No Winner in Helsinki?
Step right into League C of the Nations League! In the competition’s third-highest division, Matchday 3 features a showdown between Finland and Albania—and Wettbasis has a tip ready!
Both teams remain undefeated, but the visitors have gotten off to a better start in the competition with two wins against San Marino and Belarus. One thing they have in common, however, is their solid defenses.
After two matches, neither country has conceded a goal, and it’s likely that the group title will come down to a showdown between these two teams. We see the teams as evenly matched, which is why we’re predicting a draw in the Finland vs. Albania matchup.
This is a painful loss for the home team’s offense. The “Red Devil” is usually one of the Finns’ most dangerous goal-scorers.
This is also evident from his strong previous season at FCK, when he found the back of the net nine times in the German second division. With him out, the team will now rely even more heavily on Joel Pohjanpalo than it already does.
The 32-year-old, for his part, plays in Italy’s second division for Palermo—and with great success. Last season, he scored no fewer than 25 goals (including the playoffs), and with that tally, he claimed the Serie B scoring title.
On top of that, he has already recorded double-digit goal totals in three of the last five seasons in the league. His form is just as strong right now: The former Leverkusen player, who also competed in the Champions League with Bayer, has found the back of the net in half of his last six competitive matches for Palermo or the Finnish national team.
Finland – Albania Head-to-Head Record
The last matchup between the Finns and the “Kuqezinjtë” took place more than 24 years ago. Back then, the teams met in Albania, and after 90 minutes of play, the score was 1–1. Thanks to that draw, the Northern Europeans have been undefeated in their last four matches against this opponent (3-1-0). For the upcoming Finland vs. Albania match, the odds also point—at least moderately—toward a home victory.
Finland – Albania Prediction
The Finnish team, led by captain Lukas Hradecky, recently disappointed with a home draw against Belarus. Now, the team led by Danish coach Jacob Friis faces Albania—a team we consider to be even stronger by comparison.
The Albanian squad, led by Italian coach Rolando Maran, who took over in May of this year, won its first two matches in this competition and arrives as the league leader.
In contrast, despite their recent draw against Belarus, the Finns are counting on their home-field advantage.
Furthermore, they have the upper hand against their upcoming opponent: Finland is unbeaten in its last four matches against Albania and has lost only once. With that in mind, the odds for a draw in the showdown between Finland and Albania appear to offer good value.
In addition to the teams’ similar skill levels, the current situation also supports this prediction: The visitors, led by captain Berat Djimsiti, would be more than happy with a draw against arguably their toughest competitor in the group, as it would allow them to defend their top spot in the standings and keep Finland at bay.
