Latvia vs Croatia Prediction, kick-off time, TV, live stream, team news, h2h results, odds

Croatia will look to bounce back from back-to-back losses last month when they visit Latvia in Euro 2024 qualifying on Saturday evening.

Croatia slipped up twice in October, losing their grip on automatic qualification, while their hosts finally won a game but remain at the bottom of Group D.
 

Match preview

Croatia, a regular fixture at the tail end of major tournaments, has had their place at next summer's European Championship finals jeopardized after defeats to Turkey and Wales dropped them to third in Group D.
 

World Cup finalists in 2018 and bronze medalists in Qatar last year, a squad led by long-serving coach Zlatko Dalic is level on points with second-placed Wales after a 2-1 loss in Cardiff last time out, but they have a worse head-to-head record against Rob Page's men.

With Turkey six points clear at the top, Croatia is realistically hoping that their Welsh rivals will falter, but even if they do not make it to Germany via the direct route, they may qualify through the back door.

Already assured of a playoff spot thanks to their UEFA Nations League performance - the Kockasti were losing finalists last summer - if they lose in Latvia and Wales win against Armenia, they will be forced to settle for the backup option.

Dalic is in charge of a team that features several stars on the decline, and after suffering their first-ever home defeat in a Euro qualifier when Turkey came to town - before being beaten by Harry Wilson's brace a few days later - Luka Modric and co will be eager to prove they are not done yet.

Only maximum points will suffice from their final two games, as Croatia hosts Armenia in the final week after visiting Group D's bottom-placed nation.
 

 

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Latvia have been rooted to the bottom of the table for some time now, having been beaten 5-0 in the reverse fixture in September, when Bruno Petkovic scored twice for the hosts at Rijeka's Stadion Rujevica.

They only got their first points of the qualifying campaign last month, when coach Dainis Kazakevics led his team to a win over Armenia, who is still in contention for a top-two finish.

Normal service was resumed three days later, when Latvia was defeated 4-0 in Turkey, despite holding out for nearly an hour against the group leaders, whom they had also pushed all the way before losing 3-2 in June.

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Team News

Despite the fact that Ivan Perisic is still out with an ACL injury and midfield mainstay Mateo Kovacic is questionable due to a muscular problem, first-choice striker Andrej Kramaric and Feyenoord winger Luka Ivanusec have both returned to the Croatia squad this week.

However, Bruno Petkovic and Nikola Vlasic have been ruled out due to injury, while fellow forward Petar Musa has been dropped after failing to make an impact last month.

Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol is expected to start at left-back, with Borna Barisic one of several options rejected by Zlatko Dalic, who has stated that he will avoid a knee-jerk reaction to October's results and stick with his preferred four-man defense.

Meanwhile, Marcis Oss has returned to Latvia's squad after being sent off against Armenia in October, but Eduards Emsis has been suspended for another booking against Turkey.

Raivis Jurkovskis and Kriss Karklis return, the latter after more than a year without being called up, but South Korean-based striker Vladislavs Gutkovskis remains out due to a long-term knee injury. Cambuur's Roberts Uldrikis will thus start at the front.

 

Latvia possible starting lineup:
Ozols; Savalnieks, Balodis, Dubra, Sorokins; Tobers, Savaljevs; Jaunzems, J. Ikaunieks, Daskevics; Uldrikis

Croatia possible starting lineup:
Livakovic; Stanisic, Sutalo, Vida, Gvardiol; Modric, Brozovic, Majer; Pasalic, Kramaric, Ivanusec
 

We say: Latvia 0-3 Croatia

With a point to prove - and automatic qualification still possible - Croatia will go full gas to ensure they take care of business in Riga. The gulf in class between the visitors and their more modest hosts is quite substantial, and that should be reflected in the scoreline.
 

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