Wales – Latvia : Preview & Prediction
Wales’ longest winless run since 2000-01 stretched to nine games at the weekend, but there was a sense of hope that picking up a point away to Croatia for the first time in 20 years could set them up for a third successive European Championship qualification. In what should have been their toughest match in Group D, it was a successful start to a new chapter after Gareth Bale’s retirement following his first World Cup appearance in 64 years.
As they say, a point is a point, but the performance shown by the Welsh before the break, where they allowed nine shots and only took one, was a continuation of the poor starts they continue to make. Rob Page’s side have yet to score a single first-half goal during their six-game run (E2, P4), although their impact stands out despite remembering that Wales have led at the break in each of their last four wins.
Their first meeting with Latvia in 19 years will see the Baltic nation become the last team in Group F to open their campaign, and as the lowest FIFA Ranked country (#133) in their group, they have a huge task ahead of them to earn their second Euro appearance (after 2004). They gave the Republic of Ireland, ranked #48 in the FIFA rankings, a scare in a friendly last week, scoring two goals before halftime before suffering a 3-2 defeat.
Coach Dainis Kazakevičs has kept his ambitions realistic, pointing out to his players the goal of finishing above their Armenian counterparts in the group, while taking points off the other three “stronger opponents” along the way. Considering they recorded three draws as visitors along with two wins over Gibraltar in a failed attempt to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, a draw or two on rival soil may be within reach.
Players to watch: Nathan Broadhead of Wales was “overwhelmed and excited” when he scored his first international goal after four goal-scoring appearances for Ipswich between February and March. He was unsuccessful against Ireland, but Vladislavs Gutkovskis has scored in five wins for Latvia since the start of 2021.
Key fact: Two-thirds of matches involving either side since the start of 2022 have seen goals from both sides.
Wales – Latvia : Betting Tips
OVER 2.5 GOALS Odds: 2.25
