UEFA Nations League: A Good Time for Belgium to Visit Wales

Wales vs Belgium

Wales host Belgium in the third round of UEFA Nations League matches on Saturday hoping to get their campaign off the mark, but that is easier to write than it is to achieve.

Belgium’s opening two UEFA Nations League 2022 results have been at either end of the spectrum – a humiliating defeat followed by a thumping victory with a 6-1 win over Poland on Tuesday night – and Roberto Martinez’s Red Devils will be hungry for more points and goals.

Meanwhile, Wales have been through the emotional ringer over the past week. A victory over Ukraine sent Rob Page’s team to the World Cup for the first time in 64 years so all eyes are on Qatar.

A quick look at the Nations League Group A4 league table tells us Wales have a lot of ground to make up in this competition already since they’re at rock bottom and pointless, while Belgium can knock the Netherlands off the top with a little help from Poland when they face the Oranje.

Talking Points

Wales now preparing for Qatar

Wales’ historic win over Ukraine was sandwiched by a 2-1 defeat to Poland and Wednesday’s loss by the same scoreline to the Netherlands.

But those setbacks were little surprise given the prize on offer at the play-off game. The world outside Wales was backing the Ukraine, a war torn country in need of a boost, but Wales maintained their focus and overcame a more gifted lineup to squeeze through.    

Page made a lot of changes from the play-off win when his team lined up against the Netherlands and they put up a decent performance which almost earned them a point. 

Goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey had a superb game against the Ukrainians but he was replaced by Danny Ward in a side captained by Ben Davies.

At half time Ward was, in turn, replaced by Adam Davies. But unluckily for the Sheffield United stopper, the first thing he had to do was to pick the ball out of the net five minutes later when Teun Koopmeiners slotted home.

Wales thought they’d grabbed an equaliser in injury time when Rhys Norrington-Davies headed in a pinpoint cross from Burnley’s Connor Roberts, but the wing-back’s teammate Wout Weghorst planted his 94^th minute header home for the win.  

The defeat ended a 19-match unbeaten run for the Welsh and Page will be keen to avoid another loss too soon. 

Wounded Belgium took it out on Poland 

The Red Devils were royally stuffed by the Netherlands before meeting Poland on Wednesday. We previewed that game here at SBOTOP and predicted goals, over 2.50 to be precise.

And at half time we had two. Robert Lewandowski, who else, put the Poles ahead but Belgium hit back. Martinez gave a start to Borussia Dortmund midfielder Axel Witsel and he took his chance with a well-aimed strike into the bottom corner from distance.

Then Belgium unleashed hell on the Poles in the second half. Kevin De Bruyne took a pass from Eden Hazard and made it 2-1 on the hour, and then Leandro Trossard scored   a quick-fire brace. Leander Dendoncker fired in a long range shot to make it 5-1 before debutant Lois Upenda scored from close range in injury time to make it six.

With 18 shots to six and 11 to two on target, this was a mauling handed out to the Poles and the Red Devils have a taste for goals.

Roberto Martinez’s side is one of the tournament favourites according to the UEFA Nations League 2022 betting odds. But like Wales, their focus might well be on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The two competitions aren’t mutually exclusive though, and winning is a habit which, after a period of inconsistency, Belgium need to keep.

History

Wales have won three of the nine previous meetings with Belgium and drawn four, with the Red Devils just picking up just two victories. But the two teams have identical recent form, both winning three, drawing two, and losing two from the last seven games.

The two met in World Cup qualification with Belgium winning 3-1 at home before and then a 1-1 draw was enough to win Wales a play-off place as Kieffer Moore equalised a De Bruyne strike.

Betting Tip

Martinez’s men have dropped off the top of the FIFA World Rankings as they’re finally overtaken by Brazil. But in second place, the Red Devils are a full 16 places ahead of Wales.  

With the hosts at odds of 3.68 and the draw at 3.35, the home fans have a good chance of some cheer, but I suspect Belgium’s deep squad will have too much quality for their hosts.   0-1 is the most likely outcome at a SBOTOP price of 5.60, but 0-2 at 7.96 might be the better value.

 

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