Belgium will be bidding to make it back-to-back UEFA Nations League victories over Poland when the two teams lock horns in Warsaw on Tuesday night.

The Red Devils ran out 6-1 winners when the pair met on June 8, but both sides have picked up four points from their opening three matches in Group 4 of League A.

Match preview

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Poland started their 2022-23 UEFA Nations League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Wales on June 1 before suffering a 6-1 defeat to Belgium in their second match in the section one week later.

The two sides were actually level at half time, but Belgium took a 2-1 lead just before the hour and then went on to score four more times in the final 17 minutes of the contest in Brussels.

Poland, who are currently third in Group 4 of League A on four points, three points behind leaders Netherlands, played out a 2-2 draw with Louis van Gaal's side on Saturday, opening up a two-goal advantage before being forced to spare the points.

Goals from Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski helped the Eagles record a 2-0 win over Sweden in their World Cup playoff at the end of March, with the team advancing to the finals of this year's competition, but they failed to make it through the group stage of the 2018 World Cup.

Czeslaw Michniewicz's side will face Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Argentina in the group stage of the World Cup, and while they will be keen to impress in the UEFA Nations League, the team's main focus will be on the competition that begins in November.

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Belgium, meanwhile, opened their Group 4 of League A campaign with a 4-1 home defeat to the Netherlands on June 3, with Van Gaal's side opening up a 4-0 lead before Michy Batshuayi netted late on.

Roberto Martinez's side managed to bounce back with the 6-1 win over Poland on June 8, but they could only draw 1-1 with Wales in Cardiff on Saturday evening, with Brennan Johnson netting late for the home side after Youri Tielemans had made the breakthrough in the 51st minute.

Like Poland, Belgium have picked up four points from their three matches in the section to sit second, three points behind the Netherlands, and they will be back in UEFA Nations League action in September, taking on Wales and Netherlands towards the end of the month.

The Red Devils finished top of Group 2 of League A in the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League to reach the semi-finals, where they lost 3-2 to France before suffering a 2-1 defeat to Italy in the third-place playoff.

Martinez's side will also be present at the 2022 World Cup, and having finished third at the 2018 edition of the tournament, they will be expecting to advance deep into the competition, but they failed to make a serious impression at Euro 2020, going out to Italy in the quarter-finals.

Team News

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Lewandowski was not involved in Poland's 2-2 draw with the Netherlands on Saturday, but the Bayern forward is expected to be back in the starting XI for this match.

Head coach Michniewicz is unlikely to make wholesale changes from the side that started against Van Gaal's team, but Szymon Zurkowski could potentially come into the midfield.

Kamil Glik and Wojciech Szczesny are also expected to be introduced back into the starting side, as Poland attempt to make it seven points from their opening four matches in the section.

Belgium, meanwhile, have not reported any injury problems from their draw with Wales on Saturday, but Martinez has revealed that three players will not be involved in the match.

Indeed, Kevin De Bruyne, Yannick Carrasco and Thomas Meunier will not be making the trip to Poland, while there are doubts over the involvement of Dedryck Boyata and Axel Witsel.

Thorgan Hazard, Eden Hazard, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld are all expected to be named in the starting XI, while Dennis Praet and Hans Vanaken could also be handed spots in the side.

Poland possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Cash, Bednarek, Glik, B Bereszynski; Krychowiak, Zurkowski; Frankowski, Zielinski, Zalewski; Lewandowski

Belgium possible starting lineup:
Casteels; Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Dendoncker; Vanaken, Saelemakers, Tielemans, T Hazard; Praet, Batshuayi, E Hazard

We say: Poland 1-1 Belgium

Poland will be determined to gain revenge on Belgium following their heavy defeat in the first meeting, but we are struggling to separate the two sides here. A point would not be the worst result for either team, and a tight contest on Tuesday evening could end with the spoils being shared.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Written by
Matt Law

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