Last updated & checked: 10/08/2021
These are two teams that took very different paths heading into this match but ended up neck-and-neck in terms of odds. Austria’s last few years have been defined by their failure to qualify for the World Cup last year. However, since then they had an excellent 2018 when it came to international friendlies, even beating Germany 2-1 at one point. The last we saw of them was a bit more of a mixed bag, with the team trading wins, draws and losses.
Poland, on the other hand, did make it to the World Cup but have been unable to gain much momentum ever since they crashed out at the group stages, despite a win over Japan. They’ve failed to win anything since then, although their fiery 1-1 draw against Portugal suggests there’s still plenty left in the tank. This is a tough one to call in the battle to qualify to the Euros.
Austria vs Poland Prediction: Austria 1-0 Poland
While Poland’s success in qualifying for the last major tournament would have made them easy pickings as favourites for this match, we’re afraid that their form since then has made this a touch more complicated. Ultimately, Austria have just delivered more consistently since that summer, and that amount of time is not insignificant in the world of football. On that basis, we’re going to go with an Austrian victory here. However, we think these two are very evenly-matched and this is going to be a hard-fought contest. With that in mind, our scoreline prediction is a 1-0 victory for the home side.
Our recommended tip: Austria win
It’s a pretty close call between these two teams. However, looking back to last year’s UEFA Nations League does shed some light on the most likely winner. After picking up just two points, Poland were relegated from the league, while Austria performed much better and came second to keep hold of their spot in the B division. Therefore, the home side are the slight favourites coming into this contest. At Ladbrokes, Poland have medium-risk match odds of 21/10 and Austria have slightly better low-risk 5/4 odds of winning. Taking this into consideration, we recommend you back the favourites for your best chance of earning a ROI.
Previous matches
Despite our pick for Austria to win this match, there’s no doubting the fact that Poland has a massive historical advantage. They’ve faced each other nine times overall, with the Polish team winning five of those encounters. Plus, their last loss to Austria was way back in 1994. But, before you consider this a game-changer, do keep in mind that their most recent meeting was back in 2008, meaning the relevance of these results here is questionable – especially since that outing ended in a draw. However, Poland clearly look better on the stats sheet out of the two.
Top 3 Premier League Bookies
Players to watch: Marko Arnautović & Robert Lewandowski
Austria: Marko Arnautović
Things aren’t going very well for Marko Arnautović back in the club leagues, with some West Ham fans demanding his exit from the squad. However, despite some disappointing performances, there’s little doubting his goal scoring abilities. He’s one of the most likely to hit the back of the net in this game, and we’re sure he’ll relish the chance to show off his skills in front of a more welcoming environment.
Poland: Robert Lewandowski
Leading the line for Poland is the ever brilliant Robert Lewandowski. He’s a man who can not only boast being one of the team’s most deadly goalscorers but also one who holds so much of the squad together with his intelligent, professional and clinical style of play. His ability to transform his style for the needs of a team – as seen with Bayern Munich – also make him one of the most versatile players around. If used correctly, he could be Austria’s undoing here.
