Romania Vs Liechtenstein
Romania Vs Liechtenstein Sunday 5 September, 2021 – 19:45 (BST)
World Cup Qualifier
Pick: Highest Scoring Half – Second Half
Odds: 19/20
Bookmaker: Betway
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 3 September 2021)
Preview: A morale boosting win last time out has boosted Romania‘s hopes of making their first appearance at the World Cup in more than two decades. Three points in Bucharest, versus a Liechtenstein side without a point in Group J, are therefore imperative.
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Table of Contents
Romania – Confidence restored in Iceland?
Despite picking up their second win in four Group J outings last time in Iceland, the situation for the Romania (W2 L2) is still critical heading into what should be a relatively simple task against minnows Liechtenstein. Sat fourth, three points shy of the second place Germans, realistically only a win will suffice. Especially as games only get tougher from here on in, beginning next Wednesday’s with a trip to third-place North Macedonia.
That win in Iceland carried more significance than merely three points, however. Second half strikes from Dennis Man and Nicolae Stanciu meant the current crop avoided becoming the first Romanian team ever to lose five straight matches. Moreover, goalkeeper Florin Nita, who wasn’t unduly troubled throughout the evening in Reykjavik, earned the ‘Tricolorii’ their first clean sheet in sixteen internationals.
Key Stat: Six of Romania’s seven goals so far in 2022 World Cup qualifying were scored during the second half, netting both strikes in a 2-0 win in Iceland last Thursday after half-time.
Liechtenstein – Little to cheer about so far?
A miserable year shows little sign of abating for lowly Liechtenstein (L4) who are well on their way to recording their second successive pointless campaign in World Cup qualifying. Last Thursday’s 2-0 defeat at home to Germany – a scoreline which utterly flattered them, seeing just 18% of the ball whilst attempting two shots on the German goal to the latter’s 30 – leaving them rooted to the bottom of Group J.
The scoreline itself was at least an improvement on recent results. In fact, it was the first time they hadn’t shipped four or more in five games, and was their best result in this group since opening with a 1-0 loss to Armenia. Chastening 5-0 and 1-4 defeats to North Macedonia and Iceland followed, though. Even more damning, however, is their current streak of fifteen consecutive away defeats in World Cup qualifying.
Key Stat: Should the visitors score in Bucharest, it will mark just the second goal Liechtenstein have scored in what will be their eight fixture in 2021.
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Romania Vs Liechtenstein Betting Advice
Still looking for their maiden point of this qualifying campaign, Liechtenstein will aim to put a spanner in the Romanian works as the latter bid to make up ground on Group J’s leading duo, Armenia and Germany, who face each other in Stuttgart the same night. It seems an unlikely prospect, though. The minnows are coming off seven straight losses, shipping three goals on average across four qualifying games thus far.
Romania Vs Liechtenstein – Key Facts:
- Sunday marks the fifth meeting between Romania and Liechtenstein. It is the former who are striving to preserve a flawless record, winning all four prior encounters by an aggregate of 26-1.
- Romania haven’t exactly been in sparkling form, however. Their recent win away to Iceland halted a four-match losing sequence – the joint-longest in their history.
- Simply scoring would feel like the equivalent of winning for Liechtenstein, who are coming off seven consecutive defeats in 2021, scoring only twice.
Unsurprisingly, Romania have bossed previous encounters between the countries having won all four such meetings by an aggregate of 26-1. Featuring scorlines of 7-0, 1-8 and 8-0. Although none of those took place this century, we can expect more of the same when the sides reconvene in Bucharest. The Romanians do tend to be slow starters, though, scoring six of seven goals in qualifying after the half-time interval.
Best Betting Odds – Romania Vs Liechtenstein
Romania – 1/25 (Betfair)
Draw – 16/2 (PaddyPower)
Liechtenstein – 55/1 (Betfair)
