- Bosnia host Ukraine on Tuesday, November 16th on Matchday 10
- The visitors still have a shot at advancing to the second round of qualifying in March
- Find the odds, analysis, and prediction below
The FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers officially wrap up on Tuesday, November 16th as Bosnia plays host to Ukraine. The kick-off is scheduled for 2:45 PM EST.
The Ukrainians still have a realistic shot at advancing to the second round of qualifying in March as the runner-up in Group D. However, a victory is the only acceptable result while praying that Finland is beaten by France. As for the Bosnians, they’re out of the picture but this is a chance for them to finish on a high note on home soil.
The last meeting between these two nations ended in a 1-1 draw in October.
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Ukraine Odds
Matchup | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Bosnia vs Ukraine | BIH +0.5 (+110) | UKR -0.5 (-140) | BIH +370 | UKR -135 | DRAW +285 | Ov 2.5 (+105) | Un 2.5 (-130) |
All odds as of November 14th at DraftKings.
Can Bosnia Play Spoiler?
It definitely hasn’t been the greatest qualifying campaign for Bosnia and Herzegovina, who are set to miss out on their second consecutive World Cup after their lone appearance in the prestigious competition back in 2014.
They managed to compile a 1-4-2 record in Group D, with their lone victory coming against a weak Kazakhstan side who just lost 8-0 to Les Bleus over the weekend.
Last time out on Saturday, Ivaylo Petev’s men suffered a miserable 3-1 defeat to 10-man Finland. Just minutes after Marcus Forss scored a first-half opener, Jukka Raitala took out Sead Kolasinac with a nasty tackle which resulted in a straight red card. Nonetheless, the Finns doubled their lead not long after before striker Luka Menalo got one back for the Bosnians midway through the second period. However, Finland added insurance with another goal in the 73rd minute.
For those that missed it…… @MNUFC’s Robin Lod scored his 5th goal for Finland today. This one came vs Bosnia & Herzegovina in a #WCQ. Lovely strike 👏🏻👏🏻 #MNUFC https://t.co/Sl2E4Gnf9R
— Callum Williams (@CalWilliamsComm) November 13, 2021
By no surprise, Bosnia had most of the possession and a boatload of chances, given their oppositions were playing without a man. Petev’s squad registered a total of 27 shots, but just seven hit the target. It was a clear opportunity to seal three points and even keep their World Cup dreams alive, but the Dragons faltered.
Now, the Bosnians will be looking to upset the cart and find a result against an ambitious Ukraine team who have a lot riding on this fixture. Inter Milan star Edin Dzeko, who missed out on Saturday due to injury, has pulled out of the squad and returned to Italy therefore he won’t be available on Tuesday.
Massive Game for Ukraine
After an impressive run to the Euro 2020 quarterfinals this past summer, Ukraine is still in the mix for March’s qualifying playoffs if they can beat Bosnia here. Oleksandr Petrakov’s side is unbeaten through seven games but have only won once while drawing on six occasions. This is their first competitive match since October 12th which finished in a 1-1 stalemate with Tuesday’s opponent.
The Ukrainians played a friendly with Bulgaria last Thursday but that also ended in a draw. It’s certainly impressive that Ukraine is barely tasting defeat, but a lone point will simply not be good enough this time around. They’ve struggled to produce up top in qualifiers, however, bagging a mere nine goals. The backline is looking solid though, conceding just eight times.
🧡 Go, Ukraine! 🇺🇦
The national team of Ukraine will have a friendly match vs Bulgaria (November 11) and a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (November 16).
⚒ Pyatov ⚒ Kryvtsov ⚒ Matviienko ⚒ Korniienko ⚒ Stepanenko ⚒ Sikan pic.twitter.com/CYMGvRvBkA
— FC SHAKHTAR ENGLISH (@FCShakhtar_eng) November 9, 2021
Strike duo Roman Yaremchuk and Andriy Yarmolenko have picked up most of the slack in the final third, combining for five goals. Both players also found the back of the net in Ukraine’s 2-1 win over the Finns in early October and will absolutely need to bring their best again vs Bosnia and Herzegovina. Finland has a huge task at hand in France, therefore the Ukrainians should be motivated as ever to find a positive result on the road and continue their pursuit of a spot in Qatar.
Bosnia vs Ukraine Key Stats
1-4-2 | Record in WCQ | 1-6-0 |
9 | Goals Scored | 9 |
10 | Goals Conceded | 8 |
WDWDL | Form in Last Five | DDWDD |
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Ukraine Prediction
The Bosnians are essentially playing for pride on Tuesday and since they’re on home soil as well, it could be dangerous for the visitors. However, Ukraine is coming off a terrific summer and knows exactly what it takes to rise to the occasion in a game like this. The Blue and Yellows will secure the full three points and keep a clean sheet in the process against a Bosnia and Herzegovina squad who are missing their best attacking threat in Dzeko.
Pick: Ukraine to Win Nil (+175)