Preview: Gibraltar vs. Liechtenstein - prediction, team news, lineups

It is the sixth occasion that the two countries have squared off, with the visitors only managing to pick up one win in the previous encounters.

Match preview

The match will be Gibraltar's first outing since the conclusion of their UEFA Nations League campaign at the end of September, a tournament in which they finished bottom of League C, acquiring just one point from their six group games.

The draw that Julio Cesar Ribas's side managed was in a home clash against Bulgaria back in June, with Liam Walker on the scoresheet just after the hour mark, cancelling out a Georgi Minchev opener.

After being accepted as a member of FIFA in 2016, it was always going to be hard for a nation made up of around just 34,000 people to establish themselves in international football, but they have managed to pick up six victories in their short time officially competing as a nation.

The team from the Iberian Peninsula will be confident going into the game knowing that two of these wins came against Liechtenstein, most recently winning 1-0 away in Vaduz in October 2020, with Tjay De Barr getting the only goal of the game.

It will also be good match practice for Ribas's side to be tested against a side of a similar quality, as they may well be lining up against Liechtenstein in the UEFA Nations League D next season.

Indeed, Liechtenstein struggled considerably in the lowest rung of the UEFA Nations League last season, mustering up just one goal in six outings.

That solitary effort was scored by Livio Meier in a 2-1 away defeat against Andorra in June, one of six defeats, also coming up short both times against Latvia and Moldova.

Most recently, Martin Stocklasa's side were defeated 2-0 by Moldova in cruel style, as they were just seconds away from picking up their first and only point in the group.

However, a stoppage-time brace from Victor Stina ensured that the Blues-Reds once again came away with nothing, unable to take anything from a match since a 1-1 draw away at Armenia in September 2021.

Gibraltar International Friendlies form:

D

D

Gibraltar form (all competitions):

L

L

D

L

L

L

Liechtenstein International Friendlies form:

L

W

Liechtenstein form (all competitions):

L

L

L

L

L

L

Team News

Gibraltar's Louie Annesley has featured seven times in the Premier League 2 this season and notched his first goal for his country in a 2-1 defeat against Georgia last time out, so Ribas may stick by the defensive midfielder.

Annesley is usually played further forward at international level, allowing stalwart centre-back Roy Chipolina to slot in at centre-back, where he should be accompanied by Bernardo Lopes.

Record goalscorer Walker is expected to lead the line, with 41-year-old Lee Casciaro playing in a supporting role on the right, and Kian Ronan on the left.

For Liechtenstein, captain Nicolas Hasler is the main threat in attack, and he should play on the right of a front three, with Niklas Beck on the left and Philipp Gassner at centre-forward.

Lars Traber is Hasler's teammate at FC Vaduz, and he has started the last four matches at club level, so should make up part of a three-pronged defence next to Jens Hofer and Rafael Grunenfelder.

Gibraltar possible starting lineup:

Banda; Wiseman, Lopes, Chipolina, Olivero; Torrilla, Annesley, Britto; Casciaro, Ronan, Walker

Liechtenstein possible starting lineup:

Buchel; Traber, Hofer, Grunenfelder; Goppel, Luchinger, Sele, Netzer; Hasler, Gassner, Beck

We say: Gibraltar 1-0 Liechtenstein

Based off previous encounters, Gibraltar seem to have a slight edge on their opponents, so we expect them to win by a narrow margin. It will be a closely contested match, so they may well win in the same fashion as they did last time out.

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