Both Croatia and Scotland are still winless at EURO 2021. Accordingly, both nations, who drew on the second matchday in Group D and thus picked up one point out of a possible six, are fighting for their last chance to reach the last 16. Should the parallel match between the Czech Republic and England end in a draw, the winner would only be able to advance to the knockout round as the third-placed team in the group.
In the run-up to the match between Croatia and Scotland, the odds are swinging in the Kockasti’s favour. The Scots recently held their neighbours England to a goalless draw in the Battle of Britain. Now the Bravehearts also enjoy home advantage, which could well make the difference. The Scots have lost only one of their last nine home games at Hampden Park and are also unbeaten in five international matches against Croatia.
Accordingly, we avoid the win bet and instead favour the bet that both teams will score in Croatia against Scotland. After all, both teams have their backs to the wall and have to play for victory.
Prediction & Live Odds for Croatia vs. Scotland
Our prediction for Croatia against Scotland is shaped by the starting position. Normally, the potential for a low-scoring match would be great, especially as there have been no more than two goals in any of the five duels between the two nations. However, both teams must now play for victory after only one of six possible points from the first two group matches.
Accordingly, we expect a hot battle to develop sooner or later at Hampden Park, with both nations having to play to win.
The Croats are slightly favored. However, considering that they have never won against the Scots in five games, we do not recommend betting on a win. We are therefore betting on both teams scoring ✅ in this third preliminary round match. For both teams to score, Croatia vs. Scotland betting odds of up to1.87 are available:
Croatia – Statistics & Current Form
The Croatian national football team first lost its opening match against England 0:1 before drawing 1-1 with the Czech Republic on the second matchday in Glasgow. At least Zlatko Dalic’s team made up for a 1-0 deficit at the break. However, the reigning runners-up are not really in a good position.
The Kockasti have now gone winless for a total of three games at a European Championship finals, continuing the negative trend that has persisted since their great success at the 2018 World Cup. They have not won a single one of the last four international matches.
Only two wins in the last eleven internationals
This means that the Vatreni (the fiery ones) have just two victories in their last eleven international matches – a 1-0 win against Cyprus and a 3-0 win against Malta in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
The nation, which has slipped to 14th in the FIFA World Ranking, is thus facing elimination in the preliminary round. A fate that already befell the Kockasti at the 2004 and 2012 European Championships. A fate that could, however, still be averted with a victory over Scotland.
Still without a win in five duels with Scotland
The problem, however, is that Scotland are one of only three nations against whom Croatia have played several times without ever winning a match. In five duels, the Valtreni have not managed a single victory. Only against France (eight games) and Portugal (seven games) is the Kockasti’s drought longer.
Nevertheless, the runners-up are favourites going into the complicated match in Glasgow. Bookmakers, tested by us, offer odds of up to 2.40 on Croatia against Scotland for a three-pointer by Dalic’s troops, who would still have valid chances of reaching the last 16 with four points.
Croatia’s likely line-up:
Livakovic – Gvardiol – Vida – Lovren – Vrsaljko – Kovacic – Modric – Brekalo – Kramaric – Perisic – Rebic
Scotland – Statistics & Current Form
For only the third time ever, the Scottish national football team is currently taking part in the finals of a European Championship. Neither in 1992 nor in 1996 did the Bravehearts make it past the preliminary round.
Now, however, the winners of the 2018/19 UEFA Nations League play-offs (penalty shoot-out victory over Serbia) could reach the knockout stages of a European Championship for the first time ever with a win at home to Hampden Park.
Five of the eight European Championship matches played without a goal of their own
In the Scots’ favour is the fact that the football dwarf now enjoys home advantage, having wrestled a 0-0 draw from overmatched neighbours England in London on Friday night.
The Bravehearts have lost only one of their last nine internationals at Glasgow’s Hampden Park – the 2-0 defeat to the Czech Republic from the opening day of EURO 2021.
Steve Clarke’s squad must improve first and foremost on the offensive. Not only has the Scottish national football team remained goalless in both Group D matches, but the Caledonian side has also failed to score in five of the eight European Championship matches played.
Only one defeat in the last seven internationals
Nevertheless, we now favour the bet that both teams will score in Croatia’s match against Scotland. After all, the Scots have no choice but to play for a win at home against the Kockasti. With a draw, the Scots would remain behind the Croats on goal difference and would definitely be eliminated from the group.
The recent record, however, is encouraging. In the five international matches before EURO 2021, the Scots always scored and scored a total of ten goals. In total, the Bravehearts have lost only one of their last seven games. They can therefore go into the home match at Hampden Park with a correspondingly high level of confidence.
Predicted Scotland line-up:
Marshall – Robertson – Tierney – Hanley – McTominay – O’Donnell – McGregor – Gilmour – McGinn – Dykes – Adams