Croatia vs Poland Match Analysis & Prediction
08/09/2024 9:45 pm
Croatia will be seeking their first point of a new UEFA Nations League campaign when they play host to Poland at Opus Arena on Sunday night.
While the hosts suffered defeat to Portugal on the opening matchday, their League A Group A rivals snatched maximum points in Scotland.
On Thursday night, Croatia began their quest to go one step further in the Nations League than last year – when they were beaten by Spain in the final – eventually ended up empty-handed against Portugal.
After conceding an early opener, Cristiano Ronaldo then scored his 900th career goal in the first half at Lisbon’s Estadio da Luz, and despite being handed a route back into the game by a Diogo Dalot own goal, Croatia could not find an equaliser.
Pressure is then on long-serving coach Zlatko Dalic to produce wins against Poland and Scotland after his side unexpectedly fell at the first hurdle at Euro 2024, where they went winless in the so-called ‘Group of Death’
While the next World Cup will be Croatia’s medium-term target, the chance of finally lifting some silverware should ensure they take this season’s Nations League seriously, and even a second-placed finish in Group 1 would be enough to reach the newly-introduced quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, despite squandering a two-goal lead at Hampden Park, Poland arrive in Osijek with three points to their name following a last-gasp spot kick from Nicola Zalewski, which wrapped up a dramatic 3-2 victory over Scotland.
Sebastian Szymanski scored early on, before captain Robert Lewandowski double their advantage with a penalty, but after the Eagles had fumbled that leat it required the intervention of Zalewski – who won and converted a stoppage-time penalty – to snatch victory.
Like Sunday’s hosts, Poland failed to get out of their European Championship group in the summer, taking just one point from three matches, with all-time top scorer Lewandowski salvaging a 1-1 draw against France.
Although that early exit continued a trend of disappointments at najor finals, head coach Michal Probierz has been retained, and after Poland survived demotion in the last Nations League he is expected to keep his side afloat at Europe’s elite level.
Croatia vs. Poland Head to head
In the previous five meetings between these two teams, Croatia have claimed three victories while Poland have won one, and they have drawn once.
-
28/02/1996Croatia2Poland1Friendlies
-
22/04/1998Croatia4Poland1Friendlies
-
12/02/2003Croatia0Poland0Friendlies
-
03/06/2006Croatia0Poland1Friendlies
-
16/06/2008Poland0Croatia1Euros
Croatia Team News
After Domagoj Vida joined midfielder Marcelo Brozovic in retiring from international duty, Josip Stanisic and Martin Erlic were both ruled out of this month’s camp by injury, while Duje Caleta-Car has been struggling for fitness.
That left Dalic short-handed in defence, but Caleta-Car appeared as a substitute on Thursday, in addition to veteran winger Ivan Perisic, who has occasionally filled in at left-back.
Croatia's Last 5 Matches
-
08/06/2024Portugal1Croatia1Friendlies
-
15/06/2024Spain3Croatia0Euros
-
19/06/2024Croatia2Albania2Euros
-
24/06/2024Croatia1Italy1Euros
-
05/09/2024Portugal2Croatia1Nations League
Poland Team News
Poland captain Lewandowski leads a squad without long-serving pair Kamil Grosicki and Wojciech Szczesny (retired), in addition to his injured strike partner Arkadiusz Milik.
Enjoying some stellar form in the Turkish Super Lig, Krzysztof Piatek partnered his skipper in attack last time out, but Adam Buksa is an alternative option.
Poland's Last 5 Matches
-
10/06/2024Poland2Turkiye1Friendlies
-
16/06/2024Poland1Netherlands2Euros
-
21/06/2024Poland1Austria3Euros
-
25/06/2024France1Poland1Euros
-
05/09/2024Scotland2Poland3Nations League
Croatia vs. Poland: Odds and Predictions
Main Prediction
1X2: 1
Best Odds
1000% Super Multi Bonus
Up to 10 times (1000%) larger winnings on bets placed during Happy Hour
CLAIM BONUS
