Nations League: Artificial Intelligence Predicts Sunday’s Results
Sunday’s Nations League schedule is packed: the match between Lithuania and Azerbaijan, scheduled for 3:00 p.m., will kick things off, followed by matches featuring Denmark, Wales, Serbia, the Netherlands, Austria, Kosovo, Gibraltar, and Andorra. Later in the evening, Germany, Greece, Norway, Portugal, Israel, and Ireland will take the field.
Lithuania is coming off a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein, while Azerbaijan has yet to make its debut in the competition. The match is expected to be tight and low-scoring; no particularly significant last-minute absences have been reported. Prediction: Lithuania–Azerbaijan 1–0.
The match between Gibraltar and Andorra is likely the most unpredictable of the bunch. Andorra lost 2-1 to Malta, while Gibraltar has yet to play. Home-field advantage could be decisive in a match where a lopsided score isn’t expected. Prediction: Gibraltar vs. Andorra 1-0.
At 6 p.m., Austria—which beat Israel 3-1 in the last round—will face Kosovo, fresh off a 1-0 victory over Ireland. Muriqi is available and poses the biggest threat for Kosovo, but Austria’s overall quality is superior. Prediction: Austria vs. Kosovo 2-0.
The match between Serbia and the Netherlands, scheduled for 6 p.m., promises to be very interesting. The home team will certainly be buoyed by the support of the Marakàna; Xavi’s men held Germany to a 1-1 draw in the last round. Of note is the absence of Dusan Vlahovic, who has not yet recovered from his injury. Prediction: Serbia vs. Netherlands 1-2.
For their match against Wales, Denmark will have to do without several key players, such as Gronbaek, Norgaard, and Jensen, but they still have superior quality compared to their opponents, and home-field advantage could prove decisive. Prediction: Denmark vs. Wales 2-1.
Germany and Greece will take the field at 8:45 p.m. at the WWK Arena in Augsburg. Jürgen Klopp won’t be able to count on Goretzka, Musiala, Havertz, and Ouedraogo, but the hosts remain clear favorites over Ivan Jovanović’s team. Prediction: Germany vs. Greece 2-0.
On Sunday evening, Erling Haaland will face off against Cristiano Ronaldo: the match between Norway and Portugal promises to be an open contest that could produce plenty of goals. Sorloth is questionable, as is Bruno Fernandes, though he should be able to recover in time. Prediction: Norway vs. Portugal 2-3.
The match between Ireland and Israel could be a very evenly matched contest. The Boys in Green are a physical and organized team, but they created few chances against Kosovo; on the other hand, Israel has an interesting attack. Prediction: Ireland vs. Israel 1-1.
