With football fans getting ready for another exciting weekend of action, a spate of crucial encounters in the various leagues and tournaments is set to keep the world’s fans on the edge.
From the Irish Premier Division down to the Nations League and to many others, here’s a close look at the most expected fixtures with their respective implications for league standing and national team ranking.
Premier Division: Derry City Seeks Home Advantage Against Sligo Rovers
A crucial encounter in the Premier Division sees the action take place on Monday at 21:45 PM between hosts Derry City and visitors Sligo Rovers at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.
Without a win against Sligo in their last four league matches, Derry City is odds-on favorites going into this match for their imperious home form.
Recently, in the 1-1 draw with Bohemian FC in which Patrick Hoban found the equalizer, Derry City showed great potential going forward.
Derry managed to dominate the clash with 59% possession and 19 shots, and will be hoping that control amounts to a win this time around.
This is an uphill task for Sligo Rovers, considering they come from a goalless draw against Shelbourne.
The form has been one of concern away from home lately, with no wins in the last four league games on the road. Injuries to John Mahon and Stephen Mallon complicate their prospects.
Historical data adds another layer of interest to this fixture. Although Sligo has emerged as the victors in three of the last six, the hosts have an unbeaten home record against Rovers in the last seven league matches.
This may prove a telling encounter that will define the top percentile of the Premier Division table.
Nations League: Crucial Encounters Set to Reshape Standings
Estonia vs Sweden: Blågult Favored in Baltic Showdown
Coming into this game high spirited after a 3-1 win over Azerbaijan, Estonia hosts an imposing challenge in Sweden.
Even though the past misfortune of the Estonian squad against Sweden-not having won any of their last 12 games against them-is sure to come back to haunt them, this may slightly improve their chances.
Coming fresh from a 2-2 draw with Slovakia where they launched 19 shots on goal, Sweden enter as strong favorites.
In their recent form, averaging an impressive 3 goals per match in their last six games, there is every indication that Estonia will have their hands full trying to contain this Swedish attack.
Italy vs Israel: Azzurri Aim to Shore Up Defenses
Italy go into this match on the back of a 2-2 draw with Belgium, and take on Israel with one aim: to shore things up at the back.
The Azzurri have let in goals in six consecutive games, a run they are eager to stop against an Israel team smarting from a humbling loss to France.
That attacking penchant is still there, with Andrea Cambiaso and Mateo Retegui scoring in the 2-1 win over Belgium. However, their recent defensive record will be a worry, with 8 goals conceded in 6 games.
Israel, on the other hand, did not fare well against France, with only 32% possession and just a single shot on target. And having conceded 16 goals in their last 6 matches, they will need a complete change in fortunes if they are to put pressure on Italy.
Germany vs Netherlands:
The most anticipated fixture of the round sees Germany host the Netherlands as these two old foes go head-to-head in an exciting tie.
Coming into this tie, it is Germany, who is high on their close 2-1 win against Bosnia Herzegovina, thanks to a Deniz Undav brace, while the Netherlands, being held to a 1-1 draw by Hungary, look to reassert their dominance against their longstanding rivals.
Offensively speaking, both teams have been pretty hot of late. Germany has scored 13 goals in their last six games and most of the Netherlands recent matches have featured plenty of goals, with 3.5 goals in their previous six matches on average.
This has all the ingredients of a goal-fest and this is reflected in predictions, which favour a narrow 2-1 win for Germany.
Other Notable Fixtures:
Slovakia 2. Liga: Slovan Bratislava II vs Zlaté Moravce
Zlaté Moravce go into this fixture as favourites, coming up against a Slovan Bratislava II side that has been struggling this season. While the visitors boast a mean defensive record of 0.89 goals conceded per game, Slovan are fragile at the back, having shipped goals in each game this season.
Betting analytics experts tip the probability of a Zlaté Moravce win at 63%, with a correct score of 2-1 being the most likely outcome.
Israel League: Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa vs Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon
Goals are expected in this Israel League fixture as both teams have been poor at the back.
Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa has managed to win just twice in ten games as they welcome Hapoel, who has also failed to win eight times in ten matches.
Poor records all around but an open, attacking encounter is expected to see an entertaining draw.
UEFA Nations League: Georgia vs Albania
A well-matched Nations League fixture between Georgia and Albania can see the result go either way. Recent form from Georgia-9 goals for and 7 against in six matches-suggests a more open outlook.
Albania, which has let in goals in each of their last 6 outings, creates a venue for a possibly goal-heavy match. Specialists predict a slim 2-1 win for Georgia.
Brazilian Serie B: Brusque vs Ituano
Brusque and Ituano meet in what is expected to be a tight Serie B encounter, with neither team pulling themselves far enough up the table just yet.
Recent form suggests a low-scorer, with Brusque involved in fewer than three goals in 5 of their last 6 matches.
The most recent win by Ituano was a hard-fought 1-0 win over Guarani after having some major defensive worries, leaking goals in 5 of their last 6 games.
The narrow win for Brusque is a punt at 1-0, but possibly a more surefire bet is under 2.5 goals.
This weekend sees the action across the continent and beyond provide a glut of drama, tactical battles, and results that could alter the course of their respective leagues.
From the Premier Division down to Serie B, each and every fixture will bring its own importance into an exciting round of football action.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. Though we aim at providing comprehensive and genuine news, soccer is usually the most unpredictable sport. The content has been presented as it is and should not be used as a betting guideline. Any actions taken based on this are solely the individual’s decision and responsibility. TopNews.co.ke does not support or advocate gambling in any way and calls upon readers to take up this in observance of the law and in accordance with regulations in different jurisdictions concerning the said subject, sport betting. We promote the right enjoyment of sports, placing the love of the game as the priority.