Austria Vs North Macedonia
Saturday 16 November 2019 – 19:45 Kick-Off
UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifying
Pick: Austria & Over 2.5 Goals
Odds: 5/6
Bookmaker: Boylesports
UEFA Euro 2020 Betting – 22Bet
(All betting odds displayed were correct as of 14 November 2019 at 23:55)
Preview: A final chance for North Macedonia to keep alive their now slim qualification dreams. They require all three points in Vienna, where an Austrian side can celebrate booking their spot at next summer’s European Championship with victory inside their Ernst-Happel Stadion.
Austria Preview – Austrians to make no mistake in Vienna?
Group G Results: Poland 0-1 (H), Israel 4-2 (A), Slovenia 1-0 (H), North Macedonia 1-4 (A), Latvia 6-0 (H), Poland 0-0 (A), Israel 3-1 (H), Slovenia (0-1 (A)
After a torrid start to the campaign, when losing their opening two group games against Poland (0-1) and Israel (3-1), Austria (2nd – W5 D1 L2, GF17 GA7) have responded magnificently. Since that slow start, the team have gone six qualifying games without losing (W5 D1) to claim 16 of the 18 points that were available. That is some turnaround, propelling them up to second and within touching distance of securing automatic qualification.
Victory on Saturday would ensure the Austrians can finish no lower than second in their group, thus qualifying automatically for the finals. If not, there is always a trip to Latvia in a few days time. That does look the easier assignment, on paper at least. There is, however, no reason why coach Franco Foda won’t be celebrating qualification slightly ahead of schedule. His players comfortably saw off their next opponents, North Macedonia, with very little fuss back in June, winning 4-1 as the visiting side.
To bolster the appeal of the hosts even further, ‘Das Team’ are currently on a three game winning run in Austria, scoring ten times across their fixtures with Israel (3-1), Latvia (6-0) and Slovenia (1-0). Marcel Sabitzer, the RB Leipzig attacker who has enjoyed a superb start to the domestic season, has scored on his last two home appearances for his country and is 13/8 with PaddyPower to score anytime in an Austrian victory (Score/Win betting).
North Macedonia Preview – Another win or bust encounter?
Group G Results: Latvia 3-1 (H), Slovenia 1-1 (A), Poland 0-1 (H), Austria 1-4 (H), Israel 1-1 (A), Latvia 0-2 (A),Slovenia 2-1 (H), Poland 2-0 (A)
Last month’s clash in Warsaw against leaders Poland had the hallmarks of an all-or-nothing fixture for North Macedonia (3rd – W3 D2 L3, GF10 GA11). To lose it 2-0 was a hammer blow to their chances of qualifying automatically (there are still the play-offs should they fail to finish second in this group) leaving them five points adrift of the team in second, which happens to be their next opponents.
Even victory over Austria on Saturday, while it would reduce the deficit down to only two points, would still leave them relying on results elsewhere falling their way in the final round of qualifying games. Victory could well prove beyond this side anyway. Just one win – that against the poorest outfit in this group, Latvia (0-2) – in four away fixtures is hardly encouraging. Though they would earn creditable draws at Israel (1-1) and Slovenia (1-1).
Besides, North Macedonia were emphatically beaten when these two countries met in June, losing 4-1 in the capital Skopje. It would take some performance to overturn that scoreline. However two defeats across their previous twelve away internationals (W5 D5 L2), failing to score on just three occasions in that time, might imply all hope is not lost for the nation currently ranked 68th and given no chance at the start of qualifying.
Austria Vs North Macedonia Key Facts:
- Austria have climbed into a commanding position in their group, occupying second after going their last six games unbeaten (W5 D1).
- North Macedonia trail the automatic qualifying places by five points, winning only one of their four away qualifiers thus far (W1 D2 L1).
- Their meeting in June, in the North Macedonian capital of Skopje, finished with a resounding 4-1 scoreline in favour of visiting Austria.
Betting Summary
Austria have hauled themselves right back into contention since enduring a rough start in this campaign and are now firm favourites to qualify automatically. Their advantage over those in pursuit (three teams are locked on the same number of points) is now five, meaning victory in this fixture would send them to the finals with one game to spare. Having beaten the same opponents 4-1 during their current six-game unbeaten run, another victory seems likely.
North Macedonia would fluff an opportunity against Poland last month to reduce the gap between them and the top two. That 2-0 loss means they have no option but to target the win here, which might be audacious considering they would fail to win away in Israel (1-1), Slovenia (1-1) and, of course, Poland. Furthermore, two of their three victories would come against Latvia, who have been the whipping boys of this group.
The Austrians are unbeaten in six qualifying games now, conceding only twice in that spell though one was in the reverse encounter that they won 4-1. It wouldn’t be all that surprising were a similar scoreline to materialise: Austria need to win to wrap up qualification, while North Macedonia can no longer afford to sit back and accept a draw.
