Latvia v Croatia Prediction: Visitors fancied for vital win

Croatia have a real battle on their hands for qualification for Euro 2024 after losing back-to-back games against Turkey and Wales.

They will be looking to bounce back against strugglers Latvia, who are bottom of the group after taking just three points from seven games.

Team news

For Croatia Ivan Perisic remains out while Mateo Kovacic is also expected to be sidelined but Andrej Kramaric and Luka Ivanusec will bolster Zlatko Dalic’s attacking options as they return to the squad.

Latvia’s Marcis Oss returns from suspension but Eduards Emsis will miss out after picking up another yellow card against Turkey last time out.

Raivis Jurkovskis and Kriss Karklins have been recalled to the squad while striker Vladislavs Gutkovskis remains out with a long-term knee injury.

Match odds

Croatia can be backed at 1/8 for the victory, while Latvia are 22/1 outsiders and the draw is available at 7/1.

The Croats are 8/15 to win to nil, with a 1-0 victory for the visitors priced at 6/1.

Croatia to win and under 3.5 goals @ 5/6

Croatia looked to be cruising in Group D of the Euro 2024 qualifiers after four games, winning three and drawing one.

However, a 1-0 loss at home to group leaders Turkey was followed by a 2-1 defeat away to Wales to leave Croatia level on points with the Dragons with two matches remaining.

Zlatko Dalic’s side are behind Wales on head-to-head record however so need to win both of their remaining games and hope Rob Page’s men drop points.

They should be able to get the better of Latvia in this clash however, the hosts have lost seven of their last eight games and are goalless in their last four.

Goals have been something of an issue for Croatia too however, they have only netted ten in their six qualifiers.

A run to the Nations League finals may just have taken something out of this team and they might have to grind out a victory here.

Back Croatia to win a game with fewer than four goals.

Luka Modric to score at anytime @ 11/5 

Luka Modric is Croatia’s record appearance maker and remains their talisman at the age of 38.

The older he gets the more prolific he becomes for his country too, netting eight times across the last three years.

The midfield maestro is on penalty and free-kick duties for Croatia and with some of their other attacking options injured, looks a tempting price to get on the scoresheet.

Latvia are likely to sit deep, so the visitors may be forced into shooting from range, something that increases the likelihood of a Modric goal. 

Check out our Euro 2024 Tips here.