2026 World Cup Qualifiers Review Slovakia vs Germany, 01:45 September 5: The Tank Aims for a Perfect Start

TPO - Football analysis Slovakia vs Germany, 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Europe, at 01:45 on September 5 - Information on forces, expected lineup, form, history of confrontation. Possessing superior force, Germany is considered capable of overcoming Slovakia to win convincingly.

Pre-match comments

Germany will begin their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a trip to the Tehelne Pole in Bratislava to face hosts Slovakia early tomorrow morning. Julian Nagelsmann and Francesco Calzona's side are in Group A alongside Northern Ireland and Luxembourg.

Germany are preparing for their first international match since their UEFA Nations League exit at home in June, where they lost 2-1 to Portugal in the semi-finals before falling 2-0 to France in the third-place play-off.

Ranked 9th in the world in the FIFA rankings, Die Mannschaft have won only 12 of 23 matches (drawn 6, lost 5) in all competitions (including friendlies) since coach Nagelsmann took over in September 2023.

Germany have kept just five clean sheets in their last 16 games and have conceded at least two goals in all four of their 2025 games. This record needs to improve soon if the four-time World Cup champions are to make their mark on the international stage in the near future.

Germany are considered the most promising candidate to advance in Group A. They are already guaranteed a playoff spot thanks to their Nations League ranking, but if they win the group, Die Mannschaft will have a direct ticket to the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

After winning 13 points from 6 matches in Group 3 League C 2024, Slovakia missed the chance to be promoted in March this year when they lost 0-1 on aggregate to Slovenia (goal conceded in the 95th minute).

Poor form saw Slovakia drop to 52nd in FIFA rankings after two friendly defeats in June: a 1-4 loss to Greece away and a 0-1 loss to Israel in Hungary.

Slovakia has only ever played in the World Cup as an independent nation once, in South Africa 2010. However, they are aiming to play in next year's tournament as the second-highest ranked team in Group A, ahead of Northern Ireland and Luxembourg.

Although rated lower than Germany, Slovakia still has reason to hope to create a surprise as they have won 2/5 of the most recent confrontations: 2-0 at home in 2005 and 3-1 away in 2016 (both friendly matches).

Form, head-to-head history

Germany entered their opening World Cup qualifiers on a seven-game winning streak. They have also won three of their last five meetings with Slovakia, including a 4-1 win in Bratislava in a EURO qualifier in October 2006.

On the Slovakia side, coach Francesco Calzona faces the task of reviving the team after a four-match winless streak in 2025, which began with an extra-time defeat in the Nations League playoffs.

Force information

Slovakia are without Lukas Haraslin, Denis Vavro, Samuel Kozlovsky and Dominik Javorcek due to injury, while Ivan Schranz and Laszlo Benes are doubtful for health reasons.

On the German side, a series of key players are absent due to injury: Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Nico Schlotterbeck, Niklas Sule, Benjamin Henrichs, Tim Kleindienst and Tom Bischof. Three faces considered for their first call-up - Nathaniel Brown, Max Rosenfelder and Nicolas Kuhn - also had to withdraw due to injury.

Nnamdi Collins (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Paul Nebel (Mainz 05) were called up for the first time and could make their debut.

Expected lineup

Slovakia: Dubravka; Pekarik, Skriniar, Gyomber, Hancko; Duda, Lobotka, Bero; Schranz, Bozenik, Duris

Germany: Baumann; Kimmich, Tah, Rudiger, Raum; Goretzka, Stiller; Adeyemi, Wirtz, Gnabry; Woltemade

Score prediction: Slovakia 1-3 Germany

Source: https://tienphong.vn/nhan-dinh-vong-loai-world-cup-2026-slovakia-vs-duc-01h45-ngay-59-co-xe-tang-huong-toi-khoi-dau-hoan-hao-post1775309.tpo