Preview:Azerbaijan vs Ukraine - prediction, team news, lineups

Hosts Azerbaijan will hope to record their first win in Group D on Tuesday when they face Ukraine at Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium in their World Cup 2026 qualifying clash.

The home side were beaten in their opening group game, losing 5-0 against Iceland on September 5, and are last in fourth place, while their opponents are third following their 2-0 defeat against France on Friday.

Match preview

Azerbaijan only conceded their first goal against Iceland in the second minute of first-half stoppage time, though they did not produce a single shot in the second half while also facing four big chances.

Boss Fernando Santos may have experienced the high of winning the Euros with Portugal as head coach in 2016, but his current side have now failed to score in six of their past seven in all competitions.

Milli komanda are yet to qualify for a World Cup, and they failed to win any of their eight qualifying games in their quest to make the 2022 World Cup, losing on seven occasions.

Azerbaijan are winless in 11 matches, with the nation suffering nine defeats and conceding at least two goals in nine of those 11 fixtures.

The hosts have lost five and been held to one stalemate in their six most recent home outings, and a loss against Ukraine would be their fourth consecutive defeat at Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium.

Opponents Ukraine will be hoping to qualify for a World Cup for the first time since 2006, but they started their campaign for the 2026 competition with a 2-0 loss against France, conceding in the opening and closing 10 minutes of the clash.

The visitors have been beaten in three of their past four games, though they did triumph in three and earn two draws in their prior five.

Head coach Sergiy Rebrov will be concerned that his team have not kept a clean sheet in eight outings, conceding 10 in their last four.

The Blue and Yellow's most recent encounter with their hosts came in August 2006 - a 6-0 victory - and they settled for a goalless draw in February that same year.

Ukraine's record on their travels is mixed considering they have won two and lost two of their past four, but they should be credited for scoring at least two goals three times.

Azerbaijan World Cup Qualifying - Europe form:

Azerbaijan form (all competitions):

Ukraine World Cup Qualifying - Europe form:

Ukraine form (all competitions):

Team News

Considering Azerbaijan have been defensively vulnerable for some time, they can be expected to continue using a back five, with centre-backs Elvin Badalov, Bahlul Mustafazada and Rahman Dashdamirov probable candidates to play.

Centre-forwards Nariman Akhundzade and Mahir Emreli partnered each other last time out, and they will likely play together again on Tuesday.

As for Ukraine, striker Artem Dovbyk is a regular in the XI, and he may be flanked in attack by Oleksandr Zubkov and Oleksii Hutsuliak.

Central midfielders Georgiy Sudakov and Ivan Kalyuzhnyi could form part of a trio ahead of number six Yehor Yarmolyuk.

Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi is certain to be selected in the heart of defence, while Oleksandr Zinchenko can be pencilled in as his side's left-back.

Azerbaijan possible starting lineup:

Mahammadaliev; Badalov, Mustafazada, Dashdamirov; Huseynov, Abdullazada, Makhmudov, Ibrahimli, Cafarquliyev; Akhundzade, Emreli

Ukraine possible starting lineup:

Trubin; Konoplia, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Zinchenko; Kalyuzhnyi, Yarmolyuk, Sudakov; Zubkov, Dovbyk, Hutsuliak

We say: Azerbaijan 0-2 Ukraine

Though Ukraine's performances of late have been mixed, their form is still considerably stronger than their hosts, who have frequently been defeated.

Azerbaijan will almost certainly concede more than once, and since home advantage has not proven beneficial in recent matches, the visitors should be confident of claiming all three points.

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