win in Andorra means Poland are guaranteed a top-two finish, and a place in next March’s playoffs for a place in Qatar. I don’t expect the Eagles to slacken off on the final matchday; the hosts need a win to guarantee top seeding for the playoff draw. There remains a chance of giants such as Italy, Portugal and Spain being forced through the playoffs, and as such, confirming home advantage and a kinder draw will be at the forefront of Paulo Sousa’s mind.

The Poles have hammered home a mightily impressive 29 goals in 9 games, as many as England, and in Robert Lewandowski, boast the world’s most in-form striker. Lewandowski has 23 in 17 for Bayern Munich this season, and is joint-second in the qualification goalscoring charts, with 8 in 9.

Expect Entertainment in Warsaw

Hungary have struggled to replicate their stirring underdog performances of Euro 2020 during this campaign, and look likely to finish a disappointing fourth regardless of their result here. They have, however, been largely competitive throughout; the Magyars looked comfortable whilst earning a creditable draw at Wembley last month, and 2 of their 3 defeats came at the hands of late winners from Albania and Southampton striker Armando Broja.

These two sides shared an entertaining 3-3 draw in Budapest at the outset of the campaign, and with Hungary having nothing to lose (or gain) from their trip to Warsaw, it could again prove an open affair.

Poland will be desperate to avoid a tough away draw in next March’s all-important playoffs, which should ensure they keep any changes to a minimum despite having secured second place. As a result, backing Poland to edge an entertaining encounter featuring over 2.5 goals seems a solid play, and a 2-1 home win looks a strong correct score prediction. In the goalscorer markets, backing the indomitable Lewandowski is always a solid move.