After their disappointing defeat against Moldova in Saturday’s opening UEFA Nations League Group D match, Malta will be looking for no less than the three points in their next fixture against Andorra on Tuesday evening
In a three-team section, Andorra had no opponents on matchday one, so their UNL campaign begins on home soil, looking to end a two-year winless run.
Not since a win over Liechtenstein in this competition back in 2022 have Andorra tasted success, losing 14 of the 18 games since.
The most recent of those defeats came last Wednesday, losing 1-0 to League D’s other inactive team on matchday one, Gibraltar.
After taking just two points from their eight Euro 2024 qualifiers, Andorra will hope for more success in a competition that provided some promising results last time out.
The Tricolors remained unbeaten at home across the last campaign, beating Liechtenstein here, and drawing with Moldova and Latvia, as Koldo Alvarez’s side ended on eight points – their best-ever tally.
Andorra are yet to make their way out of the bottom tier though in the three previous iterations of the Nations League, but this could be their best chance yet.
Moldova will provide a stern test, but starting at home to Malta, the section’s lowest-ranked outfit, gives them the opportunity to make a bright start.
The two nations met in the 2020 Nations League, and it was Malta who came out on top, winning 3-1 in Ta’Qali after a 0-0 draw here in Andorra la Vella.
Malta have faltered since then though, losing all eight Euro 2024 qualifiers, and scoring just four goals in their last nine outings.
Their last competitive wins also came in the previous Nations League campaign, home and away against San Marino, and this is likely going to be their best chance to end that run.
That is after Michele Marcolini’s side were comfortably beaten in Chisinau by group-favourites Moldova on Saturday, going down two goals to nil, creating a meagre 0.15 xG across the 90 minutes.
Keeping tight at the back is going to be their only route to success, given their troubles in attack, but Malta have proven tough to break down for other sides in League D.
They may have lost on the road at the weekend, but in their previous five UNL matches, Malta have kept three clean sheets, including one on their trip here in 2020.
Maltasport prediction:
Andorra 0 Malta 1
