Iraq vs Ukraine Prediction and Betting Tips | July 24th 2024

Iraq and Ukraine will trade tackles at Parc Olympique Lyonnais in their opening game of the Paris 2024 Olympics football tournament on Wednesday. Iraq booked their spot in the tournament courtesy of their third-placed finish at the AFC U-23 Asian Cup earlier this year.

The Lions of Babylon are coming into the tournament on the back of a 2-1 loss to Egypt in their final preparatory friendly last week. Ibrahim Adel scored a brace for the Egyptians, with his goals coming on either side of Zaid Tahseen's strike to inspire the victory.

Ukraine, meanwhile, qualified courtesy of their semifinal finish in the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship last year. They have not been in action since claiming a 2-1 victory over Japan in a friendly last month.

Vladyslav Veleten scored a brace for the Ukrainians while Kento Shiogai scored a late consolation strike.

Argentina and Morocco complete the quartet of teams in Group B of the tournament.

Iraq vs Ukraine Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

This will be the first meeting between the two sides.
Ukraine are competing in the Olympic football tournament for the first time in their history.
Ukraine are currently on an eight-game unbeaten streak, winning six games in this sequence.
Iraq have not drawn any of their last 12 games at Under-23 level (seven wins).
Five of Ukraine's last seven games at Under-23 level have produced three goals or more.
Four of Iraq's last five games have been decided by a one-goal margin.

Iraq vs Ukraine Prediction

Iraq defied expectations to make it to the semifinal of the 2004 Olympic football tournament. They eventually finished fourth on that occasion but have qualified for just one of four tournaments since then, failing to make it out of the group stage in 2016.

Ukraine, for their part, also overachieved in the UEFA Euro Under-21 Championship last year. They will be looking to build on this but their chances took a hit as manager Ruslan Rotan was unable to call up Mykhailo Mudryk, with Chelsea not releasing the 23-year-old. Ukraine will be full of confidence and recently won the Revello tournament.

We are backing the Ukrainians to claim a narrow victory in addition to a clean sheet.

Prediction: Iraq 0-1 Ukraine

Iraq vs Ukraine Betting Tips

Tip 1 - Ukraine to win

Tip 2 - Both teams to score: No

Tip 3 - Under 2.5 goals

Tip 4 - Highest-scoring half: Second half