Albania vs Andorra prediction: EUROPE: World Championship – Qualification betting tips on match 2025-03-23 19:45.
[p]Things couldnât have gone much worse in 2024 for Albania, with the Red and Blacks suffering UEFA Nations League relegation and winning just two of their nine competitive outings across the calendar year (D2, L5). The hope is that they will fare somewhat better in 2025, but kicking their World Cup qualifying (WCQ) campaign off with a victory was always unlikely against group favourites England, and they duly lost 2-0 at Wembley.[/p]
[p]The previous 12 months aside, the Balkan country have been a growing force in the international game. Although they have never reached a World Cup finals, they only narrowly missed out on a play-off place in qualification for the 2022 tournament, while Sylvinhoâs men have qualified for two of the last three European Championships. If they are to play at next yearâs finals, bouncing back will be crucial, but Albania are winless in their last four matches in Tirana (D2, L2), netting just once in the process.[/p]
[p]That run appears likely to come to an end against opponents Andorra, who havenât scored in their last six matches on foreign soil (D1, L5). Firing blanks has long since been a problem for the Tricolours, who have hit the back of the net just 22 times in 63 previous WCQs, the most recent of which was a 1-0 reversal against Latvia on Friday.[/p]
[p]Unsurprisingly, 56 of those 63 outings have ended in defeat (W4, D3), including a pair of 1-0 losses against Albania in the last WCQ cycle. Supporters making the trip east may therefore do so with little confidence, especially as it is now two-and-a-half years since Koldo Ălvarezâs men last won a competitive game, with 16 games having passed (D4, L12) since their 2-0 success against Liechtenstein in September 2022.[/p]
[p]Key battle: Myrto Uzuni has not scored for his country since September 2022, but his five previous goals for Albania have all come after half-time. Andorra goalkeeper Iker Ălvarez will be looking to thwart him, but he has conceded at least twice in ten of his previous 15 qualifying matches for major tournaments (W1, D2, L12).[/p]
[p]Hot streak: None of Albaniaâs last nine home WCQ matches have seen both teams score.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Matt Jones[/i][/p]