Malta’s hopes of securing automatic promotion to UEFA Nations League C were crushed in dramatic fashion after Virgiliu Postolachi netted a stoppage-time winner for Moldova, sealing their place in the next edition of the competition.
With Malta’s future in their own hands, the team needed Moldova and Andorra to share the spoils in their encounter to have a chance at topping the group. However, a late strike in the 92nd minute from Postolachi left Malta’s hopes in tatters, as Moldova grabbed all three points and ensured their promotion.
Even with a potential victory over Andorra in their final match on Tuesday at Ta’ Qali’s National Stadium, Malta will remain in second place. This is due to Moldova’s superior goal difference in their direct encounters with Malta, which ultimately renders any win over Andorra insufficient to overturn the standings.
As a result, Malta’s path to League C promotion will now depend on the play-offs, scheduled for March 2026. The draw for the play-offs will take place on November 22, where Malta is set to face one of the best fourth-placed teams—either Latvia, as it stands, or Luxembourg, depending on the final rankings.
