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UEFA 2018 World Cup Qualifying: Croatia vs Iceland, Preview, Prediction & Predicted Lineup

| Nov 11, 2016 01:56 AM EST

Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic.

A high-profile match between UEFA World Cup qualifying tournament Group I leaders Croatia (2-0-1, 7 points) and Iceland (2-0-1, 7 points) is set on Saturday, Nov. 12 at the Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb.

Start Time and Streaming Info

The game starts at 6:00 p.m. UTC+1. It can be viewed live online thru FuboTV.

The match will be played without spectators as a result of two cases of discriminatory chants by Croatian fans earlier in the year. Croatia's tournament-opening 1-1 draw with Turkey was the hosts' first game without an audience before this one.

Vatreni is currently undefeated after three rounds in the qualifiers, going on a two-game winning run after the tie with Turkey.

Their most recent fixture resulted in a 1-0 nipping of Finland on the road at the Tampere Stadium in Tampere on Oct. 9, as per BBC Sport.

Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic netted the lone goal of the match for head coach Ante Cacic's boys in the 18th minute off an assist from Hoffenheim forward Andrej Kramaric. Both sides went scoreless for the rest of the game as Croatia added another three points in the standings to remain on top.

Meanwhile, Iceland has the same record as Croatia but has a lesser goal difference of +3 as compared to the latter's +7 to settle for the second spot in the Group I table.

Iceland also settled to a 1-1 tie with Ukraine to open the group matches before winning two consecutive games.

Their last game was a 2-0 blanking of Turkey at their home field of Laugardalsvöllur in the country's capital city of Reykjavík also on Oct. 9, ESPN reported.

Head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson's side netted two goals in the first half, courtesy of AGF winger Teddy Bjarnason and Augsburg striker Alfred Finnbogason in the 42nd and 44th minutes, which proved to be the final count as both teams failed to score again in the second half.

Prediction and Predicted Lineup

The predicted result is a tight 2-1 victory for Croatia.

Croatia starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Subasic; Vrsaljko, Mitrovic, Vida, Pivaric; Brozovic, Badelj, Kovacic, Perisic; Kramaric, Mandzukic

Iceland starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Halldorsson; Saevarsson, Arnason, R. Sigurdsson, Skulason; Gudmundsson, G. Sigurdsson, B. Bjarnason, E. Bjarnason; Smarason, Bodvarsson 

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