Moldova take on the visitors Norway in a World Cup 2026 qualification match. The match will be played on Saturday, March 22nd at Stadionul Zimbru (Chişinău).
Moldova represent a small and economically modest country without a strong footballing tradition. Yes, Sheriff Tiraspol has had its moments, but even the club has declined in recent years. The national team, for the longest time, was considered an outright outsider. However, that changed in the last qualification cycle. Moldova managed to beat Poland and the Faroe Islands while securing draws against the Czech Republic and Albania, finishing with 10 points. They didn’t qualify for anything, of course, but this was still a remarkable achievement for them. In last autumn’s Nations League, they split wins with Malta and collected all six points against Andorra, ultimately winning the group and earning another shot at promotion. Now, however, they face significantly stronger opposition, which will test their progress.
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Norway has finally shown some signs of life. At the turn of the century, the Drills managed to qualify for both the World Cup and the Euros. Since then, they had been in a prolonged drought, despite assembling a squad full of stars, led by Martin Ødegaard and Erling Haaland. Yet, results never matched their potential, and they failed to qualify for Euro 2024, falling well behind not only Spain but also Scotland. Still, Ståle Solbakken retained his job. And finally, in the most recent Nations League campaign, Norway delivered. They started with a goalless draw against Kazakhstan—perhaps affected by the long travel. But after that, they won all remaining matches, including victories over Austria and Slovenia, both of whom later made the Euros via the playoffs. This newfound confidence makes them a dangerous team moving forward.
The first-ever meeting between these teams ended in a goalless draw back in 2005. Since then, the four following encounters have all been won by Norway. Haaland and company are a class above their opponents and should win comfortably, even away at Zimbru Stadium. Expect them to cover a -2 goal handicap.
Prediction for the match: Norway to win with -2.0 handicap.
