Albania vs Latvia prediction: EUROPE: World Championship – Qualification betting tips on match 2025-09-08 18:45.
[p]Both Albania and Latvia know this is a game they realistically cannot afford to lose if they are to make it out of Group K and qualify for the FIFA World Cup.[/p]
[p]Match News and Current Form[/p]
[p]Albania are more than holding their own in World Cup qualifying (WCQ), losing just one of their four fixtures so far (W1, D2), but back-to-back draws have hindered their progress towards the top two. A first-ever appearance at the World Cup finals therefore depends on turning stalemates into victories, especially as those draws came against the team directly above them, Serbia (0-0), and below them, Latvia (1-1). Confidence may not be flowing on that front despite emerging victorious from a friendly on Thursday, as Albania scraped past a Gibraltar side languishing in 199th in the world rankings (1-0).[/p]
[p]Latvia’s margin for error in Group K is even smaller, as they’ve failed to win any of their last three WCQs (D1, L2) since beating Andorra on matchday one. Another scoring blank in a 1-0 defeat to Serbia on Saturday left Paolo Nicolato’s men with just two goals from their four matches in this group, and with leaders England still to play, hope is diminishing that they can reach a major tournament for just the second time ever. Even this fixture could be too much for them considering that Latvia have not beaten a team currently ranked in the world’s top 100 by FIFA since a 1-0 triumph over Austria six years ago.[/p]
[p]Head-to-Head History[/p]
[p]All six previous H2Hs between these sides have been drawn, including a pair of 0-0 stalemates.[/p]
[p]Hot Stats and Streaks[/p]
[p]Just two of Albania’s last ten matches have seen both teams score.[/p]
[p]Eight of Albania’s last ten matches featured under 2.5 goals.[/p]
[p]None of Latvia’s last 18 games have seen them score more than once.[/p]
[p]Only three of Latvia’s last ten WCQ games saw both teams score.[/p]
[p]Key Players to Watch and Missing Players[/p]
[p]An unused substitute against Gibraltar, Rey Manaj should be fresh for this fixture and Albania will hope he can get on the scoresheet as they’re unbeaten in the nine games he’s scored in for them (W7, D2). Latvia’s Jānis Ikaunieks will be desperate to get on the scoresheet as he’s blanked in his last 15 international appearances.[/p]
[p]Experienced Albania midfielder Ylber Ramadani remains sidelined. Latvia are without Kristers Tobers, but do have Antonijs Cernomordijs back from suspension.[/p]
[p]For all the latest team news, please check the Flashscore match centre.[/p]
[p]Betting Analysis[/p]
[p]This hardly looks likely to be a goalfest, so backing under 2.5 goals might be a prudent selection.[/p]
[p][i]Author: Matt Jones[/i][/p]