Wales vs Croatia predictions: Dragons on the brink of elimination

- Croatia are unbeaten in seven internationals with Wales
- Croatia have won their first two away qualifiers to nil at Turkey and Armenia
- Recommended bet: Croatia to win & under 3.5 goals

If Wales are to qualify for Euro 2024 next summer then this looks a must-win match against Croatia, who are second in Group D and three points ahead of the Dragons.

With only three games remaining, defeat for Wales could be terminal to their qualification hopes and their opponents will be motivated as they seek to respond to a 1-0 loss at home to Turkey on Thursday night.

That has allowed Turkey to take control of the section, although victory for the Blazers in Cardiff would see them move level at the summit with 13 points.

Wales warmed up for this test with a routine 4-0 friendly triumph over minnows Gibraltar on Wednesday, but manager Rob Page will be only too aware that a game against the 2018 World Cup runners-up is a different test entirely.

It was 1-1 when these two teams clashed in Split in March, when substitute Nathan Broadhead salvaged a point in injury-time for Wales.

Team news

Former Welsh talisman Gareth Bale is nine months into retirement while Aaron Ramsey is set to miss the rest of this season with a knee injury.

In Ramsey’s absence, Tottenham defender Ben Davies is expected to captain Wales at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Spurs star Brennan Johnson and QPR defender Morgan Fox remain sidelined while Ipswich’s Wes Burns picked up an injury in the win over Gibraltar and has been ruled out.

Croatia, on the other hand, must cope without Ivan Perisic, Andrej Kamaric, Mislav Orsic and Matija Frigan.

The stats

Wales have won only two of their opening five Euro 2024 qualifiers and were beaten 4-2 by Armenia in their last competitive fixture on home soil.

Croatia, meanwhile, have won three of their five qualifiers, which includes both away games against Turkey and Armenia. The Blazers kept clean sheets in recording each of those victories.

The visitors suffered their first defeat in eight internationals at home to Turkey on Thursday and that 1-0 loss was the fifth time in their last six games that one or both teams had failed to score.

Low-scoring games have been a common theme in Wales’s qualification campaign and under 2.5 goals has landed in four of their five matches.

Croatia are unbeaten in seven meetings with Wales, winning four times, although the last two meetings have finished 1-1.

Prediction

Given what is at stake, it is sure to be a nervy occasion in Cardiff and that should lend itself to a low-scoring encounter, especially with Wales missing two key attacking players in Ramsey and Johnson.

Wales are desperate to unearth a new superstar following Bale’s retirement and, in their current situation, they are unlikely to cope with this current crop of Croatian players.

It was a 1-1 draw when these two met in Split seven months ago but Croatia were punished in the final minutes for not taking their chances in that match. They won the shot count 19-4 on that occasion with Wales equalising with their only shot on target.

So Croatia, who have never lost to Wales in seven attempts, can claim the victory that will put the Dragons on the verge of elimination.

Zlatko Dalic’s side have won 2-0 in Turkey and 1-0 in Armenia during this qualifying campaign and they can claim another low-scoring away win in Cardiff.

Back Croatia to win and under 3.5 goals at 7/5 with LiveScore Bet.

Win up to £250,000 with LiveScore 6!

Win up to £250,000 with our free-to-play game, LiveScore 6!

Predict the score of all six LiveScore 6 fixtures for your chance to win. 18+, UK/Ireland residents only, T&Cs apply.