Will Belgium punch their World Cup ticket?
Belgium await the Estonians on the penultimate matchday in Group E. The home side have punched their ticket to the World Cup. The home side have already almost booked their ticket to the upcoming World Cup in Qatar and will therefore give their second string a chance, not least because of a tense personnel situation due to various injury-related absences.
The visitors, for their part, arrive in second-last place and have no chance of qualifying via second place in the group. The dream of a successful World Cup qualification for the first time has thus been dashed once again.
For the match in Brussels between Belgium and Estonia, however, the tip is for a goal celebration on both sides.
Belgium – Statistics & current form
The Belgian national team has once again virtually mastered World Cup qualification. They have not lost any of their six group matches so far, and only the Czech Republic have managed at least one point against Roberto Martinez’s team. Only Wales can still catch up with the league leaders, but this scenario presupposes, among other things, that the hosts do not win their next match.
The 21-goal haul is impressive once again, resulting in an average of 3.5 own goals per qualifying match. However, the Diables Rouges will now be without several regulars up front. In addition to Chelsea’s top striker Romelu Lukaku, Michy Batshuayi (Besiktas) and Jeremy Doku (Rennes) are also out through injury.
Vanzeir is set to make his debut
In exchange, Napoli’s Dries Mertens and Liverpool Reds’ Divock Origi are available. Dante Vanzeir has also been nominated for the first time. The striker plays for surprise team Union St. Gillioses from Brussels, who are currently shaking up the Jupiler League as a promoted team.
After 14 rounds of matches, the blue-and-yellows from Duden Park are no less than top of the table, and the champions from Bruges are starting to get a little nervous, given the very consistent performances of the newcomers.
One positive factor in Union’s unexpected success is the aforementioned Dante Vanzeir, who has already scored nine times in his 14 league appearances. Only his German teammate Deniz Undav and Antwerp’s Michael Frey of Switzerland top that tally.
Will the hosts strike at least four times?
Vanzeir is thus a good example of the home side’s continuing offensive power. Against this background, the odds on the hosts scoring more than 3.5 goals in the match between Belgium and Estonia are also interesting. Likewise, the odds on more than one goal by the Rode Duivels in the first half of the match are also interesting.
However, several players in the back line, such as Vanheusden, Bornauw and Vermaelen, are also out. In this part of the team, the quality of the second guard is less pronounced, which is why the so far also best defence in the group with only four goals conceded in six group games will probably have more problems this time even against the underdog.
Predicted line-up of Belgium:
Casteels – Denayer – Alderweireld – Boyata – Witsel – Tielemans – Dendoncker – Saelemaekers – Castagne – Vanaken – Origi
Last matches played by Belgium:
UEFA Nations League A Championship Playoff
10/10 2021 – Italy 2 – 1 Belgium
10/07 2021 – Belgium 2 – 3 France
WM Qualification UEFA 1st Round Grp. E
09/08 2021 – Belarus 0 – 1 Belgium
09/05 2021 – Belgium 3 – 0 Czech Republic
09/02 2021 – Estonia 2 – 5 Belgium
Estonia – Statistics & current form
Estonia may no longer be able to punch their ticket to the 2022 World Cup, but at least their offence has put up a valiant fight. With eight goals after six games, for example, they have the same yield as the Welsh. Five players in the Estonian national team squad have already scored once.
Henri Anier, who otherwise plays in the domestic Meistriiliga, has made the biggest contribution to the attack’s impressive record. Three goals and an assist are very impressive
Anier also scores regularly in the Meistriiliga.
His goal-scoring form is equally evident in league action. The former player of clubs like Aue, then alongside his brother Hannes, or Dundee United leads the scoring charts in the current season of the Meistriiliga.
His recent appearance in the Estonian Cup was also notable, as he scored no fewer than eight goals in a 14-0 win over Flora Tallin U-21 in the round of 16.
Swiss coach Thomas Häberli, on the other hand, cannot be satisfied with his defence. They concede an average of 2.66 goals per qualifying match and only bottom of the table Belarus just exceeds this rate of the 105th ranked team in the world.
Predicted line-up of Estonia:
Hein – Mets – Kuusk – Tamm – Pikk – Vassiljev – Käit – Kreida – Puri – Sappinen – Anier
Last matches played by Estonia:
World Cup Qualification UEFA 1st Round Grp. E
10/11 2021 – Estonia 0 – 1 Wales
10/08 2021 – Estonia 2 – 0 Belarus
09/08 2021 – Wales 0 – 0 Estonia
Friendly match
09/05 2021 – Estonia 0 – 1 Northern Ireland
World Cup Qualification UEFA 1st Round Grp. E
09/02 2021 – Estonia 2 – 5 Belgium
Belgium – Estonia Direct comparison / H2H-Balance
The Belgians and Balts have faced each other seven times so far and never have the encounters ended in a draw. Instead, the World Cup bronze medallists have prevailed six times and in 2009 the underdogs scored their only victory to date with a 2-0 win on home soil.
For the next edition of Belgium vs Estonia, the odds are once again clearly leaning towards a win for the Diables Rouges.
Belgium – Estonia Tip
The Belgians were recently dethroned at the top of the world rankings by France and had to settle for fourth place in the Nations League Final Four after defeats to Equipe Tricolore and Italy.
But now it is neither against the world nor the European champions, but against the Estonian underdogs, which is why the home side are clear favourites. For the match between Belgium and Estonia, however, the forecast includes a goal celebration on both sides.
The hosts have to do without several injured players and this weakens the defence in particular. Nevertheless, the Red Devils can be expected to win by a landslide, but at least one goal should also be scored by the guests.
This course of play, in which the favourite on top does not take the defensive work too seriously due to the high dominance, could already be observed in the first leg in the 5:2 victory of the Belgians and the Estonian offensive has scored regularly in the World Cup qualification – as can be seen from already eight goals in six group matches.
In addition, the Balts have also scored in their last two visits to Brussels.
At Unibet, betting odds of 3.90 are available for the showdown between Belgium and Estonia.
