Germany-Slovakia match preview
Top spot in Group A will be decided on Monday evening when Germany host Slovakia in a decisive 2026 World Cup qualifying match.
Germany sits first in the standings and will secure the group with a win or draw. Slovakia, however, still have a chance of finishing first if they can secure a victory in Leipzig.
Germany arrive in high spirits after a 2-0 win over Luxembourg, where Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade scored both goals.
Despite being four-time world champions, Germany have been eliminated in the group stage at the last two World Cups. They are already assured of finishing among the top two in this qualifying group, but only avoiding defeat here would allow them to qualify directly for next summer’s finals. A victory for Slovakia would push Nagelsmann’s team into the play-offs.
Slovakia comes into this match on the back of a narrow 1-0 win over Northern Ireland thanks to a late goal from Tomas Bobcek.
Francesco Calzona’s men opened the campaign by beating Germany and Luxembourg before making a mistake in Belfast. They have since regained momentum with home wins against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland.
Team news for Germany vs Slovakia
Germany remains without several key players due to injuries, including Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Antonio Rudiger, Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz.
No new problems were reported after the victory against Luxembourg. Joshua Kimmich and Nico Schlotterbeck, who missed this match due to minor issues, are expected to return to the team.
Woltemade, now with three goals in seven international caps, should once again lead the line. Florian Wirtz should also keep his place after another positive performance.
Slovakia are expected to settle in with David Strelec operating in the centre, while experienced duo Martin Dubravka and Milan Skriniar are expected to feature from the start.
David Hancko is set to continue at left-back. The front line is unlikely to change, with David Duris and Tomas Rigo both preparing to start.
Expected line-ups for the Germany-Slovakia match
Germany: constructor; Baku, Schlotterbeck, Tah, hall; Kimmich, Goretzka; Sané, Wirtz, Gnabry; Woltemade
Slovakia: Dubravka; Gyomber, Skriniar, Obert, Hancko; Béro, Lobotka, Rigo; Duris, Sagittarius, Haraslin
How to watch Germany vs Slovakia: TV channel, online streaming
Germany v Slovakia kicks off at 7.45pm UK time in Leipzig on Monday 17 November. Fans can watch the match on Amazon Prime through their subscription service.
Stats of the Germany-Slovakia match
- Germany and Slovakia are tied on 12 points after five qualifying matches
- Germany have won four straight since losing to Slovakia on the opening day.
- Slovakia won four of their five qualifying matches, scoring in every game
- Germany kept three clean sheets in qualifying, Slovakia kept two.
- Germany’s home record in the group is three wins from three
- Slovakia’s last participation in the World Cup was in 2010, reaching the round of 16.
Prediction
This matchup contains the ingredients of a close and competitive contest. Slovakia has already caused Germany problems, but home advantage and recent momentum suggest Nagelsmann’s side could prevail.
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