Sports Mole previews Thursday’s Euro Champ Qualifying clash between Bulgaria and Hungary, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Top faces bottom in Group G of Euro 2024 qualifying as basement nation Bulgaria play host to high-flying leaders Hungary on Thursday evening.
The contest was initially scheduled to take place at Stadion Hristo Botev in Plovdiv, but a late venue change due to ongoing construction work means this fixture will now be hosted at the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia, a “unsportsmanlike” decision slammed by the Hungarian federation this week.
Match preview
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Bulgaria head into their final two fixtures of 2023 with a new manager at the helm after they parted company with Mladen Krstajic last month due to “unsatisfactory results” following a nine-game winless run dating back to November last year.
Krstajic’s final game in charge was a 2-0 friendly loss to Albania, which came just three days after a disappointing home defeat to Lithuania – ranked 134th in the world – by the same scoreline in Euro 2024 qualifying, leaving Bulgaria rock bottom of Group G without a win from six matches.
The Bulgarian Football Union announced at the beginning of this month that Ilian Iliev will take charge of the national team, but will also continue his role as head coach of first division outfit Cherno More Varna, who are currently challenging CSKA Sofia for the title.
Iliev, who has never managed at international level, is keen to implement the “right tactics” that he believes will turn the nation’s fortunes around and he want to help the Bulgarian players “show their true face” following a difficult period on the international stage over the last 12 months.
Bulgaria cannot automatically qualify for Euro 2024 as they sit 11 points adrift of second-placed Serbia with two games remaining, but they will hope to end the year on a high with two positive results as they attempt to climb off the foot of Group G and move above fourth-placed Lithuania, who have played a game more.
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Hungary, meanwhile, are on the cusp of qualifying for their third successive European Championships as they require just one more point from their final two matches to secure a top-two finish in Group G and punch their ticket to next year’s tournament in Germany.
Marco Rossi‘s men have put together a 10-game unbeaten run across all competitions and have picked up 14 points from a possible 18 available to climb to the summit Group G, sitting one point clear of second-placed Serbia with a game in hand.
Hungary secured a crucial 2-1 home victory over Serbia last month before coming from two goals down to rescue a 2-2 draw away against Lithuania; Dominik Szoboszlai‘s 67th-minute penalty was followed by an 82nd-minute equaliser from Barnabas Varga to preserve their unbeaten run in Group G.
Ranked 30th in the world by FIFA, Hungary will be confident of success on Thursday as they have already beaten Bulgaria in qualifying, securing a comfortable 3-0 home win courtesy of strikes from Szoboszlai, Balint Vecsei and Martin Adam.
The Magyars have also lost just one of their last 10 away games in all competitions, although they have drawn three of their last four such fixtures against nations ranked below them in the FIFA standings.
Bulgaria Euro Champ Qualifying form:
Bulgaria form (all competitions):
Hungary Euro Champ Qualifying form:
Hungary form (all competitions):
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Team News
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Bulgaria midfielder Andrian Kraev will serve a one-match suspension after he was shown two yellow cards in the defeat to Lithuania last month, so either Leeds United’s Ilia Gruev or Los Angeles FC’s Filip Krastev could start in centre-midfield alongside Ivaylo Chochev.
A total of 21 goals have been scored by players in Iliev’s 27-man squad, with 10 of those netted by captain Kiril Despodov who is poised to start on the right side of a front three next to Preslav Borukov and Spas Delev.
Iliev is expected to stick with a 3-4-3 formation, with Kristian Dimitrov, Valentin Antov and Simeon Petrov all set to start in the back three as Viktor Popov and Ivan Turitsov operate as wing-backs.
As for Hungary, Willi Orban, Attila Fiola, Laszlo Kleinheisler, Roland Sallai, Barnabas Varga and Balint Vecsei will all miss this month’s international break due to injury.
However, Zsolt Kalmar is available for selection after missing the last qualifier through suspension, and the Fehervar midfielder will battle with Adam Nagy, Daniel Gazdag and Callum Styles for a place in the first XI.
The absence of Sallai and Varga could see Andras Nemeth – who has failed to score in 10 substitute outings for Hamburger SV so far this season – and Ujpest winger Kevin Csoboth handed starts in attack alongside Liverpool’s Szoboszlai.
Bulgaria possible starting lineup:
Dyulgerov; Dimitrov, Antov, Petrov; Popov, Gruev, Chochev, Turitsov; Despodov, Borukov, Delev
Hungary possible starting lineup:
Dibusz; Balogh, Lang, Szalai; Nego, Nagy, Styles, Kerkez; Csoboth, Szoboszlai; Nemeth
We say: Bulgaria 0-2 Hungary
Iliev will hope to make an immediate impact in his first home game in charge of Bulgaria, but success on Thursday will be a tall order against an in-form Hungary side seeking to seal their qualification for Euro 2024.
The visitors, who can secure top spot in Group G with a win in Sofia, cruised to victory in the reverse fixture earlier this year and they should have few problems coming out on top against the Lions once again.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.