Latvia’s national football team is a small- to mid-level team in Eastern European football, with their strength at the lower end of the international stage. Currently, they are ranked 137th in the FIFA World Rankings. In this World Cup Europe qualifying campaign, Latvia has played three group matches so far, recording 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss. Despite having played one game fewer than some of their rivals, they are only 1 point behind the top two in the group. Hosting this match at home, they are not lacking in motivation.
In terms of recent form, Latvia has been average. In their most recent World Cup qualifier, they drew 1-1 at home against Albania. Over their last 10 matches in all competitions, they have recorded 2 wins, 3 draws, and 5 losses, scoring 6 goals while conceding 15. This clearly shows that their attack and defense remain unbalanced.
Serbia, on the other hand, is a force to be reckoned with in European football, inheriting the rich footballing tradition of the former Yugoslavia. Their best World Cup performances were fourth place in 1930 and 1962. Currently, Serbia is ranked 32nd in the FIFA World Rankings. For the September World Cup qualifiers, Serbia announced their squad, led by Mitrović and Vlaović, with Petrović also included. In terms of recent form, Serbia has been in decent shape. In their most recent qualifier, they easily defeated Andorra 3-0 at home, extending their unbeaten streak in competitive matches to six. Among the players, striker Mitrović has been in excellent form for the national team, scoring a hat-trick in the match against Andorra.
Analysis: Latvia’s total squad market value is €9.15 million, whereas Serbia’s squad is valued at €251 million. With stars present across all three lines for Serbia, the gap in strength on paper is obvious. Therefore, this match favors Serbia to secure an away victory.
Recommendation: Away Win
