World Cup
2025-03-22 - Moldova vs Norway
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: UEFA World Cup Qualifier
Saturday 22nd March 2025 - Kick Off 5pm
This game is live on TV
Moldova
They have earned Promotion into League C when the next Nations League tournament is run and that may actually offer Moldova a backdoor route into the Euro 2028 Finals. For now the national team will be looking to build on that performance in the Nations League, although Moldova cannot hope to be much more than a spoiler in this World Cup Qualifying Group.
Between 2008 and 2014, Moldova played in four different Qualifying campaigns and they won three matches in three of those sections. That has to be considered a successful period for the national team, especially when put into the context that they had not won two games within any Qualifying campaign until Moldova managed that in the Euro 2024 Qualifiers. With the Nations League and that Qualifying campaign in mind, Moldova may be ready to have an impact in this World Cup Qualifying Group, albeit it would be a huge upset for them to finish in the top two.
Moldova have won 4 of their last 6 games in all competitions and have suffered a single defeat at Malta in that time, although that is partly down to the Nations League giving them an opportunity to face opponents of a similar level. Respect has to be given to this team considering they beat Poland and also managed to hold Czechia and Albania to draws at home, although Moldova were beaten in 4 out of 5 home World Cup Qualifiers in the lead up to the 2022 Finals.
Norway
Twenty-five years have passed since Norway last played at a major international tournament at Euro 2000, and there will be some disappointment around the national team that they have not been able to at least return to the now expanded European Championships. A squad that includes some serious English Premier League talent will feel they should be earning a spot at the Finals of a major tournament, but the reaching the World Cup is that much tougher than making it through to a continental tournament.
They finished below Spain and Scotland in the last World Cup Qualifiers, while Norway had been struggling at the Nations League level until earning Promotion to League A for the first time. The format of the World Cup Qualifying Group means Norway are yet to know who the top Seed will be (it will be either Italy or Germany), but the focus in the coming days is on securing two wins before hosting the top Seed in June.
Norway have lost 1 of their last 6 games, all in the Nations League, and they earned wins in 4 of their last 5 fixtures to top the Group ahead of Austria. Playing away from home has been challenging for Norway and they had won 1 of 7 fixtures on their travels before the thumping 1-4 win at Slovenia to finish above Austria in their Nations League Group.
Head to Head
These nations have not met since an international friendly played in January 2014 when a young Norway team edged Moldova 2-1.
They were a part of the same Euro 2008 Qualifying Group and Norway won both matches, including a 0-1 win here.
Prediction
The expanded Nations League format means the World Cup Qualifying Group Stage draw made with teams placed into positions that will be decided by the Quarter Final results in Nations League matches played this month.
We may be fifteen months away from the start of the 2026 World Cup Finals, but that means some of the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers will begin this month without knowing the full make up of a Group.
It is the situation for Norway who will face the losing nation of the Quarter Final between Italy and Germany, but a squad that contains Martin Odegaard and Erling Haaland have to focus on themselves.
Only one team per Group is guaranteed of playing in North America at the next World Cup Finals and Norway have come up short in big moments. Away form in the recent Qualifying Groups has simply not been good enough and Norway will be looking to open with two wins outside of their homeland before they host either Italy or Germany in June.
Moving in front of the top Seed in terms of points could go a long way to ending what will become a twenty-six year wait to play at a major tournament next year. That has to be the focus for Norway and they should have enough to beat Moldova on Saturday in the opening fixture.
Respect has to be given to Moldova for earning Promotion in the Nations League, albeit from League D, and this is a team that made things tough for Czechia, Poland and Albania in the Euro 2024 Qualifying campaign. They drew with Czechia and Albania and fought back from 0-2 down to beat Poland, all at home, and Moldova will look to make things as difficult as possible for Norway.
They will note that Norway have not had the best away record in recent Qualifying campaigns.
However, Norway may point out that their away wins at Cyprus, Latvia and Gibraltar in the last couple of Qualifying Groups are against teams of the kind of level they are expected to face here. Norway drew at Georgia in the Euro 2024 Qualifiers, although the latter showed plenty of spirit when earning a spot in the Finals in Germany last summer, and the Norwegians may just have enough firepower to push past Moldova here.
That draw in Georgia is perhaps the 'worst' away result that Norway have produced in the last couple of Qualifiers and they have been a team that have tended to beat those they are expected to beat. In those wins in Gibraltar, Latvia and Cyprus, two have been by at least two goal margins and they can match that here before another important Qualifier to be played early next week.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Moldova 1-3 Norway
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back Norway - 1.5 Asian Handicap at 1.70 with Bet365
