Euro 2016 Qualifying: Predictions for Remaining Matches
The first round of Euro 2016 qualifying is well underway, with some sides using the international-friendly break to their advantage while others have stuttered at the first hurdle.
Monday and Tuesday will see the next batch of fixtures get underway with such giants as Spain, Italy and the Netherlands in action, along with many more.
We take a look at those European encounters set to take place in the coming days, predicting who will begin their qualification campaigns as desired, and which parties may stumble upon a surprise or two.
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| Date | Fixture | Prediction |
| Monday, September 8 | Russia vs. Liechtenstein | 3-0 |
| Monday, September 8 | Austria vs. Sweden | 2-2 |
| Monday, September 8 | Estonia vs. Slovenia | 0-1 |
| Monday, September 8 | Luxembourg vs. Belarus | 1-2 |
| Monday, September 8 | Montenegro vs. Moldova | 3-1 |
| Monday, September 8 | San Marino vs. Lithuania | 0-2 |
| Monday, September 8 | Spain vs. Macedonia | 3-0 |
| Monday, September 8 | Switzerland vs. England | 1-1 |
| Monday, September 8 | Ukraine vs. Slovakia | 1-0 |
| Tuesday, September 9 | Azerbaijan vs. Bulgaria | 1-2 |
| Tuesday, September 9 | Kazakhstan vs. Latvia | 1-1 |
| Tuesday, September 9 | Andorra vs. Wales | 3-3 |
| Tuesday, September 9 | Bosnia & Herzegovina vs. Cyprus | 3-1 |
| Tuesday, September 9 | Croatia vs. Malta | 2-0 |
| Tuesday, September 9 | Czech Rep. vs. Netherlands | 1-2 |
| Tuesday, September 9 | Iceland vs. Turkey | 1-1 |
| Tuesday, September 9 | Norway vs. Italy | 1-2 |
Key Fixtures
Austria vs. Sweden, Group G
Having done combat in the qualification run for the 2014 World Cup, Austria and Sweden meet once again in their trials to make the Euro 2016 cut.
Both of their 2013 meetings ended with a 2-1 scoreline, the home team prevailing on each occasion, giving Austria an apparent advantage as they prepare for Monday's meeting.
Swedish journalist Carl Juborg quotes national team manager Erik Hamren in backing up such claims, insisting his side are the underdogs this week:
Austria are a team coming upon prosperity of late, unearthing individual talents in the likes of Davis Alaba, Aleksandar Dragovic and Marko Arnautovic, who have the potential to make their side a power in years to come.
Home soil should prove a key factor for the third time in the space of 18 months, with Sweden's standout talent Zlatan Ibrahimovic not enough to prevent an opening defeat.
Prediction: Austria 2-1 Sweden
Switzerland vs. England, Group E
All talk of England's qualification hopes currently centres around the untimely injury suffered by Daniel Sturridge, the striker who's been an ever-present force under Roy Hodgson over the past year.
A trip to Switzerland on Monday promises to be a difficult task for the English, considering the Swiss looked resilient en route to a round-of-16 finish at the 2014 World Cup, ultimately bowing out to finalists Argentina.
Sturridge confirmed his absence via his personal Twitter account last week, a major blow for the Three Lions should he be out for long:
Hodgson has guaranteed qualification for the team, per The Guardian's Paul Wilson, putting a mound of pressure on his side to perform in their first game of Group E proceedings:
"It’s the first qualifying game. We want to get off to a good start, we want to play well and we want to win, but if it doesn’t happen it won’t necessarily impact on 2016. I wouldn’t dream of suggesting to my players that we have to win this one, or telling them it is very important because we need to dispel the air of negativity that has surrounded us since the World Cup.
If we win by three goals to nil in Switzerland it doesn’t mean we are going to win the Euros in 2016, and if we lose it will not be the end of the world either. After Basel there will still be nine more matches to play, including the one against Switzerland at home. I can assure you that with this group of players we will be in France in 2016 whatever happens in the opening game, and two years down the road I’d like to think we will be a better team.
"
Despite the manager's claims otherwise, the Basel fixture will largely be considered a must-win game, with Switzerland not guaranteed to drop points against the likes of Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania and San Marino.
What's more, England looked tame in overcoming Norway last week, winning 1-0 by fortune of a penalty. Switzerland managed to restrain Argentina's big guns in Brazil, and one would suppose they have the potential to isolate England's key attackers.
Prediction: Switzerland 1-1 England
Czech Republic vs. Netherlands, Group A
Life under Guus Hiddink got off to a rocky start this week, but the Oranje manager, in charge of the team for a second spell, has a chance to put that disappointment in the past with a trip to the Czech Republic.
The Netherlands lost 2-0 in a friendly against Italy on Thursday, with OptaJohan indicating the team may be a looser outfit under their new coach, having lost some of the shape Louis van Gaal instilled, perhaps:
That being said, Hiddink is as experienced a tactician as they come and will have learnt from any mistakes against the Azzurri, likely to make use of those lessons in Prague on Tuesday.
The vast wealth of attacking talent at his disposal should find more fortune against the Czech hosts, and although it won't be a complete defensive turnaround, the Oranje should be capable of eking out the desired result.
Prediction: Czech Republic 1-2 Netherlands
