Croatia vs Faroe Islands Match Preview Prediction Team News and Lineups

On Friday, a crucial World Cup Qualifying match will take place between Croatia and the Faroe Islands at Stadion HNK Rijeka. This match holds significant implications for both teams, particularly for Croatia, who sits at the top of their group.

Croatia vs. Faroe Islands Match Preview

Croatia leads the group with 16 points from six games. They require just one more point to ensure automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup. In contrast, the Faroe Islands are currently third with 12 points and face elimination if they lose this match.

Recent Form

The Croatian team comes off a 3-0 victory against Gibraltar, demonstrating their strong performance in the qualifiers. They have achieved five wins and one draw in their past six matches, showcasing an impressive undefeated streak. Notably, Croatia has only conceded one goal in this qualification round, with three other teams across Europe having similar defensive success. They have also kept five clean sheets in their last six outings.

• Croatia’s goals this qualifying campaign: 20
• Goals scored in the last 13 matches before this qualification: 18
• Croatia’s home record: 10 matches without defeat (9 wins, 1 draw)

Conversely, the Faroe Islands have shown resilience by winning their last three qualifying matches. They have scored a total of 10 goals throughout their campaign, with a significant portion of those coming from their recent matches. Previously, they lost 1-0 to Croatia in September, a game where they limited the hosts to a single goal.

Team News and Possible Lineups

Croatia’s manager, Zlatko Dalic, is expected to field his key players, including Josko Gvardiol and Duje Caleta-Car in defense. However, the team will miss Mateo Kovacic, who is sidelined until February. Veteran Luka Modric is likely to feature in the midfield alongside Mario Pasalic and Andrej Kramaric, supporting center-forward Franjo Ivanovic.

Croatia's projected lineup:
- Goalkeeper: Kotarski
- Defenders: Pasalic, Caleta-Car, Erlic, Gvardiol
- Midfielders: Moro, Modric
- Forwards: Pasalic, Kramaric, Fruk, Ivanovic

The Faroe Islands may adopt a three-man defense, with Odmar Faero, Gunnar Vatnhamar, and Andrias Edmundsson. Meinhard Olsen and Geza David Turi might bolster the midfield behind striker Joan Simun Edmundsson.

Faroe Islands' projected lineup:
- Goalkeeper: Lamhauge
- Defenders: Faero, Vatnhamar, Edmundsson
- Midfielders: Benjaminsen, Olsen, Turi, Davidsen
- Forwards: Frederiksberg, Edmundsson, Sorensen

Match Prediction

This match may start cautiously, as Croatia only needs to draw to secure their qualification, while the Faroe Islands will be on edge, knowing a loss could end their campaign. Given Croatia’s recent performances and home advantage, they are favored to emerge victorious, but a tight encounter is expected.

Our prediction: Croatia 2 – 1 Faroe Islands.