Spain hosts Malta in round 9 of Euro qualification. The match will be played on Friday, November 15th at Estadio Ramón de Carranza (Cadiz)
The Spanish national team is not so productive in this qualifying campaign for the Euro, as it was in the previous qualification for the World Cup. In total, Moreno’s team had only three crushing victories, while the Red Fury did not score more than four goals. In recent matches, the Spaniards managed to score only one goal each. Yes, the rivals were not easy, but the complete domination of Moreno’s men in Malta “morphed” into just two goals.
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Like other dwarf teams, Malta's task in matches with a top rival is to avoid hammering defeat. It turns out pretty well so far. The Falcons conceded the second goal in the previous meeting with the Spaniards only in the 73rd minute. In a duel with the Swedes, Farrugia's men sailed away after the break, but they kept a +5 handicap, and the Scandinavians scored two of four goals from the penalty spot. In the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, the Falcons avoided defeat at Wembley, and they conceded only three goals in two games with the Croats in the qualifying campaign for Euro 2016. Finally, Malta’s last defeat with a difference of more than six goals happened in the match with the Danes in 2013.
The hosts will probably issue promotion to Euro 2020 from the first place already in the match with Malta, but I do not expect a defeat with a difference of six goals or more. The status of the opponent allows Moreno to use the team's reservists. He called Dani Olmo, who had previously played for the youth team. Sarabia will replace Adam Traore, and Rodrigo from Valencia will surely get his chance again. But the above players did not score in the last matches for their clubs. And Sarabia has only one goal scored this season. While Isco and Asensio were injured, Oyarzabal began to play in the first eleven, but he also failed to score for seven matches in a row in the national team and Real Sociedad. As we can see, the attacking line of Spain does not look so frightening. Once again, the players of the Red Fury will hog the blanket and shoot even from uncomfortable positions, which is in the visitors’ favor. Malta’s players feel comfortable even with 25% possession of the ball, and the two-line defense will surely allow the Falcons not to concede a whole pack of balls from the Spaniards, who will not have enough teamwork.
Prediction for the match: Malta to win with +5.0 handicap
