In an upcoming clash in World Cup Qualifying – Europe, Romania will face off against San Marino at the Stadionul Ilie Oana. Despite being unable to secure a top-two finish in Group H, Romania’s aspirations for World Cup qualification still remain, though they are keen to avoid any embarrassment in this final qualifying match.
Currently sitting in third place with ten points, Romania is six points behind Bosnia-Herzegovina and already secured a significant advantage of ten points over fifth-placed San Marino. However, their hopes of directly qualifying hinge on performing well in the playoffs, specifically by being among the four highest-ranked Nations League group winners outside the top two.
Romania’s recent form took a downturn following a critical 3-1 defeat against Bosnia-Herzegovina, a match that was deeply affected when Denis Dragus received a red card while the game was tied at 1-1. This loss was their first in four matches, where they had previously managed two wins and a draw. While they have scored a total of 12 goals in their seven group games, defensively, they’ve struggled, keeping only two clean sheets in their last ten matches across all competitions. However, the team has secured a strong home record, winning six of their last nine games at the Stadionul Ilie Oana, including two consecutive victories.
On the other side, San Marino comes into the match after a disheartening run, losing their last ten consecutive games, including a recent 4-0 defeat to Cyprus and a 1-0 loss to the Czech Republic in a friendly. They have not scored in four of their last five outings, and defensively, a clean sheet has eluded them for over 15 matches. Historically, they have struggled against Romania, suffering defeat in all four previous encounters, with the most recent matchup resulting in a 5-1 loss.
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Looking ahead to team selections, Romania is expected to field a strong lineup in pursuit of victory. The squad may include Virgil Ghita and Bogdan Racovitan in defense, with Daniel Birligea likely leading the attack. Changes could see David Miculescu stepping in on the right wing, especially in light of Dragus’s suspension.
San Marino will likely retain forward Filippo Berardi, who could play on the left, alongside striker Nicola Nanni. Their midfield may also feature Alessandro Golinucci, Gabriel Capicchioni, and Samuele Zannoni.
The prognosis for the match favors Romania heavily, with predictions indicating a likely 3-0 victory. Given the potential need for points in the pursuit of playoff qualification, Romania is expected to seize the opportunity and display their attacking prowess against their struggling opponents.
