'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Azerbaijan and Sweden get their 2024 UEFA Nations League campaign underway when they square off at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium on Thursday. Both sides are in Group 1 of League C and will battle with Slovakia and Estonia to gain promotion.
Azerbaijan returned to winning ways on June 11 when they secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Kazakhstan when the two nations met in a friendly at the Haladás Stadion.
Head coach Fernando Santos will hope his side can pick up where they left off against Kazakhstan as they look to get their Nations League campaign off on a high, following their disappointing run in the European Championship qualifiers.
Azerbaijan picked up just seven points from their eight games in the Euro qualifiers last year to finish bottom but one in Group F, only above last-placed Estonia.
Sweden, on the other hand, were left empty-handed yet again as they fell to a disappointing 3-0 friendly defeat against Serbia at the Strawberry Arena on June 8.
Since kicking off the year with a 2-1 friendly victory over Estonia on January 12, Jon Dahl Tomasson’s men have lost three of their subsequent four matches, with a 1-0 win over Albania on March 25 being the exception.
Sweden will head into Thursday’s clash looking to get one over Azerbaijan, having suffered a 3-0 loss in their last meeting, which came in the Euro 2024 qualifiers back in November.
Azerbaijan vs Sweden Head-To-Head and Key Numbers
- This will be the fifth meeting between the two nations, with Sweden picking up three wins in their four previous encounters.
- Azerbaijan have managed one victory in that time, which came on November 16, when they beat Tomasson’s men 3-0 at the Tofiq Bakhramov Republican Stadium.
- Sweden have failed to win five of their last six competitive away games, losing four and picking up one draw since June 2022.
- Azerbaijan have won just two of their last eight competitive matches while losing five and claiming one draw since March 2023.
Azerbaijan vs Sweden Prediction
The two meetings between Azerbaijan and Sweden last year saw a combined eight goals scored and we anticipate another thrilling contest at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium.
However, given the gulf in quality and depth between the two nations, we are backing Tomasson’s men to secure an opening-day victory.
Prediction: Azerbaijan 0-2 Sweden
Azerbaijan vs Sweden Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Sweden to win
Tip 2: Over 4.5 cards - No (There have been fewer than five bookings in Sweden’s last six games)
Tip 3: Over 10.5 corners - No (There have also been fewer than 11 corner kicks in five of Sweden’s last six outings)
