Will North Macedonia remain undefeated in qualifying?
The latest results in Group J have created a very exciting situation. At least in theory, three nations are still in the running for direct qualification for next year’s World Cup. Two contenders will face each other in a direct duel. Wales welcomes North Macedonia, and the tip on the hosts is rewarded by betting providers with a German license with odds of up to 1.72. The winner of this match will qualify for the playoffs and must hope for a sensation from Liechtenstein to make it to first place.
The hosts have won four and drawn one of their seven games. This gives the Dragons a total of 13 points, which currently puts them in third place in the standings. Their upcoming opponents are level on points, but have the advantage of a better goal difference, which is decisive in this case. The Welsh must therefore win this game if they are to retain their chance of qualifying for the final tournament. If the Belgians lose their parallel game against Liechtenstein, direct qualification is even possible.
The visitors have three wins and four draws to their name and are still unbeaten after seven matchdays. The Red and Yellows also have 13 points, but are ahead on goal difference, with nine goals scored compared to four conceded. A draw on Tuesday evening would secure their place in the playoffs.
Wales – North Macedonia Head-to-head record / H2H record
The two nations have met three times so far, always in World Cup qualifiers. The overall record is completely even, with one win for each team. In the first leg in North Macedonia, the teams drew 1-1, with the Balkan side taking the lead in the 91st minute, but the Welsh striking back five minutes later. The other two encounters ended in home wins, and a total of less than 2.5 goals were scored in two of the three games.
Wales – North Macedonia Tip
We can hardly expect more excitement for the final matchday. Three teams are still in the running for the top two positions in the standings. The hosts have the big advantage of being able to play their final game in front of their own fans. So far, they have enjoyed comfortable victories over Kazakhstan (3-1) and Liechtenstein (3-0) and suffered one defeat against Belgium (2-4). With 14 goals scored, head coach Craig Bellamy’s team has the second-best offense in Group J. However, the Dragons have been lacking an outstanding striker so far. The defense has not always been solid, conceding ten goals and ranking third in the group.
The visitors are a different story. Their success is based on a very strong defense, which has conceded only three goals, the best record in the group. The Red and Yellows have kept four clean sheets so far, a strong performance. But the offense is also delivering. They have found the back of the net twelve times. Coach Blagoja Milevski’s team is still hoping to qualify for its first World Cup finals. A draw in the last group game would mean qualification for the playoffs. The visitors already impressed in the last Nations League. With five wins and one draw, the Red and Yellows secured first place and were promoted to League B.
Showdown in Cardiff! The conditions are clear. The hosts must win to stay in the race. The results in front of their own fans give cause for optimism, and promotion to League A of the Nations League also shows the strength of the Welsh. But with the Red Lions coming, Bellamy’s team faces a real test. The visitors are yet to lose in qualifying. We see this as a closely fought contest and are therefore going for the better odds.
We don’t expect this to be an open game. The visitors will once again rely on their strong defense, and the home side will have 90 minutes to score what could be the decisive goal.
