THERE'S only pride to play for when Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan face off in this friendly, with both sides not in competitive action until the next Nations League campaign.
Kazakhstan had another meaningless clash with Armenia on Friday night and our man Gabriel saw two bets come up as a Kazakh penalty deep into stoppage time saw them get a consolation in a 2-1 defeat.
Azerbaijan were in action on the same night but their clash Albania was a bit more keenly contested with the Albanians gearing up for Euro 2024.
That match ended in a 3-1 loss for the Azerbaijanis so they will be looking for a response when they take on their near neighbours.
Kazakhstan will also be out to end the summer with a win so this should be a closely contested match, especially as it's taking place in neutral Hungary.
That will take even more edge out of this game and you get the feeling a few players might go through the motions.
How the bookies view it: Close one to call
There's not much between these sides and neither team has home advantage so it's a tough one to call. Bet365 make Kazakhstan outsiders at 19/10 with Azerbaijan 5/4 favourites and the draw paying 21/10.
Head to head: Kazakhstan have the edge
These sides have faced off 12 times since the collapse of the Soviet Union and it's Kazakhstan who have held the upper hand, winning five and losing just three.
They last faced off in the Nations League two years ago, with Kazakhstan winning 2-0 at home before Azerbaijan got their revenge by winning 3-0 in the return.
Players to watch: Take it to the Maksim
Bakhtiyar Zaynutdinov is the star of Kazakhstan's side and boasts 14 goals but the Beskitas man wasn't even on the bench against Armenia. Maksim Samorodov started on the wing and should get another run-out here. He's 10/3 for anytime scorer.
Skipper Emin Mahmudov is the creative spark in the Azerbaijan side and will be a threat, having netted 13 times for his country. He's 15/4 for a goal in this one and again it looks a little overpriced based on his record at international level.
Probable line-ups
Both managers might be tempted to make changes with the quick turnaround in games since the clash on Friday.
Kazakhstan: Shatsky; Malyi, Marochkin, Alip, Yerlanov; Kuat, Tagybergen, Orazov, Samodorov; Aymbetov, Astanov
Azerbaijan: Mahammadaliyev; Mammadov, Mustafazada, Huseynov, Bayramov; Kokcu, Diniyev, Mahmudov, Ozobic; Dadashov, Sheydayev
Anything else catch the eye?
With neither team having anything to play for this could be a non event and I can't imagine too many Hungarians turning up to watch this match.
So betting against goals might be the way to go in what could turn into a training game. Under 2.5 goals pays just 7/10 at Bet365 unfortunately while betting against BTTS gives you slightly better odds of 5/6.
Friendlies often peter out so there could be some value in the 10/11 on offer for under 110 minutes if you add up when goals are scored. With little at stake the half-time draw is another good option and that pays 21/20
This International Friendly match between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan will be played on Jun 11, 2024 and kick off at 15:00. Check below for our tipsters best Azerbaijan vs Kazakhstan prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
