Hungary VS Finland Match Prediction
2018-11-18
19:45:00
Hungary
VS
Finland
Our Prediction Tip
Finland will win this match.
2018-11-1819:45:00 Finland will win this match.
Finland have only beaten Hungary three times in 17 previous matches – losing 11 of the other 14 – but one of those wins came in September when they last met. Teemu Pukki scored the only goal of the game in the seventh minute. Prior to that, they were in the same Euro 2016 qualification group and Hungary won both matches 1-0.
%HEAD-TO-HEAD-STATS-BANNER%
Finland’s impressive run of form and good defensive record has earned them promotion from this UEFA Nations League group, having started their run with a 1-0 home win against Hungary.
Away from home, the only team they have beaten on their travels in 2018 has been Estonia – Pukki again scoring the winner – but Hungary’s inconsistent form means Finland could record another win.
The key battle will be the tight Finnish defence against Adam Szalai up front. Szalai scored three of Hungary’s five goals across the two games against Estonia.
If he can continue his goalscoring form, Hungary can record a much-needed home win and pull away from relegation danger in the process.
Finland have topped the group no matter what, but they will understand the need for momentum after the way they have played throughout 2018. A record of seven clean sheets in nine games is a superb return.
The Fins are difficult to break down, and as a result difficult to back against. They won their first four games to ensure they top the group and they will want to finish on a high.
With Teemu Pukku in the goals, and buoyed by last month’s 2-0 win at home to Greece – and the successful defence of top spot against the same opponents last time out - they can record a rare away win.
With home advantage, Hungary have been listed as favourites with the bookmakers but to write off Finland would be a gamble considering their fine form in 2018. Finland are 23/10 to win with 888sport.
When they win, they have tended to win to nil too. That improves the odds to 9/2, while a Finnish clean sheet – which would be their eighth in ten games - is 11/5 with Betfair.
Teemu Pukki scored the winning goal in the reverse fixture and in the following two games too, and another one-goal Finnish win will return 4/1 with Betfair and Paddy Power.
There is very little between the teams in truth, apart from the fact Finland have found some form and Hungary have been inconsistent in 2018. Under 2.5 goals has been set at 4/7 with Betfair.
While their away form has been less impressive than at home, Finland are tough to break down at the back and can continue that record – and therefore snatch a win – in Hungary.
Gergo Lovrencsics, Attila Fiola, uncapped Daniel Gazdag, Roland Ugrai and Roland Sallai all withdrew from the Hungary squad due to injury, while Krisztian Nemeth and Zoltan Stieber – both based in the MLS – are among the players who were not selected in the first place. David Holman and Filip Holender could make their international debuts if Hungary take the opportunity to blood some fresh faces and rotate their options. Peter Gulacsi looks set to miss the game through injury in goal too, which could mean a first start for David Grof, though it was Denes Dibusz who started in the win against Estonia.
Adam Szalai – The captain is in great form, scoring three goals in the two games against Estonia to take him to 18 in 51 Hungary caps.
Willi Orban – Scored his first international goal in the win against Estonia last time out, in his third appearance in the Hungary defence.
Balazs Dzsudzsak - The most experienced player in the squad with 97 international caps and a good return of 21 goals in that time from midfield.
Hungary’s 2-0 win against Estonia made it two wins and one draw from five games in the UEFA Nations League so far. Willi Orban and Adam Szalai scored the goals last time out, while Szalai also scored twice in Estonia in last month’s reverse fixture – Dominik Nagy also scored but the game finished 3-3. Previously, Hungary had lost 1-0 away to both Finland and Greece, either side of a 2-1 home win against the latter – Roland Sallai and Laszlo Kleinheisler scoring in the Budapest victory.
Captain Tim Sparv and fellow midfielder Rasmus Schuller have both withdrawn from the squad to face Hungary, with neither playing against Greece last time out either. Glen Kamara and Jonu Kauko were the midfield partnership instead. Albin Granlund scored an own goal and was booked on his return to the line-up last time out, but with Jukka Raitala not in the squad it could be the recalled Janne Saksela who replaces him at right-back.
Teemu Pukki – Scored the winning goal in Finland’s first three games in the UEFA Nations League and now has 15 goals in 67 international appearances.
Robin Lod – The Sporting Gijon winger provides plenty from the wing and has also weighed in with three international goals of his own.
Glen Kamara – Has a big chance to cement his place in midfield with Tim Sparv absent – he scored his first international goal in last month’s win against Greece.
While Finland’s five-game winning streak is now over, the 1-0 defeat to Greece last time out was enough to ensure Finland sealed top spot in the group. That is thanks to having won by a superior scoreline in the reverse fixture – Pyry Soiri and Glen Kamara scoring in a 2-0 home win in Tampere. Finland had previously won their first three matches, home to Hungary and then home and away to Estonia, by a single Teemu Pukki goal each time.
Watch Live Streaming