The Ecuadorian national team is eagerly awaiting the World Cup. The friendly against Guatemala is the last game of their preparation, and not everyone is fully prepared. Several key players are not yet training at full strength, especially captain Enner Valencia, whose muscle injury is still bothering the coaching staff. He won't be expected against Guatemala.
Ecuador secured their spot at the World Cup thanks to excellent defensive play. They haven't had the necessary quality in their friendlies, with almost every opponent scoring. Guatemala is also an unusual opponent, as they'll have to spend a lot of time attacking. Objectively, their attack is currently inferior to their defensive line. However, Guatemala's level is quite low, so they need to win confidently. Ecuador has four wins and zero goals conceded in their modern history. We're looking forward to seeing how things continue, and with a win, their unbeaten streak in all competitions will extend to 19 matches.
Morocco looks like one of the most organized teams among the World Cup participants: Mohamed Ouabi's men have successfully completed their last friendly matches, winning three of four. Their defensive strength is particularly impressive: they have conceded only two goals in their last nine matches. Their attack has also improved recently, scoring eleven goals in their last three matches, albeit against less-than-stellar opponents.
Norway is also riding high after their victory over Sweden, which demonstrated, among other things, that Ståle Solbakken's team is capable of creating and converting chances beyond Erling Haaland. Jørgen Strand Larsen was particularly impressive, scoring twice and adding options to the coaching staff ahead of the World Cup. Nevertheless, the match against Morocco should be a serious test for Norway's attack. While the Swiss managed to almost completely neutralize Haaland, the Moroccan defense looks no less robust.
Bookmakers have Greece as slight favorites, primarily due to the significant difference in international experience between the two teams. While Jovanovic can count on a stable squad, Italy is using this tournament solely as a showcase for the next generation of players. However, it's impossible to ignore the fact that Greece isn't playing at full strength yet and is struggling to set the pace of the game. The insatiable appetite of the Italian players, combined with their desire to impress the new management, gives the visitors a dangerous advantage. This energetic young Italian team, featuring elite goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, has what it takes to withstand early pressure and exploit gaps in the opponent's defense. I'm on the Azzurri and predicting an Italian victory.
Slovenia failed to qualify for the World Cup, picking up four points from six matches and failing to secure a single win. This led to the resignation of Matjaž Kek, who had led the team for eight years. However, under his former assistant, Boštjan Cesar, Slovenia managed only one win in three friendlies. Recently, in the absence of their injured leader, Bemjanin Šeško, Slovenia barely managed to secure a home draw against a weak Cyprus team, who played the final half hour with ten men.
Croatia had an exemplary World Cup qualifier, winning seven of eight matches, and Zlatko Dalic's side are preparing for their trip to the United States by playing friendlies against high-level opponents. A win over Colombia and losses to Brazil and Belgium could provide a lot of new information about Croatia's readiness to face top teams, but today's Slovenia, even in their best days, rarely gave Croatia any trouble, so we expect a victory for the hosts.
Kosovo were one step away from a major event, qualifying for the World Cup. They had an incredibly strong group stage, but only Switzerland was better in that regard. Second place allowed them to qualify for the playoffs. However, facing a strong and resilient Turkey, their chances were slim, but they put up a great fight and the defeat was minimal. At the very least, Kosovo didn't play to lose, but the luckier team won. Now all that's left is the Nations League. This is their only match before that tournament. Key players include Vedat Muriqi, Milot Rashica, and Eden Zhegrova. The coach will likely give young players a chance in the second half, but the starting lineup will be as combative as possible to make a quick difference.
Andorra didn't perform particularly well at the World Cup, having been drawn into a very difficult group. They failed to win a single game and were the worst defensively, conceding too many. They played a strong first game against Liechtenstein and won. For a team this small, any victory is a celebration. Andorra's only chance to score was corners, free kicks, or throw-ins from Marc Puyol or the team's veterans. The last game took a lot of energy, and given the short bench, physical fatigue in the second half could be a key factor against Kosovo's fresh and fast players.
Based on the game itself, Kosovo are the clear favorites. If they score an early goal in the first 15-20 minutes at home, the game will open up and the match could end in a rout. The visitors will be extremely hard-pressed to even get a shot on target.
Jordan rarely plays against strong European and South American teams. When they face them, they suffer poor results—they lost to Switzerland a few days ago in a crushing defeat. They certainly won't be able to cope with Colombia's attacking style, given their aggressive play. Even after the massive substitutions in the second half, the pressure won't ease. It's more a question of which goal will cause the desire to score to wane. And the news isn't good for Jordan—competition for a spot in the squad is fierce, and every Colombian forward will be eager to prove themselves in their final friendly before the World Cup.
Jordan's defense has been rather weak, conceding a combined eight goals against Costa Rica, Nigeria, and Switzerland. Colombia outperforms all of them offensively. Jordan will be lucky to avoid a rout.