Leo Peterson
Dailysports's expert
Austria
Serbia
On March 20, 2025, the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna will host the first playoff match of the Nations League between Austria and Serbia. We expect a high-scoring performance from the home team.
Preview
The winner of this two-legged tie will earn the right to compete in League A — the elite division of the Nations League next season.
Austria competed in League B last season, where they faced Norway, Slovenia, and Kazakhstan. They narrowly missed out on a direct promotion to League A by just two points, finishing behind group leaders Norway. However, Austria secured second place comfortably, three points ahead of Slovenia. Throughout the tournament, they suffered only one defeat — an away loss to Norway, while consistently earning points in all other matches.
The Austrians were particularly impressive on home turf. Dominant victories over Norway and Kazakhstan, with a combined score of 9:1, showcased the team's strength. However, a surprising 1-1 draw with Slovenia in the final round effectively denied Austria a direct passage to League A.
Serbia, in League A, faced tough opponents — Spain, Denmark, and Switzerland. At the end of the tournament, the strong Swiss team unexpectedly faced relegation, while Serbia, with 6 points, finished third.
Serbia's sole victory in the group came in a home match against Switzerland — 2-0. This result effectively helped the team avoid relegation and keep their hopes alive among the best. However, Serbia struggled on the road. Two goalless defeats to Denmark and Spain with a combined score of 0:5, along with a 1-1 draw with Switzerland, indicate that the Balkans have significant issues away from home.
Probable lineups
- Austria: Pentz, Mwene, Linhart, Alaba, Prass, Seiwald, Sabitzer, Schmid, Baumgartner, Wimmer, Arnautovic
- Serbia: Rajkovic, Babic, Milenkovic, Veljkovic, Mitrovic, Maksimovic, Gudelj, Birmancevic, Lukic, Samardzic, Vlahovic
Match facts and H2H
- Austria is in good form and hasn't lost in four consecutive matches.
- The Austrians are particularly strong at home, having celebrated victory in 5 of their last 6 home games.
- Serbia, on the other hand, is going through tough times. The Balkans have managed to win only once in their last 9 matches.
- Clashes between these teams often thrill fans with goals. In 4 of the last 5 meetings between Austria and Serbia, the "Over 2.5 goals" bet has been successful.
- Historically, Serbia holds the edge with 3 wins, while Austria has won 2 matches.
Prediction
The hosts are considered favorites in this match — bookmakers rate their victory at odds of 1.77. The Austrians play confidently at home and will surely aim to score as many goals as possible to create a comfortable lead for the return leg. We predict Austria will score at least two goals in the match. Odds — 1.99.
