In their forthcoming international friendly on Thursday, Slovenia will be entertained by Romania at the Cluj Arena. This match is merely an exhibition for both teams because no one of them made it to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
After defeating Bosnia-Herzegovina 4-1 in the last group stage encounter of the UEFA Nations League in September, Romania will play their first game since that victory. In addition, Slovenia is competing in its first match since joining the Nations League in September. They shared a 1-1 draw with Sweden in their final group-stage match of the contest. Next this contest, Moldova will play the hosts, and Slovenia will face Montenegro the following day.
Romania vs Slovenia Head-to-Head and Key Numbers:
In all tournaments, the two Balkan rivals have faced off eight times. The hosts have a slim 3-2 advantage in victories over their rivals, while the other three encounters have ended in draws. They last played each other in a friendly match in 2012, with Slovenia winning a tenacious 4-3 victory. Only three of the encounters between the two teams have been friendly games, in which Slovenia won one game while Romania lost all three.
In exactly half of the eight matches, there were more than 2.5 goals, while there were fewer than 2.5 goals in the other games. In their last eight games across all competitions, Slovenia has only managed to claim one victory, while the hosts have only managed to do it twice. Romania’s last five victories in all games have all come at home, compared to Slovenia’s winless road record since October 2021.
The Prediction:
Both clubs have chosen strong lineups for the match, but the absence of Alexandru Maxim for the hosts is particularly notable, while Atletico Madrid star Jan Oblak is the star of the visiting team. This is the first game the two teams have played since September, so they could be a little rusty. A tie is expected because there doesn’t appear to be anything separating the two teams at the time.
Prediction: Romania 1-1 Slovenia
The Tip:
1: Result – Draw
2: Total Goals – Under 3
3: Romania will score first – Yes
4: 1 Goal in the second half – Yes
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