Luxembourg vs Iceland: Head to head statistics
Luxembourg vs Iceland recommended bets
Luxembourg vs Iceland match preview
After pulling off one of the most famous results in their entire history, can Luxembourg claim another notable scalp?
Back in June, Luc Holtz’s team pulled off a massive upset by beating Bosnia 2-0 in Zenica, with Yvandro Borges Sanches breaking the deadlock early, before Danel Sinani sealed the victory later on.
This though was no one off, as it took the Red Lions’ points tally to seven in this group, having previously drawn in Slovakia and beaten Liechtenstein at home, their sole defeat coming at the hands of leaders Portugal.
Luxembourg hold the unwanted world-record for most qualifying campaigns entered without ever being successful, that’s 36 and counting.
But, in recent times, Holtz’s side have improved exponentially, and another victory here would increase further belief that a top two finish really is achievable.
Iceland meantime have proved to smaller nations that the sky is the limit, debuting at a major tournament at Euro 2016, before also qualifying for the world cup two years later.
In the last few years though, Strákarnir okkar have found wins hard to come by, with their sole victory of 2023, so far, coming against Group J’s whipping boys Liechtenstein in March.
In June, Åge Hareide’s first two matches at the helm both resulted in narrow defeats at Laugardalsvöllur, ousted 2-1 by Slovakia, before a last-gasp 1-0 loss at the hands of Portugal.
Overall, Iceland have won just three of their last 23 competitive fixtures, with all these victories coming against Liechtenstein, the side ranked 200th by FIFA, out of 208.
So, and one doesn’t get to say this very often, the home side kick off as firm favourites to prevail at Stade de Luxembourg.
Luxembourg team news
Star striker Gerson Rodrigues, who’s Luxembourg’s joint-record goal-scorer of all time, is currently out injured, which is a big blow.
In his absence, Yvandro Borges Sanches and Danel Sinani, who both scored in Zenica, will lead the attack.
Iceland team news
Captain Aron Gunnarsson, who scored a hat-trick in Vaduz in March, has not been called up, meaning Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson will be donning the armband.
Alfreð Finnbogason will lead the attack, seeking to add to his 16 goals for Iceland.