Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Nations League match.
Serbia’s disciplined and defensive approach saw them fall just short of securing a place in the League A play-offs. In this away fixture against Austria, they will stick to their familiar three-centre-back formation, allowing them to overload the midfield with extra bodies.
Austria
Austria’s sluggish start to the Nations League group stage left them trailing behind Slovenia and Norway. However, they later gained momentum with three consecutive wins. At home against Slovenia (1:1), they managed just one goal from 2.29 xG, despite dominating in shots (22-9). It seems unlikely that Austria’s coaching staff will be able to adequately replace Marcel Sabitzer—the Borussia Dortmund midfielder suffered a serious injury at the weekend, which will significantly weaken the team's attacking potential.
Serbia
In their six Nations League group-stage matches, Serbia played to a "Both Teams to Score – No" outcome on five occasions, only showing attacking efficiency in two games. Against their main rivals Denmark (0:0), the team produced 1.91 xG but failed to register a single goal—the strike duo of Dušan Vlahović and Aleksandar Mitrović once again proved ineffective. It is evident that Serbia are struggling to move away from relying on its biggest stars, yet the current manager has not found a way to maximise their impact.
Austria vs Serbia Prediction
This play-off opener is unlikely to be a high-scoring affair. Both Austria and Serbia are capable of frustrating each other, which means they will prioritise defensive solidity.
