Finland vs Malta Prediction & Betting Tips (14 November)

Finland is not officially out of the running for the World Cup. With 2 games left to play, she is 3rd, 3 points behind Poland, 2nd and a virtual play-off. It would therefore take an improbable combination of circumstances for the Huuhkajat to make it to the play-offs. Never involved in a World Cup and appearing in only one Euro, in 2021, they dominated Lithuania at home last month 2-1 and took the lead, the Netherlands 4-0. Winner of Poland in June 2-1, Finland remains on 2 successes on home soil in these qualifiers.

 Last in Group G with a record of 2 draws and 4 defeats, Malta will not go any further. The 166th selection in the FIFA rankings remains a modest student in Europe, never involved in a major competition, and is scuttling in this campaign having conceded 16 goals in 6 outings. Last month, they suffered a heavy defeat against the Netherlands 0-4 and another significant setback, in a friendly, against Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-4. 

The Finland coach has retained his number 1 goalkeeper Hradecky (101 caps), injured since the end of September and not yet reappeared with his club Monaco. It is not certain that he is ready to hold his place on the field. The iconic striker Pukki (HJK, 42 goals in 131 seasons) is also present but little used. He has not yet scored in this campaign unlike Källman (Hanover, 3 goals) and Pohjanpalo (Palermo, 2 goals). Full-back Uronen (75 caps) is absent compared to the last gathering.

  Malta cannot count for this meeting on its executives Kamenzuli (lateral, 51 sel) and Teuma (Reims midfielder, 47 sel), suspended. Stéphanois Cardona (4 selections, 1 friendly goal) will probably be called up for the third meeting in a row in an offensive sector that is adrift, as evidenced by the only goal scored over the first 6 days. The important Muscat (Chaves, 76 caps) in defense and Guillaumier (Panserraikos, 49 caps) a notch higher are some of the internationals to play for clubs outside the Maltese championship.