Moldova vs Italy prediction: EUROPE: World Cup – Qualification betting tips on match 2025-11-12 19:45.
[p]Italy will look to keep pace with Group I leaders Norway in World Cup qualification (WCQ) when they face bottom-of-the-table Moldova in Chișinău. [/p]
[p]Match News and Current Form[/p]
[p]Moldova sit bottom of Group I with a solitary point from their six qualifiers to date and subsequently now face the prospect of a third successive winless WCQ cycle. That misery is compounded by no wins in any of their last nine games (D2, L7) across all competitions, but the Tricolours at least avoided the embarrassment of losing every WCQ in this cycle, following a 1-1 draw with Estonia last month. They could go consecutive matches unbeaten for the first time in almost a year here, but those hopes look bleak after what has been a chastening campaign. [/p]
[p]The stakes are much higher for an Italy side looking to avoid the unthinkable prospect of failing to qualify for a third consecutive finals after the ignominy of missing out on the 2018 and 2022 editions. Gennaro Gattuso’s team are assured of at least a play-off place, but still harbour realistic hopes of usurping leaders Norway and securing an automatic qualification berth. Their quest is aided by a five-match winning run, which is their longest streak since emerging victorious in 15 consecutive games between November 2020 and July 2021. [/p]
[p]Head-to-Head History[/p]
[p]Italy have won all six of their previous H2Hs against Moldova, including a 2-0 victory in the reverse WCQ five months ago.[/p]
[p]Hot Stats and Streaks[/p]
[p]Moldova haven’t drawn any of their last nine home games (W5, L4).[/p]
[p]The half-time result has been replicated at full-time in seven of Moldova’s previous eight games.[/p]
[p]Eight of Italy’s last nine games produced over 2.5 goals.[/p]
[p]Twelve of Italy’s previous 16 goals arrived after half-time.[/p]
[p]Key Players to Watch and Missing Players[/p]
[p]Moldova’s Ștefan Bodișteanu scored his first senior international goal against Estonia last month, and has been on the winning side six times in eight previous goalscoring appearances for club and country (D1, L1). Andrea Cambiaso scored in the reverse WCQ between these sides, with all three of his senior international goals to date for Italy coming before the hour mark. [/p]
[p]Cătălin Cucoș and Vlad Răileanu have both been called up by Moldova for the first time, while Italy’s Nicolò Barella will miss this game due to a one-match suspension.[/p]
[p]For all the latest team news, please check the Flashscore match centre.[/p]
[p]Betting Analysis[/p]
[p]This is unquestionably a much bigger game for the visitors, so backing Italy to win with a -2 handicap seems like a sensible punt.[/p]
[p][i]Author: James Hilsum[/i][/p]