Malta vs Moldova Prediction: A bore draw could be on the cards here

Moldova have made an excellent start to their Uefa Nations League campaign, beating both Malta and Andorra 2-0 in Chisinau, but the Tricolorii face their first away test on Sunday (17:00) when they take on Malta at the Ta' Qali National Stadium.

Read below for my Malta vs Moldova prediction, complete with all the latest team news, ahead of this Group D2 game in Ta' Qali.

Team News

Malta were due to play a friendly against Turkmenistan earlier this week to warm up for this crucial Nations League clash, but their opponents were denied permission to travel by their government, meaning there is little to go on in terms of how they will set up on Sunday.

Ryan Camenzuli struck the only goal of the game in their last Nations League contest, a 1-0 victory in Andorra last month, so we can probably expect him to start again, just like goalkeeper Henry Bonello, midfielder Matthew Guillaumier, and forward Luke Montebello.

Football Odds

Moldova could name an unchanged starting XI from the one that began Thursday's win against Andorra, although Maxim Cojocaru will hope to join fellow goalscorer Artur Ionita in the team following his late strike in added time in Chisinau, which made sure of the three points.

All-time top goalscorer Ion Nicolaescu was forced to withdraw from the squad through injury before Thursday's game, which should offer the hosts some encouragement.

Malta vs Moldova Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Malta vs Moldova page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this match.

Malta are 7/4 to beat Moldova for the first time since their first-ever meeting in February 2002, giving the hosts an implied win probability of 36.4%. The visitors are the same price (7/4), while a draw can be backed at 15/8.

Both teams to score is available at 11/10 and over 2.5 total goals at 13/8, while Moldova forward Vitalie Damascan and Malta attacker Jurgen Degabriele (both 12/5) lead the anytime goalscorer market.

Both Teams to Score - No @ 4/6

There have been five previous meetings between these sides and three of them have finished with at least one team failing to score, including the most recent two - a goalless draw in March 2016 and last month's 2-0 win for Moldova.

Malta might fancy their chances of scoring more on home soil as they have scored past both Slovenia (2-2) and Ukraine (1-3) in Ta' Qali in the past 12 months; however, they've blanked in their other six games there since November 2022, and have only scored in five of their last 13 matches, home or away.

Moldova, meanwhile, have seen BTTS - No land in five of their previous six contests, including their last three - wins against Malta (2-0), San Marino (1-0) and Andorra (2-0). The Tricolorii will be confident of keeping a fourth successive clean sheet when they pitch up at the Ta' Qali National Stadium on Sunday, while Malta themselves have recorded two shutouts in their last five games.

Correct Score - Draw 0-0 @ 11/2

Moldova haven't drawn 0-0 since holding the Czech Republic to a stalemate in Chisinau in March 2023, playing 15 games since without a goalless draw.

However, eight of those games saw one team fail to score, and two ended 1-0 - both in their favour. One of those was last month as they edged past San Marino in a friendly courtesy of a 10th-minute strike from Vadim Rata.

The Tricolorii's defence hasn't been breached since June 11 when Ukraine put four past them while, remarkably, their last five games have come at home. Their last outing away from Chisinau was in Antalya, Turkey in March where they played the Cayman Islands (4-0) and North Macedonia (1-1) in friendlies.

Moldova's last 'proper' away match was in November 2023, when they lost 3-0 to the Czech Republic in Olomouc, so it will be interesting to see how they readjust to life on their travels.

Malta held Belarus to a goalless draw in their last game at the National Stadium and they will be targeting back-to-back clean sheets in Ta' Qali.

A draw wouldn't be a bad result for Moldova, who would only need a point more to finish as group winners, so 11/2 for a 0-0 is worth a punt, in my humble opinion.

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