The starting rounds of qualification for the European Football Championship 2024 were played in March 2023 and will end a year after the start. In each of the 10 groups, two tickets to the final stage of the tournament will be played. The first and second places go further, and the national teams from the third line and below complete the performance.
England, Italy, Ukraine, Northern Ireland, and Malta are fighting in the “C” quintet for a couple of tickets to the final stage of the tournament. Considering the results of the first two rounds and the shape of the data of the national teams, we can assume which of these five will be able to go further.
England
Three Lions after two played matches in the current tournament are the main favorites to win the quintet. In the first round, England beat the Italians in Naples, and in the second at Wembley, they defeated the Ukrainians without any problems. Having scored four goals in these matches, in response, the team of Gareth Southgate conceded only one goal. As a result, the British are ahead of Italy and North Macedonia by three points. Harry Kane and partners have a good chance to advance from the group, but it’s too early for the team to rest on their laurels.
Three lions look strong in terms of composition and gameplay. In addition, in the remaining six matches of the calendar, the British may have difficulties in only two battles, and that is not a fact. If England suddenly loses leadership in the group, then this national team will definitely not fall below the second place.
Italy
The “Azure Team” after the starting battles in group “C” is located on the second line. After a home loss to the English, the boys of Roberto Mancini won in Ta-Kali against Malta with a score of 2:0. Mateo Retegui and Matteo Pessina scored accurate shots in that battle in the first half, and Sandro Tonali assisted in both cases. There is still a lot of time ahead of the Azzurra, but it will be extremely difficult to get ahead of the Three Lions.
The Italian national team has a fairly young, but competitive squad. It will be difficult to take the first place for the Azzurre, but Gianluigi Donnarumma and partners will most likely get the second ticket to the final stage of the European Championship 2024.
Ukraine
The Yellow-Blues played only one match in March 2023. In London, Ukraine lost to the British without a chance – 0:2. At the same time, the game score could be devastating. As a result, before the summer fights, the wards of the acting head coach Ruslan Rotan are fourth. Ahead of the additional indicators of the Maltese, the Ukrainians are three points behind the northern Macedonians and Italians.
The Yellow-Blues have a decent squad, but the team has problems with teamwork. The Ukrainians still have chances for the second place, because there are still six games ahead, but Oleksandr Zinchenko and the company are unlikely to be able to compete with the Italians. If you want to bet on national team matches and earn money, then we advise you to do it at mostbet kz.
North Macedonia
In the March segment, the Red Lynx played one match in which they beat the Maltese in Skopje minimally. This victory allowed North Macedonia to take third place. Having a game less, Blagoe Milievsky’s wards are inferior to the second “squadra azzurra” only in additional indicators.
Ahead of the “Red Lions” a large number of fights with formidable opponents. Stefan Ristovsky and partners will have to fight the Ukrainians, Italians and the British twice. So it is unlikely that it will be possible to rise above the third line of North Macedonia.
Malta
“Ioanites” are absolutely deservedly considered the main outsider of the “C” quintet and the Maltese are unlikely to be able to get out of the bottom of the standings. In the opening two rounds of the current tournament, Michele Marcolini’s guys lost to North Macedonia and Italy. Having conceded four goals from the “red lynxes” and the “azure team”, Malta scored one goal in response.
The Maltese have a modest composition and success for this national team will be a set of at least one point. The group for the “Joanites” is colossally difficult and the “red-whites” will definitely not be able to climb even to the fourth line.
Our forecast
The Maltese national team is the weakest team in the top five, which is likely to finish in last place. The Ukrainian “yellow-blue” and “red lions” from North Macedonia will most likely compete for the third place. Based on the game form, the Azzurra should finish second, and the Three Lions first.
