Euro 2024 play-off predictions: Poland to break Welsh hearts

Tom McGarry
Spotlight
Robert Lewandowski could inspire Poland to the European Championship finals at the expense of Wales
Robert Lewandowski could inspire Poland to the European Championship finals at the expense of Wales

It is crunch time in the Euro 2024 play-offs on Tuesday as the final three places at this summer's European Championship finals will be decided.

Wales and Poland will contest the Path A play-off final at the Cardiff City Stadium, while the Path B showpiece between Ukraine and Iceland will be held in the Polish city of Wroclaw. 

Path C's final will see Georgia look to make home advantage count as they bid to reach a first ever major tournament at the expense of Euro 2004 winners Greece.

Thursday 7.45pm

After convincingly beating Finland 4-1 in their play-off semi-final in Cardiff, Wales will once again have home advantage for Tuesday's crunch clash with Poland and the Dragons have only lost one of their last 16 European Championship qualifiers on home soil, a run that dates back to 2011.

However, that sole home defeat did come during this campaign against Armenia and Wales' record when facing Poland is not impressive, as they have failed to win any of the last nine meetings between the two sides, losing each of the previous six.

Poland did the double over Wales during the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League and after thrashing Estonia 5-1 in their play-off semi-final, Robert Lewandowski and co will be confident of booking their place at a fifth-straight European Championship..

Thursday 7.45pm

Ukraine may not have home advantage for their play-off final against Iceland – which is being played at the Wroclaw Stadium in Poland – but they are in impressive form, losing just one of their last nine matches.

Serhiy Rebrov will be hoping his side, who reached the quarter-finals of the last Euros, will have too much for an Iceland team that are also in form, winning three on the bounce and scoring seven goals in the process.

Iceland have only failed to score in one of their last nine games and can certainly net against a Ukraine defence that has conceded in seven of their last 10 games, but the Blue and Yellow should have enough about them at the other end to win the match.

Serhiy Rebrov's Ukraine will face Iceland in the Path B play-off final
Serhiy Rebrov's Ukraine will face Iceland in the Path B play-off final

Thursday 5pm

Georgia are potentially just 90 minutes away from reaching a first European Championship finals and confidence should be high after their semi-final victory over Luxembourg, as they have now lost just one of their last 12 home fixtures.

However, visitors Greece are also in form, following up a credible draw with European heavyweights France by thrashing Kazakhstan 5-0 in their semi-final tie.

Greece won on their last visit to Georgia – a 2-0 World Cup qualifying success in 2021 – and they have never lost to the Crusaders, triumphing in all four of their previous away clashes, an impressive record they can add to on Tuesday.

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Tags

European ChampionshipWalesPolandUkraineIcelandGeorgiaGreece