Preview: Estonia vs. Azerbaijan - prediction, team news, lineups

The bottom two nations in Group F of Euro 2024 qualifying square off at Le Coq Arena in Tallinn on Friday as Estonia play host to Azerbaijan.

These two teams could not be separated in their last meeting in June as they were forced to share the spoils in a 1-1 draw in Baku.

Match preview

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Estonia's hopes of qualifying for their first-ever major tournament are over after accumulating just one point from their first five matches in Group F, leaving them 12 points adrift of second-placed Austria with just three games remaining.

The Blueshirts endured a humbling international break last month as they suffered heavy 5-0 defeats to both Sweden and Belgium, failing to register a single shot on target in both fixtures.

Ranked 115th in the world by FIFA, Estonia are merely playing for pride in their remaining qualifiers and manager Thomas Haberli is tasked with ending the nation's winless run as they endeavour to avoid going an entire Euro qualifying campaign without a win for the first time since 1996.

Estonia enter Friday's contest having lost each of their last seven home matches in Euro qualifying, but they are unbeaten in their previous four meetings with Azerbaijan including a 2-1 win in their last home encounter in November 2013.

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While Estonia's fate is sealed, Azerbaijan can still mathematically secure a top-two finish in Group F despite claiming just one point from their opening four matches.

However, Gianni De Biasi's side must beat Estonia on Friday to keep their slim ambitions of qualification alive and hope that joint leaders Austria and Belgium do not play out a draw in Vienna.

Azerbaijan are also seeking to avoid going an entire Euro qualifying campaign without a victory since 1996 and are aware that Friday's clash with Estonia is realistically their best chance of claiming maximum points in Group F.

Ranked 121st in the world by FIFA, Azerbaijan came close to picking up a point in a home meeting with former world number ones Belgium last month, but their valiant efforts were ultimately in vain as a first-half strike from Yannick Carrasco helped the Red Devils claim a slender 1-0 win in Baku.

De Biasi's men returned to winning ways just three days later, though, when they beat Jordan 2-1 in a friendly on home soil, and they are now seeking to secure back-to-back victories for the first time since a run of five successive wins in all tournaments between June and November of last year.

Team News

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Estonia's Karol Mets is unavailable for selection on Friday due to suspension, but the St Pauli defender is nursing a knee injury anyway.

Thirty-nine-year-old captain Konstantin Vassiljev, who has 26 international goals to his name and is just one strike away from moving into joint-second on Estonia's all-time scoring charts, is expected to start in an advanced midfield role alongside Henrik Ojamaa, with Henri Anier set to lead the line.

Arsenal goalkeeper Karl Hein is poised to earn his 25th international cap between the sticks, while Roma teenager Martin Vetkal is in contention to make his first senior appearance for the national team.

As for Azerbaijan, defender Eddie Israfilov will miss Friday's match after leaving the nation's training camp due to injury.

Anton Kryvotsyuk scored his first international goal in the 1-1 draw with Estonia four months ago, and the Daejeon Citizen centre-back is expected to retain his place in the back four alongside Rahil Mammadov, Bahlul Mustafazada and Elvin Cafarguliyev.

Midfielder Emin Mahmudov and winger Ramil Sheydayev, who have scored 19 international goals between them, are set to continue in the first XI, while Mahir Emreli will look to replace Renat Dadashov up front.

Estonia possible starting lineup:
Hein; Paskotsi, Tamm, Kuusk; Peetson, Poom, Kait, Pikk; Ojamaa, Vassiljev; Anier

Azerbaijan possible starting lineup:
Magomedaliyev; Mammadov, Mustafazada, Kryvotsyuk, Cafarguliyev; Diniyev; Bayramov, Isayev, Mahmudov, Sheydayev; Emreli

We say: Estonia 1-2 Azerbaijan

A closely-fought contest between two evenly-matched nations could be on the cards on Friday, but considering Estonia's recent troubles in defence and Azerbaijan's solid performances against Belgium and Jordan last time out, we believe that the visitors will do enough to claim a narrow victory.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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