Iceland thrashed Luxembourg as Bulgaria were left without a coach: prediction for Iceland — Bulgaria
The UEFA Nations League third-round match between Iceland and Bulgaria will take place on October 3 at Laugardalsvöllur Stadium. Iceland have collected four points from their opening two matches and top Group C4, while Bulgaria have just one point and head into the clash after changing their head coach.
Iceland: top of the group after thrashing Luxembourg
Arnar Gunnlaugsson’s side opened the tournament with a 1-1 draw against Estonia before comfortably beating Luxembourg 3-0. That victory ended Iceland’s seven-match winless run and moved them to the top of the group.
Their home form also offers cause for optimism: Iceland have lost just one of their last four matches on home soil. However, Stefan Thordarson’s participation is in doubt, while Albert Gudmundsson is dealing with a shoulder problem.
Bulgaria: one point and Dimitrov’s departure
Bulgaria began their Nations League campaign with a 2-1 defeat by Luxembourg before drawing 0-0 with Estonia. After that match, Aleksandar Dimitrov stepped down as head coach, with Atanas Ribarski taking temporary charge of the team.
Despite the difficult situation, Bulgaria’s away record looks better than the overall picture suggests. The visitors are unbeaten in their last three matches on the road, recording two wins and one draw.
Match facts
- Iceland have not lost either of their two matches in this edition of the Nations League.
- In the previous round, Iceland thrashed Luxembourg 3-0.
- Bulgaria have collected just one point and head into the match after the dismissal of their head coach.
The hosts can take advantage of their opponents’ instability: prediction for Iceland — Bulgaria
Iceland have made a far more confident start to the tournament and received a major boost from their emphatic win over Luxembourg. They look reliable on home soil and should create more chances in attack.
Bulgaria could improve after the coaching changes and will look to play with greater discipline, but the visitors’ current form remains inconsistent. In a closely fought contest, home advantage and the stronger start to the campaign should tip the balance in Iceland’s favor.
