Poland vs Latvia Predictions

Poland got their qualification bid off to a flying start on Thursday as they beat Austria 1-0. Austria are only three places behind the Poles in the FIFA World Rankings and it showed, as Robert Lewandowski and Co. were really pushed to the edge in a tight game. Milan’s star man Krzysztof Piątek got the goal to make it two in three international caps for him but it was an all round positive night for Poland. This was manager Jerzy Brzęczek’s first win in charge of the national team and he re-instilled some of the fans’ confidence in him after he oversaw them crashing out of League A in the Nations League. He has only managed seven games but will hope this first win, especially against a solid opponent, can set them on a good run. 

They have the players to do so, such as the aforementioned Lewandowski and Piątek plus the likes of Wojciech Szczęsny, Jan Bednarek and Napoli’s midfield dynamo Piotr Zieliński. The latter has been in fine form this season for the Partenopei with him making 14 key passes and hitting 24 shots, eight of which were against Juventus, in his last eight matches.

Latvia are Europe’s eighth worst team according to the world rankings and this really showed in midweek as they were battered 3-1 by 71st place Macedonia. The Crveni Risovi had 13 corners compared to Latvia’s one and held on to the ball for more than 60% of the time in a dominating performance. Latvia were simply bystanders in the game with them offering little and only scoring through an own goal in the dying embers of the match. It was Slaviša Stojanovič’s first match in charge but the squad received no ‘new manager boost’ from his presence as they were trodden on. This extends the nation’s winless run to nine games, one they will be desperate to end here. 

Slaviša Stojanovič doesn’t exactly have a wealth of talent to choose from though as much of the squad still plays within Latvia’s rather weak league. There are a few exceptions like Cambuur Leeuwarden’s Andrejs Cigaņiks and the trio of Andris Vaņins, Mārcis Ošs and Roberts Uldriķis who all play in Switzerland, however the four players have just 16 league appearances between them this season. 

There is a real gulf in class between these two sides, and one we doubt will be bridged by some miraculous Latvian performance. Even though Poland haven’t been exemplary under Brzęczek so far, they played well on Thursday and we’re backing that to happen again. They managed seven corners and three shots on target against Austria and we’re backing those numbers to rise at home to Latvia. We’re backing the visitors to conceded three more as they make the trip to Warsaw in a 3-0 win for Poland, a two goal handicap on the hosts looks a solid bet for this game and that’s what we’re backing.