North Macedonia vs Malta prediction: EUROPE: Euro – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-03-22 19:45.
Having made their major tournament debut in Euro 2020, North Macedonia will hope to continue their improvement during their Euro 2024 campaign, where they'll aim to qualify from a tricky-looking Group C containing Italy, England and Ukraine who are all ranked inside FIFAâs top-30. The big names likely wonât faze the hosts who defeated Italy enroute to reaching the 2022 World Cup qualification play-offs, but a solid start against the groupâs lowest-ranked side in the group, Malta, will likely prove crucial.
Coach Blagoja Milevski didnât mince his words when he stated âwe are better than Malta, but we have to prove itâ, a bold statement which perhaps places added pressure on his side to perform here. He will hope opening their qualification campaign at ToĆĄe Proeski National Arena will prove a good omen for his side as North Macedonia have won their last three home European qualifiers (including play-offs).
Malta are regulars in the qualifiers but are yet to make it to the finals of any major competition, which perhaps justifies why on paper they start this qualifying campaign with slim hopes of progression. Itâs hard to find many silver linings for Malta, who have historically failed to excel on the Euro qualification front, losing a whopping 84% of their 112 Euro qualifiers.
Such a poor record is largely due to their defensive generosity, with Malta conceding an average of 2.81 goals per game in Euro qualifiers. Things have notoriously been worse on the road for Malta, as the worldâs tenth-smallest country by area have lost their last eight away Euro qualifiers âto nilâ including a 7-0 trouncing at the hands of Spain in their last such game.
Players to watch: Enis Bardhi has directly contributed five of North Macedoniaâs last eight goals (G4, A1) and will once again look to rally his side. The visitors may look to Teddy Teuma for inspiration, with the Royale Union SG midfielder scoring in his last two competitive club matches.
Hot stat: North Macedonia have scored first in each of the six H2Hs (W5, D1) with four of the match openers arriving before half-time.