Iceland hosts Turkey in a crucial rematch that could decide the final standings in Group 4 of League B. Will the Crescent-Stars find the same success after crushing Iceland in the reverse fixture?
Iceland’s matches to date turned out to be among the most exciting games we saw in League B and the most recent example is the 2-2 draw against Wales. While the team has not been as consistent with the results, their attacking abilities impress and we anticipate the same entertaining football against Turkey.
A win here could send Iceland to 2nd place in the group ahead of their rematch with Wales. As for Turkey, the win will probably seal their top position and almost guarantee their promotion to the upper echelon.
The visitors managed a 1-0 win over Montenegro on Friday but the reality is that they could have scored 5+. They shot a total of 29 shots and finished the match with a 2.99 xG, so Iceland have a lot to worry about ahead of this fixture.
How the bookies view it: Huge away advantage
Could it be that bookmakers estimated the odds incorrectly? Betano gave Turkey 41/50 to win on Monday, while Iceland’s chances have been estimated at 69/20. The draw currently sits at 13/5.
Recent head-to-head: Iceland won more times
Iceland and Turkey have engaged in a wild number of fixtures in the past decade. This will be their 8th meeting since 2014 and you may be surprised to learn that the Nordic side had the upper hand in the majority of the games. Iceland won four, Turkey won only two, and one game ended in a draw. But it is important to note that the Crescent-Stars won the first match in the Nations League in September with 3-1.
Players to watch: Another hat-trick?
Kerem Arturkoglu played 68 minutes against Montenegro and we do not anticipate him starting this match. However, he should come out as a sub at some point and could be a good pick at higher odds in the second half. Benfica’s striker netted a hat-trick against Iceland in the first match, so he will definitely be motivated to score again.
Probable line-ups
Iceland: Valdimarsson; Sampsted, Gretarsson, Ingason, Tomasson, Anderson, Gudmundsson, Thordarson, Thorsteinsson, Sigurdsson; Gudjohnsen
Turkey: Cakir, Celik, Demiral, Bardakci, Kadioglu, Calhanoglu, Kokcu, Kahveci, Guler, Yildiz, B. Yilmaz
Anything else catch the eye?
Iceland scored at least one goal in each of their three fixtures to date, including in the reverse game in Izmir. They scored twice against Wales three days ago and will certainly put up a fight despite the clear expectations for defeat.
Considering that Turkey have never won in Iceland in six attempts, bookmakers could have made a huge mistake with the odds. The visitors showed their attacking prowess in the match with Montenegro but managed to score a single goal despite the dozens of chances. There is a high chance that we see a draw on Monday.
Overall, do not include this match in any acca as it is not predictable and we saw enough surprises already last week.
This UEFA Nations League match between Iceland and Turkey will be played on Oct 14, 2024 and kick off at 19:45. Check below for our tipsters best Iceland vs Turkey prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
