Read our prediction for Kazakhstan vs Scotland below. This preview was written by a sport journalist who is specialised in betting tips and predictions. Use our betting tips for the match between Kazakhstan vs Scotland and you can increase your winnings!
Kazakhstan vs Scotland Prediction & Betting tips
In Group I, Scotland and Kazakhstan set the pace. Which team can take a good first step?
Kazakhstan:
Since independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan has never been able to qualify for a final tournament and is one of the low-flyers of European football. In the qualifying series for the 2018 World Cup, the Kazakhs did not win any of their ten qualifier matches played in a group with Poland, Denmark, Romania, Montenegro and Armenia. Under the leadership of the Russian national coach Aleksandr Borodyuk, the Kazakhs finished last with only three points.
Led by the Bulgarian Stanimir Stoilov things went a little better in the Nations League. In the wake of group winner Georgia, Kazakhstan finished second, ahead of Latvia and Andorra. Moreover, there was no loss from the latter countries.
In a pool with, among others, Belgium, Russia and Scotland, Kazakhstan will have little illusion about placement for the European Championship. The selection is far too weak for that. Heracles midfielder Alexander Merkel is one of only three Kazakhs to earn a living abroad. The rest plays in the Kazakh competition, which is of a very decent level. Kairat Almaty eliminated AZ in the preliminary round of the Europa League and managed to push FC Astana through to the group stage of the Europa League.
Scotland:
Scotland is one of the mid-engines of European football, but has nevertheless not qualified for a final tournament in this century. The Scots have a patent in third place in a qualifying pool and over the years have regularly made it difficult for the top countries, but in the end never to push them through.
Nevertheless, the Scots under the leadership of trainer Kenny Dalglish will find that there are opportunities to reach the European Championship of 2020. Belgium has a lot more quality, but Russia must one day catch Scotland, while Cyprus and San Marino should in principle yield four victories. So it is very important to immediately get a good result in Kazakhstan in the first game.
Dalglish has very little experience at his disposal. Liverpool captain Andrew Robertson is the most experienced man with 28 caps. Experienced men as goalkeeper Allan McGregor (Celtic), defender Charlie Mulgrew (Blackburn Rovers), midfield Barry Bannan (Sheffield Wednesday), Matt Ritchie (Newcastle United) and Robert Snodgrass (West Ham United) and attackers Steven Naismith (Hearts) and Steven Fletcher (Sheffield Wednesday) do not belong to the corps.