Match Overview

The 8th round qualifying match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature Andorra and Serbia. This pivotal encounter is scheduled for October 14th at the Estadi de la FAF in Encamp. This report provides a detailed prediction, betting odds, and key statistics for the Andorra vs. Serbia clash.

Andorra Team Analysis

Andorra’s performance in the current qualifying campaign recently saw a significant improvement. Koldo Álvarez’s squad not only secured their first points but also scored their first two goals in the last round. Their away fixture against Latvia concluded in an exciting 2-2 draw. Prior to this match, the Andorran team had suffered defeats in all five of their qualifying games, accumulating a disheartening 0-10 goal difference. Currently, Andorra occupies the bottom position in their five-team group, trailing their closest competitor by four points.

• Andorra has lost 7 of their last 8 World Cup qualification matches, with only one draw preventing a complete losing streak.
• A maximum of three goals were scored in 6 of the national team’s last 7 games in this tournament.
• The Andorrans have been defeated in 14 of their last 17 home World Cup qualifiers, managing only two victories and one draw.

Andorra National Team’s Probable Starting Lineup (5-4-1)

Iker Álvarez – Max Llovera, Bihl Borra, Cristian García, Ián Oliveira, Moisés San Nicolás – Marc Vales, Joan Cervós, Marc Rebés, Aarón Rodrigo – Cucu.

Defender Joel Guillén is sidelined for this match due to suspension.

Serbia Team Analysis

Serbia has faced a challenging period in their recent qualifying matches, playing both at home and failing to secure any points or even score a single goal. Their last two fixtures saw them suffer a heavy 0-5 defeat against England, followed by a crucial 0-1 loss to Albania. Consequently, the Serbian national team now sits third in the group, trailing their Albanian neighbors by four points, though with one game in hand. It’s also noteworthy that Serbia has only scored four goals in the group so far; only Andorra has managed fewer.

In a significant development, head coach Dragan Stojković has resigned, and youth team coach Zoran Mirković will now take charge of the national squad.

• Prior to these two recent setbacks, Serbia had enjoyed an impressive 12-match unbeaten run in World Cup qualifiers, comprising 9 wins and 3 draws.
• At least one team failed to score in 5 of the national team’s previous games in this tournament.
• A maximum of three goals were scored in 5 of Serbia’s last 6 World Cup qualifying matches.

Serbia National Team’s Probable Starting Lineup (3-5-2)

Đorđe Petrović – Strahinja Pavlović, Miloš Veljković, Veljko Milosavljević – Filip Kostić, Nemanja Maksimović, Nemanja Gudelj, Lazar Samardžić, Andrija Živković – Aleksandar Mitrović, Dušan Vlahović.

Goalkeeper Vanja Milinković-Savić is unavailable due to injury.

Referee Profile

Anastasios Papapetrou (Greece)

Matches officiated – 9 (International fixtures, 2024–2025);

Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 41;

Average yellow cards per match – 4.6;

Red cards shown – 0;

Average fouls per match – 24;

Penalty decisions – 11%.

Match Prediction: Andorra – Serbia

Serbia finds itself in a precarious position. Based on dropped points, they are currently one point behind Albania in the race for the second spot in the group. Both contenders for this crucial position still face a difficult fixture against England. Notably, Serbia’s match against England will be away, while Albania will play at home. Therefore, the Serbian squad, now under new management, must win all their remaining games and hope for a slip-up from Albania.

Andorra has already achieved their primary objective for the qualifiers by securing points. As is often the case, the national team lacks significant tournament motivation and is primarily playing for pride. In their reverse fixture, Serbia comfortably defeated the microstate 3-0. I anticipate another convincing victory for the Balkan nation in this match. With their backs against the wall and needing to redeem themselves after recent poor performances, Serbia is expected to perform strongly.

My final prediction for this encounter is ‘Serbia with a -2 Asian Handicap’ at odds of 1.88.

Author: Олександр Олексенко