Burkina Faso
Czech Republic
Lithuania
Montenegro
Nigeria
North Macedonia
United Arab Emirates

Preview: Albania vs. Moldova - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 15 June 2023, 15:00
Aiming to get off the mark in European Championship qualifying Group E, Albania play host to minnows Moldova on Saturday evening.

The teams meet in Tirana with the home side bottom of the table after losing to Poland in their opening game; meanwhile, the visitors managed to defy expectation and navigate their first two fixtures unbeaten.

Match preview

Despite much talk of a bold new era under new coach Sylvinho, the Brazilian's reign as Albania boss began with a 1-0 defeat in Warsaw during the spring international period.

The former Arsenal full-back's first competitive match saw the Eagles set out on the road towards Euro 2024, but they were unable to respond after going behind shortly before the break against Group E favourites Poland.

Nonetheless, Albania are now presented with back-to-back fixtures against outsiders Moldova and the Faroe Islands, so will expect to start September's camp with six points on the board.

Alongside his assistant, Pablo Zabaleta, Sylvinho was chosen to succeed veteran coach Edy Reja, after a weak UEFA Nations League showing saw the Albanians finish with two points from a possible 12; only avoiding relegation due to being drawn in the same group as Russia, who were expelled from the competition.

Having also failed to reach Qatar 2022 and won just one of their last 12 matches - a friendly against Armenia last autumn - the new management is now expected to get the best out of a talented crop featuring Chelsea's Armando Broja and Inter Milan midfielder Kristjan Asllani.

By comparison with their hosts - Euro 2016 participants who are placed more than 100 places higher in the FIFA rankings - Moldova's resources are certainly more scarce.

However, they caused an early stir in Group E by holding Czechia goalless when the teams met in March, after having less than a third of the ball at home in Chisinau and surviving 16 shots on goal.

That followed a 1-1 draw against the Faroe Islands, in which a late Ion Nicolaescu penalty saved the day for Serghei Clescenco's side.

Now five competitive games unbeaten after ending their Nations League campaign with three straight wins, Moldova are accustomed to being cut adrift in qualifying for the European Championships and World Cup, but ahead of Saturday's contest at Air Albania Stadium they sit two points above their opponents.

The Eastern European nation came last in qualification for both Euro 2016 and Euro 2020, so a bright start this time around has raised hopes they can avoid such a fate on the road to Germany.

Albania Euro Champ Qualifying form:

L

Albania form (all competitions):

D

D

L

L

W

L

Moldova Euro Champ Qualifying form:

D

D

Moldova form (all competitions):

W

W

L

L

D

D

Team News

As Sylvinho aims to lead his team off the bottom of Group E, and ultimately to Albania's second major finals, he has named a squad captained by Torino goalkeeper Etrit Berisha and featuring 75-cap full-back Elseid Hysaj.

That pair make up one quarter of an eight-strong Serie A contingent for the hosts, with Kristjan Asllani expected to start in midfield and Atalanta's Berat Djimsiti set to join Hysaj at the back.

In addition to Armando Broja, though, Roma's Marash Kumbulla and Ivan Balliu of Rayo Vallecano will not be available for this month's internationals. An adductor injury sustained on the final day of La Liga sees the latter miss out, so Nasser Aliji has been called up as cover.

Moldova, meanwhile, will again turn to top scorer Ion Nicolaescu to carry the fight up front; having impressed for Beitar Jerusalem this season, the striker now seeks to increase his international tally of 10 goals.

Elsewhere, Oleg Reabciuk of Olympiacos and Italy-based Artur Ionita are among the most notable members of a squad which will be missing former skipper Igor Armas, who recently retired from national duty. Vadim Rata is set to take the armband this weekend.

Albania possible starting lineup:

Berisha; Veseli, Ismajli, Djimsiti, Hysaj; Abrashi, Asllani, Bajrami; Asani, Cikalleshi, Uzuni

Moldova possible starting lineup:

Railean; Craciun, Mudrac, Posmac; Revenco, Rata, Caimacov, Motpan, Reabciuk; Damascan, Nicolaescu

We say: Albania 2-0 Moldova

Previews by email
Show more

Top News

23 March 2025 talksport.com Myles Lewis-Skelly could become the next Ashley Cole for England. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Scotland and Greece have announced their starting lineups for the second leg of their UEFA Nations League playoff. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly battling Manchester United for the signature of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, with the Nigerian set to be on the move during this summer's transfer window. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Sean Dyche has revealed the reason he was shocked Vincent Kompany secured the Bayern Munich job. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Leading the way in Group L of World Cup 2026 Qualifying, Montenegro aspire to make it two for two when the Faroe Islands visit the Gradski stadion in Niksic on Tuesday evening. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona sporting director Deco is reportedly determined to bring Monaco defender Vanderson to the club this summer. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Michael Olise isn't much of a talker, especially in French. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Ajax are reportedly willing to sell Brian Brobbey for as little as €25m (£21m) during this summer's transfer window, which could alert both Manchester United and Arsenal. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Sean Dyche has revealed the extent of the challenges he overcame at Everton before leaving the club 'in good shape'. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Sean Dyche joined talkSPORT on Sunday afternoon and FINALLY talked about the now infamous 'Utter Woke Nonsense' viral meme. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Thomas Tuchel will hope to continue his perfect start to his England tenure as the Three Lions take on Latvia on Monday, live on talkSPORT. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Hugo Ekitike is reportedly set to leave Eintracht Frankfurt during this summer's transfer window, with Manchester United among the clubs believed to be interested in his services. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Sean Dyche joined talkSPORT on Sunday afternoon and FINALLY talked about the now infamous 'Utter Woke Nonsense' viral meme. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool and Manchester City are reportedly involved in a six-team battle to sign 15-year-old Johan Martinez, who has been likened to Ousmane Dembele. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente will have Alvaro Morata and Robin Le Normand available for Sunday's UEFA Nations League quarter-final second leg against Netherlands. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Cristiano Ronaldo has insisted that he would be prepared to accept not being a starter for Portugal providing that the national team are winning matches. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea and Liverpool are allegedly prepared to offer as much as €75m (£63.2m) to sign Atalanta BC's Ademola Lookman in the summer transfer window. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has held talks with MLS outfit San Diego FC ahead of the expiry of his Citizens contract at the end of the season, the American club's sporting director has confirmed. 23 March 2025 talksport.com The international break is almost over with UEFA Nations League games providing fans with their football fix. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Locking horns for the very first time in a senior men's international, Gibraltar and the Czech Republic will scrap it out in Tuesday's World Cup 2026 Qualifying Group L battle at the Estadio Algarve. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Cristiano Ronaldo has hit back at the negativity around Portugal by calling out 'disrespectful' questions during his press conference. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk England have confirmed that Anthony Gordon has withdrawn from the squad after suffering an injury in Friday's 2-0 win over Albania in World Cup 2026 Qualifying. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Azerbaijan will be bidding to bounce back from a shock defeat when they host Belarus in a friendly on Tuesday night. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk First meets second in Tuesday's World Cup 2026 Qualifying Group I showdown, as Israel and Norway seek to maintain their 100% starts at the former's adopted home in Debrecen, Hungary. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Switzerland will be bidding to post their first victory since June 2024 when they host Luxembourg in a friendly on Tuesday night. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk At least one of Moldova and Estonia will collect their first points of World Cup 2026 Qualifying when they lock horns at Stadionul Zimbru on Tuesday evening. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Northern Ireland will be bidding to stretch their unbeaten run of form to six matches when they take on Sweden in an international friendly at Strawberry Arena in Solna on Tuesday night. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Joint-top of the early Group J table, North Macedonia and Wales will lock horns in Skopje on Tuesday night, both aiming to make a perfect start to World Cup 2026 qualifying. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are reportedly locked in a two-way battle with Aston Villa to sign Villarreal left-back Sergi Cardona in the summer transfer window. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool attacker Luis Diaz will supposedly 'not hesitate' to leave Anfield if one particular club makes a firm move for him in the summer transfer window.