Both aiming to commence their schedules on a positive note, Estonia and Slovakia will clash for a UEFA Nations League C game in Tallinn on Thursday night.
The Blueshirts are coming into this match following a number of friendly fixtures in 2024, whilst the Falcons are still reeling from Euro 2024 heartbreak.
Match preview
![Slovakia manager Francesco Calzona pictured on June 30, 2024 [IMAGO]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/26/francesco-calzona_2.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Slovakia manager Francesco Calzona pictured on June 30, 2024 [IMAGO]")
© Imago
After failing to reach their first-ever major tournament, falling short of the top-two places in their Euro 2024 qualifying group, Estonia have indulged in four friendly fixtures during the 2024 international calendar to date, including a penalty-shootout success over Lithuania on June 11.
The Blueshirts have also enjoyed their biggest victory in terms of scoreline since the 4-0 thrashing of European minnows San Marino in September 2022, with Thursday's hosts recording a 4-1 success over the Faroe Islands, who were definitely second best on the night in Tallinn.
Following their victory in the 2022-23 edition of the UEFA Nations League - ending up top of a section containing Malta and San Marino without dropping any points - Estonia will be looking to secure back-to-back promotions in the competition to reach the heights of League B.
Nations League triumph last time out provided the Blueshirts with a potential route to Euro 2024 via the playoffs, but Estonia were smashed 5-1 in the semi-final by Robert Lewandowski and Poland, who eventually bested Wales in the final to reach the continent's biggest celebration of football.
Thursday night will see Slovakia return to competitive action for the first time since that fateful day in Gelsenkirchen on June 30, when the Eastern Europeans looked set to knock tournament favourites England out of Euro 2024 at the round-of-16 stage, although a certain Real Madrid superstar had other plans.
Netting his third goal of the competition, Ivan Schranz put the Falcons ahead in the first half, but a last-gasp Jude Bellingham bicycle kick spared Gareth Southgate's blushes, before a clinical Harry Kane header won the tie for the Three Lions during extra time.
Set to reach the 25 mark in terms of matches managed for Slovakia during this Nations League campaign, Francesco Calzona has brought a competitiveness to his troops that allowed them to beat Belgium and draw to dark horses Romania during the European Championships in Germany.
The Falcons struggled in the 2022-23 edition of the Nations League and failed to mount a serious challenge for promotion to League B, placing third out of four teams in a League C section, finishing behind league winners Kazakhstan and runners-up Azerbaijan.
Team News
Estonia are without the services of Maksim Paskotsi, with the 21-year-old currently on the sidelines for a few weeks due to a knock sustained whilst playing for Grasshopper.
After making the net ripple in normal time against Lithuania in June, Mark Lepik will be targeting a spot in the Blueshirts' starting XI this time around.
Recovering from a knock suffered at Euro 2024, David Strelec is back in action for Slovan Bratislava and should feature for Slovakia on Thursday night.
At the age of 37, Juraj Kucka is a midfield general in the engine room for the Falcons, and he could earn his 110th cap for his nation in Tallinn.
Estonia possible starting lineup:
Vallner; Schjonning-Larsen, Peetson, Tur, Mets, Kuraksin; Shein, Palumets, Saarma, Tamm; Anier
Slovakia possible starting lineup:
Dubravka; Pekarik, Vavro, Skirinar, Hancko; Kucka, Lobotka, Duda; Schranz, Haraslin, Strelec
We say: Estonia 0-2 Slovakia
Despite recent success in friendly matches, Estonia have not performed on the competitive stage for a while and could struggle in Tallinn on Thursday night.
Slovakia competed against some of Europe's elite sides over the summer, meaning that they should have no issues easing past the Blueshirts during a Nations League opener.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
