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Scotland and Ukraine will face off in UEFA Second Round qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, with the winner going to face off versus Wales for a spot in the tournament. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our World Cup Qualifier odds series, which includes our Scotland-Ukraine prediction and pick we have laid out below.
Scotland will be looking to return to the World Cup for the first time since France in 1998. They finished second in their group behind Denmark, trailing the Scandinavians by four points. If they beat Ukraine here, it will be a British clash for the last spot in the World Cup and the Scots must feel like they could use this generation of players and get there. Ukraine is here after finishing second behind France in their qualification group. A crucial win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on the last matchday paired with France's win over Finland got Ukraine into this second round, seeking their second World Cup appearance since independence from the Soviet Union in 1992.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Scotland-Ukraine World Cup Qualifier odds:
World Cup Qualifier Odds: Scotland-Ukraine Odds
Scotland: (+130)
Ukraine: (+230)
Draw: (+200)
Over: 2.5 (+154)
Under: 2.5 (-188)
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Why Scotland Could Win This Match
As said above, the Scots are really eyeing this generation of footballers to take them to the next level. The World Cup has been a dream for the Scottish football fans since 1998 and their group stage appearance in France. Interestingly enough, they have never actually made it past the group stages in a World Cup despite making five straight appearances from 1974 until 1990. Since then, however, they only made one World Cup and the Scots really want to come back where they belong.
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When it comes to players, this Scotland team is full of talent. They are spearheaded by Andy Robertson, Liverpool's left back who just ended a great season playing for the Reds. His level of fitness might be questionable due to the immense length of the season for Liverpool, but he will be there for his country. Other notable players include John McGinn and Scott McTominay. Their teams had underwhelming seasons, but both were very solid.
The biggest reason for Scotland to really expect a win is their form. They have only dropped one international game in their group, falling 2-0 down to Denmark away. They lost in the EURO 2020 tournament and in the Nations League, but when it comes to this qualifying tournament, it has been all business for the Scots. Playing at the iconic Hampden Park, they even beat group winners Denmark, by an impressive 2-0 performance. Thus, if any of the teams here have confidence, it is the Scottish team.
Why Ukraine Could Win This Match
It is going to be a tough time for this Ukrainian team. The elephant in the room is the ongoing invasion happening at home, but these players have vowed to bring some kind of joy to their people and that will be their biggest motivation for this upcoming game. As said above, this Ukrainian team only made one World Cup appearance in 2006, and they were impressive, falling to eventual winners in Italy in the quarters. This team has aspirations of going to the World Cup again and trying to repeat that success.
The players to watch and potential game-winners of this Ukrainian squad are coming from the Premier League mostly. Oleksandr Zinchenko and Andriy Yarmolenko were both great for their respective teams this year. Zinchenko slowly earned his spot in the Manchester City team and won his fourth Premier League title. Yarmolenko, on the other hand, made 32 appearances and scored three goals for a West Ham team that almost made it to the final of the Europa League. Both are coming in good spirits, and they will be joined by Roman Yaremchuk, a striker for Benfica that scored nine goals and played good football this season.
As said above, their biggest motivation will be bringing joy to their people, but it is also about being that roster that brings Ukraine back to the World Cup. They have not played a competitive game internationally since beating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 to clinch this spot in November of last year, but they will be ready and motivated to win.
Final Scotland-Ukraine Prediction & Pick
It is really tough to say who goes through. International games can be odd and have unusual results and it is especially hard to predict when they are so closely matched. Due to the great generation they have assembled, our final Scotland-Ukraine prediction will be a Scotland win at Hampden Park on Wednesday, the 1st of June.
Final Scotland-Ukraine Pick: Scotland (+130)
