UEFA Nations League: Can Poland Keep The Red Devils Down?

Belgium vs Poland

Belgium welcome Poland to the Stade Roi Baudouin on Wednesday, hoping to get their UEFA Nations League campaign off the mark while the visitors are aiming to make it two wins from two.

Roberto Martinez’ Red Devils suffered an embarrassing 4-1 defeat to the Netherlands in their opener while Poland edged past Wales 2-1 to win their first three points. So this fixture, Nations League: Belgium vs Poland, could go a long way towards shaping the group. If Czeslaw Michniewicz can mastermind another win for the Poles they will be in a strong position to challenge for first place, but Belgium can blow the group wider open if they come out on top.

The latest Belgium vs Poland betting odds reckon this is a home win with the Red Devils at odds of 1.65; the Draw is at 3.64 and Poland at 4.45 and, with two strong attacking sides on show, we should see plenty of goal-mouth action.   

Talking Points

Are Belgium the Beautiful Losers?

The 2022 World Cup might be the last chance for this Golden Generation to find the success they have been searching for during the last decade. As the top ranked team in the world, for much of that time, Belgium have constantly disappointed on the world stage, failing to pick up silverware, while France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain have all opened their trophy cabinets.     

And with a star studded side in their Nations League opener against the Netherlands they managed to flop again. Belgium were slaughtered by the Oranje and only a 93^rd minute consolation poked home by second half substitute Michy Batshuayi  gave the Red Devils any cheer at all.

What’s more, star striker Romelu Lukaku limped off with a recurrence of the ankle injury he suffered last October and that is likely to keep him out of the next two Nations League games, allowing him to concentrate on his hoped-for move back to Inter Milan.      

Even so, with a team containing Kevin de Bruyne and Eden Hazard surely Belgium could put up an attacking display against the Netherlands; but not so, as Memphis Depay ran riot at the other end of the pitch. My SBOTOP colleague picked De Bruyne in his Premier League Team of the Year and he is a world class talent, but he hasn’t had the best of times at competition finals and time may be running out. 

The Red Devils have finally fallen off the top of the FIFA World Rankings, toppled by Brazil, and recent draws with Wales and Ireland isn’t the form of World Champions, so Martinez will want to see a quick improvement. 

Otherwise I’d say ‘yes’ his team are the beautiful losers.   

Lewy and who for Poland?

Head coach Michniewicz has a decision to make for his selection against Belgium and that is who to partner up front with Robert Lewandowski. Karol Swiderski climbed off the bench to score Poland’s equaliser against Wales and Jakub Kaminsk scored the winner. Swiderski will hope his goal will earn him the place alongside Lewy, but he faces competition from Adam Buksa and Fiorentina’s Krzystof Piatek.

At the other end of the pitch Wojciech Szczesny is likely to return to guard the Poles’ goal, replacing Kamil Grabara who made his debut against Wales, and Napoli star Piotr Zielinksi will pull the strings in midfield.   

Poland head to Belgium in good form, with seven wins from ten games, including a World Cup play-off win over a strong Sweden side and they will see this game as an opportunity to measure their chances at Qatar 2022.        

History

The Belgium vs Poland results have been one sided and not necessarily in the way you’d expect; as the Poles have won five of the previous six encounters but, in defence of this current crop of Belgium stars, the last meeting was 15 years ago. 

Poland are unbeaten in their last five away games and have the edge in terms of the recent results, winning four, drawing one and losing one of the last six; while Belgium have won two, drawn two and lost two. 

Betting Tip

A bet on fewer than 2.50 Goals is priced lower, here at SBOTOP, at odds of 1.87, and it’s a close call with a bet on 2-3 Goals offering a price of 1.79. We are expecting an entertaining game with goals at either end of the pitch. Despite their inability to win silverware, Belgium, even without Lukaku, is one of the best attacking sides in football and Poland have scored in 19 consecutive games.

 

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