Moldova vs Andorra Prediction: Tricolorii to extend fine form in 2024

Moldova will look to make it two wins out of two in Uefa Nations League Group D2 on Thursday (17:00) when they host Andorra at Stadionul Zimbru.

Read below for my Moldova vs Andorra prediction, complete with all the latest team news and match odds, ahead of this clash in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau.

Team News

Petrocub's Mihai Platica and Otelul's Victor Bogaciuc both featured for Moldova during the last international break as the Tricolorii beat Malta 2-0 in the Nations League and edged past San Marino 1-0 in an international friendly; however, the midfield duo have been ruled out of this month's squad due to injury, opening up space for uncapped Chindia 22-year-old Daniel Danu to be called up by head coach Serghei Clescenco.

Slaven Belupo midfielder Mihail Caimacov and Heerenveen forward Ion Nicolaescu were on target against Malta and both will be looking to get on the scoresheet again on Thursday, although the latter has missed the past two matches for his club side through injury. Caimacov and Nicaolaescu - if fit - will be supported by Universitatea Cluj's Vadim Rata, who struck the game's only goal at home to San Marino last time out.

Football Odds

UE Santa Coloma's Jesus Rubio and L'Escala's Biel Borra are both missing from Koldo Alvarez's Andorra squad this time around. Still, captain Marc Pujol (Atletic d'Escaldes) and Marc Vales (Atletic Lleida), capped 118 and 95 times respectively, are on hand again to offer their experience.

With five international strikes, Vales is the highest goal scorer in the current Andorra setup, followed by Pujol and Club Andorra striker Albert Rosas (both four).

Moldova vs Andorra Odds

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

Moldova are heavy favourites to triumph at 1/3, giving the hosts an implied win probability of 75%. Andorra are 10/1, or a 9.1% chance, to break out of their 19-game winless run, which stretches back to September 2022. The draw, meanwhile, can be backed at 16/5.

Both teams to score is priced at 9/4 and over 2.5 total goals at 6/4.

Nicolaescu (7/5) leads the anytime goal scorer market followed by Vitalie Damascan (2/1).

Match Result & Total Goals Over/Under 2.5 - Moldova & Under 2.5 Goals @ 11/8

Given the recent form of these sides, it's difficult to predict anything other than a home victory on Thursday.

Moldova have won four of their last five games, notably beating Cyprus 3-2 in June, and kept back-to-back clean sheets last month, overcoming Malta 2-0 and San Marino 1-0. In six matches played this calendar year, only Ukraine (0-4) have managed to get the better of them, and three of their contests have finished with two or fewer goals.

Since the start of 2023, 10 of Moldova's 16 internationals have gone under 2.5 total goals, and they've only lost one of them - 0-2 to Albania in June last year. The Tricolorii have held Austria and Poland to 1-1 draws in that period and even beat the latter 3-2 in a Euro 2024 qualifier in Chisinau, finishing just a point off the Poles in Group E.

It's a golden era for Moldova, and they will expect to ease past an Andorran outfit that has suffered 15 defeats in its 19-game winless run.

To Andorra's credit, however, they aren't often thrashed, with nine of those losses seeing two or fewer goals scored, including their last three (0-2 vs Northern Ireland, 0-1 vs Gibraltar, 0-1 vs Malta).

The Tricolors do tend to make things difficult for lower-ranked opponents, restricting them to one or two strikes, so a slender victory for Thursday's hosts looks the most likely outcome here.

First Goal Scorer - Ion Nicolaescu (MOL) @ 7/2

There are question marks surrounding the fitness of Moldova's main man considering he was sidelined for Heerenveen's 2-1 defeat to Heracles at the end of last month and their 1-1 draw with Zwolle on Sunday, but the 26-year-old is sure to be doing everything in his power win the race to start Thursday's match against Andorra. As the all-time leading goal scorer for his country with 16 strikes, a lot is riding on his availability.

The reigning Moldovan Footballer of the Year started the 2024/25 campaign in great form for club and country, bagging a brace for Heerenveen in a 4-0 win against NAC Breda on August 31 and following that up with Moldova's second in a 2-0 victory over Malta eight days later. Nicolaescu also netted the winner for Heerenveen in a 2-1 success against Groningen last month, his last appearance before injury struck him down.

I'm not anticipating many goals on Thursday, with my previous selection suggesting Moldova will win 1-0 or 2-0, so it makes sense to plump for a first goal scorer pick, and Nicolaescu is the most obvious candidate to fire his country in front.

Offers

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