Faroe Islands take on Turkey in League C Group 1 of the UEFA Nations League on Sunday, with the visitors looking to retain their unbeaten record in the competition.

The hosts, meanwhile, have avoided relegation to League D, so they can play with plenty of confidence.

Match preview

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Indeed, after gaining promotion from the Nations League's bottom tier last time out, Faroe Islands have acquitted themselves relatively well in their first ever season in League C.

After losing to Turkey and Luxembourg in their first two matches, there would have been understandable concerns regarding an instant return to League D, but an unbeaten run of three matches has ensured that will not be the case.

Former Sweden Under-21s manager Hakan Ericson has guided Landslioio to four points from two matches against Lithuania, who have been relegated at their expense, with a respectable 2-2 draw against a much improved Luxembourg outfit sandwiched in between.

Avoiding defeat away to Lithuania in a 1-1 draw on Thursday proved enough to see Faroe Islands beat the drop, and they will now have their eyes set on inflicting a major upset against Turkey in Torshavn at the weekend.

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For Turkey, who are ranked 42nd in the world, even competing in the third tier of the Nations League must be considered a slightly embarrassing enterprise, but it is not one that they will have to endure in the next instalment of the competition.

Having won each of their first four matches, scoring 14 goals with no response in the process, Turkey headed into Thursday's encounter with Luxembourg knowing that a draw would be enough to see them seal top spot in League C Group 1.

The Crescent Stars pegged Luxembourg back on three occasions in a pulsating 3-3 draw in Istanbul, with Ismail Yuksek's dramatic 87th-minute equaliser ensuring Stefan Kuntz's side remained five points ahead of their opponents with only one match remaining.

As such, they can travel to Faroe Islands in a relaxed manner having secured promotion to a level more befitting of their talent and historical pedigree, although they will want to ensure that their unbeaten record remains in tact at the very least.

Team News

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Faroe Islands will be without Hallur Hansson for the foreseeable future after the midfielder was withdrawn for KR Reykjavik last weekend due to a serious knee injury, which is likely to keep him out until next summer.

Given the lack of importance riding on Sunday's fixture against Turkey, Paetur Peterson and Andrass Johansen will hope to make their international debuts at some stage having been unused substitutes against Lithuania.

Turkey, meanwhile, may rotate significantly given the quick turnaround between fixtures, especially having got the job done in the end against Luxembourg.

Ozan Kabak is likely to start in defence having impressed for Hoffenheim so far this season, while Onar Bulut may earn his first cap for his country.

Faroe Islands possible starting lineup:
Nielsen; Sorensen, Askham, Vatnhamar, Davidsen; Bjartalio, Andreasen, Joensen, M. Olsen; Edmundsson, K. Olsen

Turkey possible starting lineup:
Bayindir; Bulut, Kabak, Soyuncu, Yilmaz; Under, Kahveci, Yuksek, Akturkoglu; Dursun, Akgun

We say: Faroe Islands 0-2 Turkey

With Faroe Islands and Turkey guaranteed to finish third and first respectively in Group I regardless of Sunday's result, it is hard to envisage a thriller.

Even if they do make several changes to their starting XI, the visitors should have more than enough quality to remain unbeaten and win the match.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Written by
Brett Curtis

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