Match Overview
In League C Group 3 of the UEFA Nations League, Belarus and Luxembourg face off on Tuesday after both teams played out goalless draws over the weekend. Belarus, playing their home matches in Hungary due to restrictions, are eyeing promotion with five points from three games. In contrast, Luxembourg sit bottom of the group, with just one point and no goals to their name.
Match Preview
Belarus secured a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Northern Ireland on Saturday, maintaining their promotion push. A standout performance from young goalkeeper Fedor Lapoukhov, who made several crucial saves, ensured Belarus remained second in the group. Carlos Alos’ side has been defensively solid, recording clean sheets in all three of their Nations League matches. Their 1-0 win over Luxembourg last month, courtesy of Valeri Gromyko’s late goal, keeps them in contention for a top-two finish. Belarus are looking to improve on their previous Nations League performance, which saw them finish bottom of their group, and are halfway to securing promotion to League B.
Luxembourg, on the other hand, have struggled in this campaign after making significant strides in recent years, including reaching the Euro 2024 playoff semi-finals. Despite this progress, Luc Holtz’s side has yet to score in the current Nations League season, and their goalless draw against Bulgaria on Saturday leaves them in danger of relegation to League D. With just one point so far, Luxembourg will hope that the return of star striker Gerson Rodrigues, albeit lacking match fitness, can spark their attack.
Recent Form
– Belarus (Nations League): Drew 0-0 vs. Northern Ireland, Won 1-0 vs. Luxembourg, Drew 0-0 vs. Bulgaria.
– Luxembourg (Nations League): Drew 0-0 vs. Bulgaria, Lost 1-0 vs. Belarus, Lost 2-0 vs. Northern Ireland.
Team News
For Belarus, head coach Carlos Alos is likely to stick with the attacking duo of Dmitri Antilevski and Yevgeni Shikavka, despite their struggles to score in the tournament. Astana midfielder Max Ebong will anchor the midfield, while Lapoukhov is expected to keep his place in goal following his heroics against Northern Ireland. Ivan Bakhar remains unavailable due to injury.
Luxembourg may opt to start Gerson Rodrigues, their all-time top scorer, who returned to the squad after a disciplinary issue last month. With Vincent Thill and Yvandro Borges both injured, and key players Olivier Thill and Lars Gerson omitted from the squad, Holtz’s options are limited. Rodrigues could be paired with Daniel Sinani in attack after Luxembourg’s forwards failed to record a shot on target in their last match.
Possible Lineups
Belarus:
– Formation: 4-3-3
– Starting XI: Lapoukhov; Volkov, Palitsevich, Zabelin; Karpovich, Yablonsky, Ebong, Pyachenin; Antilevski, Shikavka, Kontsevoy
Luxembourg:
– Formation: 3-5-2
– Starting XI: Moris; Korac, Carlson, Jans; C. Martins; Bohnert, Pinto, Barreiro, Olesen; Sinani, Rodrigues
Given both teams’ lack of firepower and Belarus’ defensive resilience, another low-scoring encounter is expected. Luxembourg’s recent struggles in front of goal combined with Belarus’ strong defensive record suggest this could end in a stalemate, with few chances for either side.
Final Prediction: Belarus 0-0 Luxembourg
