Sports Mole previews Friday’s World Cup qualification clash between Finland and Malta, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Still in with a chance of securing a playoff spot for the 2026 World Cup, Finland will host Malta in Group G on Friday evening, and a victory is required for the Eagle-owls.
The Nordic nation are currently third in Group G, three points behind second-placed Poland, but Jacob Friis‘s side have played seven games in the section, with this match their final fixture.
Match preview
Finland boast a record of three wins, one draw and three defeats from their seven games in Group G, with 10 points leaving them third in the section, three points behind second-placed Poland.
The Eagle-owls can only finish second, and secure a playoff spot for the World Cup, if they beat Malta on Friday and then Poland lose their final two games to the Netherlands and Malta.
Friis’s side have lost three of their last four matches, including two of their last three qualifiers, but the home victory over Lithuania last month has kept them in contention.
Finland have never qualified for the finals of a World Cup, but they did manage to secure a spot in the finals of Euro 2020, being eliminated in the group stage of the tournament.
The Eagle-owls have tackled Malta on nine previous occasions and have posted six wins, including victories in their last six fixtures, with Malta’s only victory over Finland coming back in 1988.
Malta’s last away match against Finland ended in a 5-0 defeat in March 2018, but it was only 1-0 when the pair last met in March, and this is a free hit for the Reds.
It has been another difficult qualification campaign for the national side, who have only managed to post two World Cup qualification victories since attempting to book a spot at Euro 1994.
Emilio De Leo‘s team have drawn two and lost four of their six matches in the section, with two points leaving them at the bottom of Group G, one point behind fourth-placed Lithuania.
Malta have only scored once in the group and have conceded 16, showing their struggles, but they can still finish fourth, which would go down as a success.
The Reds beat San Marino in a friendly in September, but they lost 4-0 to the Netherlands in their last World Cup qualifier on October 9, before going down 4-1 at home to Bosnia & Herzegovina in a friendly.
Finland World Cup Qualifying – Europe form:
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Finland form (all competitions):
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Malta World Cup Qualifying – Europe form:
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Malta form (all competitions):
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Team News
Teemu Pukki is in the Finland squad for the final time, with the 35-year-old bidding to add to the 42 goals that he has scored for the national side before hanging up his international boots.
Finland are expected to have two Scotland-based players in their XI, with Rangers’ Oliver Antman and Aberdeen’s Topi Keskinen potentially both being named in the side.
Lukas Hradecky is the captain, and the Monaco goalkeeper is in line to win his 102nd cap for the national side, while there should be a spot in midfield for Robin Lod.
Malta have welcomed James Carragher back into their squad, with the 23-year-old recovering from an injury problem, and he is in line to win his fifth cap against Finland.
The visitors will be without the services of both Ryan Camenzuli and Teddy Teuma through suspension, which could open the door for Myles Beerman and Jake Grech to start.
Joseph Mbong has scored three times in 69 caps for his country, and there is set to be another spot in the final third of the field for the 28-year-old, while Irvin Cardona should lead the line.
Finland possible starting lineup:
Hradecky; Alho, Ivanov, Tenho, Koski, Lahteenmaki; Antman, Kairinen, Lod, Keskinen; Walta
Malta possible starting lineup:
Bonello; Corbalan, Shaw, Carragher, Beerman; Guillaumier, Satariano; J Mbong, Grech, Chouaref; Cardona
We say: Finland 2-1 Malta
Malta are capable of making this a tricky match for Finland, and we are backing the visitors to score just their second goal in the section, but Finland should be able to navigate their way to a narrow win on Friday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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