Preview: Slovakia vs. Slovenia - prediction, team news, lineups

Slovakia and Slovenia face off in UEFA qualifying Group H on Thursday evening with both sides' World Cup 2022 dreams already over.

With Russia and Cyprus battling for top spot, the best Slovakia and Slovenia can hope for over their remaining two fixtures is third place.

Match preview

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As second seeds ahead of the Qatar 2022 qualifying campaign, finishing outside of the top two will be considered a disappointment for Slovakia.

The Eagles' top-two hopes were officially ended last month when following up a 1-0 loss in Russia with a 2-2 draw away at Croatia.

While that result in Osijek was respectable, it leaves Stefan Tarkovic's charges with 10 points from eight games, which is an underwhelming return.

However, with games against Slovenia (64th in the world) and Malta (173rd) left to come, Slovakia - themselves ranked 40th by FIFA - will hope to end the campaign on a high.

Slovenia have had a rather mixed campaign thus far, one that saw them stun Croatia with a 1-0 home win in their opening game and beat Malta home and away.

Matjaz Kek's side have ultimately lacked consistency, though, and they are now fighting for third with Slovakia, who they are level on points with.

Slovenia round off their Group H campaign at home to Cyprus, so a win in Trnava on Thursday would surely be enough to see them finish just outside the top two.

The reverse fixture in early September saw the sides play out a 1-1 draw, while the sides shared a win apiece in their previous two encounters before that.

Team News

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Martin Dubravka is back in the Slovakia squad after missing the last two international windows through injury. The Newcastle United keeper should replace Marek Rodak in goal here.

In terms of other changes from last month's draw with Croatia, Erik Jirka and Martin Koscelnik are among those pushing for starts.

In terms of the visitors, each player that started the 2-1 loss to Russia is part of their latest squad.

Kek may opt for the same XI here, but Benjamin Sesko and Domen Crnigoj are in line for recalls.

Slovakia possible starting lineup:
Dubravka; Pekarik, Satka, Skriniar, Hancko; Hrosovsky; Schranz, Kucka, Hamsik, Haraslin; Almasi

Slovenia possible starting lineup:
Oblak; Karnicnik, Bijol, Mevlja, Balkovec; Cerin, Kurtic; Ilicic, Lovric, Verbic; Sporar

We say: Slovakia 1-1 Slovenia

There is nothing between these sides over the previous eight rounds of fixtures and recent meetings between the sides have tended to be close.

After playing out a 1-1 draw two months ago, we can see this latest encounter finishing the same way in Trnava.

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