Latvia vs Turkey Preview
The Latvia vs Turkey Preview is online, as they meet on Euro 2024 qualifiers, where Latvia welcome Turkey at Skonto Stadium on today’s meetings.
Dainis Kazakevics’s team were defeated on 1-0 by Wales in their groupstage match in group D, while Turkey fell 2-0 at home to Croatia in their previous match. Croatia had victory against Netherlands in nations league with 2-4 in semi-finals.
Latvia have being played a game fewer than the tops sides- Wales and Croatia, they are already playing for making the race in the next year’s European championship. A 1-0 loss on the hands of Wales for Unsuprising, due to the dragons impressive home form in Euro Qualifying, which has secured nine wins and three draws since 2011 defeat by England.
As Latvia is about to return to their home ground on Friday, seeking for returning to winning ways and move level on points with the nation they host. The Six-games winless run in all competitions against Turkey as they being stalemates in five of the meeting in the qualifiers.
The Baltic nation’s form in Euro qualifying leaves much to be desired, evidenced by a run that has produced 11 defeats in their last 12 fixtures. That statistic would be music to Turkey’s ears, owing to the away side’s desire to return to winning ways after losing to Croatia.
Despite losing last Saturday’s Champions League final to Manchester City, Hakan Calhanoglu is expected to lead the away nation in Latvia, where a victory could take them back into the qualification places.
With Croatia not playing this week and a meeting with Wales imminent on June 19, Turkey could be the biggest winner over the next two rounds in qualifying.
Team News and Injury
Kazakevics is expected to lean on many of the players from that defeat by Wales in March as he retains his preferred 4-4-2 approach.
Vladislavs Gutkovskis was involved in 11 goals for his club Rakow in 2022-23, making him a likely starter up top, supported by the towering Roberts Uldrikis.
Turkey are anticipated to return to a 4-2-3-1, having utilised a 3-4-3 against Armenia in March.
Ismail Yuksek was outstanding after replacing Calhanoglu against Croatia three months back, but the Fenerbahce midfielder might have to make do with a place on the bench on Friday.
Cengiz Under fashioned five chances down the right in the 2-0 loss to Zlatko Dalic’s men in March, and the wide attacker could play a pivotal role against the Latvians.
Head-to-Head stats
The two teams have met seven times in all competitions, with their first meeting dating back to 1924. The visitors have the upper hand in the head-to-head record, with a 2-1 lead in wins and four games having ended in draws.
The visitors are unbeaten in their last five meetings against the hosts. They have met four times in the European qualifiers, in which the hosts have enjoyed an unbeaten run, recording a win while three games have ended in draws.
They last met in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in 2021. They played out a 2-2 draw in the first leg and Turkey recorded a 2-1 win at Friday’s venue in the second leg.
Four of the seven meetings have produced over 2.5 goals. The visitors have suffered just a couple of defeats in their last 10 games in all competitions.
The hosts have suffered three defeats in a row and have just one win in their last six games in all competitions. Latvia have won three of their last five home games and the visitors have three wins in their last five away games.
Latvia vs Turkey Prediction
Both the teams have equivalent possibility of making a tie prevented a sixth straight draw between Latvia and Turkey. They will locks horns at Skonto stadium on backing to winning ways.
