San Marino vs Austria prediction: EUROPE: World Championship – Qualification betting tips on match 2025-06-09 18:45.
[p]San Marino enjoyed success like they have never tasted before when gaining promotion in the UEFA Nations League last year, losing just one of their four group games (W2, D1). Having only won three matches in their history, they remain FIFA’s lowest-ranked country (#210) though, and have started the 2026 World Cup qualification (WCQ) campaign with three defeats on the spin.[/p]
[p]Despite acquitting themselves well in Saturday’s narrow 1-0 loss to Bosnia, as they have done for much of Roberto Cevoli’s time in charge since his appointment in December 2023, the outcome came as no surprise. La Serenissima have now played 79 World Cup qualifiers in their history, and are yet to win a single one (D2, L77), last avoiding defeat back in April 2001 against Latvia![/p]
[p]Austria had to wait until last weekend to begin their WCQ campaign, having been involved unsuccessfully in the UEFA Nations League play-offs back in March. Ralf Rangnick’s men didn’t allow that disappointment to affect them, earning a 2-1 win over Romania to go level on points with the second-placed Romanians in Group H, and Austria have now won four of their last seven games (D2, L1), scoring 2+ goals in each victory during that sequence.[/p]
[p]As favourites to top the group and reach a first World Cup since 1998, Austria have a vast amount of pressure on them in this qualifying campaign, but will be confident of asserting their authority in Serravalle on Tuesday night. This match marks the pair’s first meeting since April 1999, and unsurprisingly, Austria have been victorious in both previous H2Hs, winning 11-1 on aggregate across that pair of games.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Matteo Valli Casadei has been booked in three of his last six San Marino appearances, with two of those yellow cards coming inside 20 minutes. Austria captain Marcel Sabitzer has recorded five goal involvements in his last five internationals (G3, A2), with four of those arriving after half-time, including the clincher against Romania on Saturday. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: San Marino have only conceded 3+ goals once in their last nine matches.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Ben Olawumi[/i][/p]