Match Overview

This exciting sixth-round fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign will see Norway face Moldova. The clash is scheduled for September 9 at the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo. This comprehensive preview offers a detailed prediction, betting odds, and key statistics for the Norway – Moldova encounter.

Norway’s Current Form

The Norwegian national team is in excellent form, having secured a 1-0 away victory against Estonia in their last qualifying match. Ståle Solbakken’s squad has now achieved four consecutive wins in the current qualification cycle. Notably, they have kept a clean sheet in three of these encounters, and in fact, have prevented opponents from scoring in 5 of their last 7 World Cup qualifying fixtures. Their offensive capabilities are also impressive, with Norway having netted 13 goals so far, marking them as the highest-scoring team in Group I, where they currently lead the standings.

Norway’s Key Statistics

• In 6 of Norway’s last 7 World Cup qualifying matches, at least one team failed to score.
• The team has scored no more than two goals in 7 of their last 9 home games in this tournament.
• Norway opened the scoring in 6 of their last 8 home World Cup qualifiers.

Norway Predicted Lineup (4-4-2)*

Ørjan Nyland – Torbjørn Heggem, David Møller Wolfe, Julian Ryerson, Kristoffer Ajer – Antonio Nusa, Morten Thorsby, Martin Ødegaard, Sander Berge – Erling Haaland, Alexander Sørloth.

Moldova’s Current Form

Serghei Cleșcenco’s side suffered a heavy 0-4 defeat at home to Israel in their previous fixture. This loss marks Moldova’s thirteenth consecutive defeat in World Cup qualifiers. During this period, they have conceded at least two goals in twelve of those matches. Furthermore, the team has only managed to score in 2 of their last 6 World Cup qualifying games. With no points accumulated, Moldova currently sits at the bottom of Group I.

Moldova’s Key Statistics

• At least three goals were scored in 7 of Moldova’s last 9 World Cup qualifying matches.
• The team is on a 9-match losing streak away from home in this tournament.
• Moldova conceded the first goal in 11 of their last 11 away World Cup qualifying matches.

Moldova Predicted Lineup (4-5-1)

Cristian Avram – Oleg Reabciuk, Daniel Dumbravanu, Artur Craciun, Vladislav Baboglo – Artur Ioniță, Vadim Rață, Mihail Caimacov, Ștefan Bodișteanu, Sergiu Plătică – Virgiliu Postolachi.

Match Official

The referee for this fixture will be Balázs Berke from Hungary.

Referee Statistics (International Matches, 2024/25–2025/26):

Matches officiated: 7

Yellow cards shown (including second yellows): 26

Average yellow cards per match: 3.7

Red cards shown: 4

Average fouls per match: 22

Penalties awarded: 29%

Match Prediction: Norway vs Moldova

The two teams previously met in the first round, where Moldova failed to put up significant resistance against the Scandinavian side, even on home turf. Hopes for an away revenge for Serghei Cleșcenco’s team are slim. Moldova has lost their last 9 away matches in World Cup qualifiers, failing to score in 6 of those encounters. In contrast, Norway has won all 4 of their qualifying matches so far, including a victory over Italy, who were considered the group favorites.

Offensive Prowess and Defensive Vulnerability

Norway stands out as one of the most prolific attacking teams in the current qualifying campaign. Ståle Solbakken’s men have already notched up 13 goals, a tally unsurpassed by any other team in their group. In the first leg, the Scandinavians scored five goals against Moldova, and they also impressively routed Italy, a team that hadn’t suffered such a heavy defeat in World Cup qualifiers since 2017. Conversely, Moldova has the highest number of conceded goals in Group I, with their net being breached at least 3 times in 4 of their last 5 matches in this tournament.

Expert Betting Tip

My prediction for this match is: “Norway to Win and Team 1 Total Goals Over 2.5” with odds of 1.50 .

Author

Author: Alexey Tarabrin

Disclaimer

* The starting lineup provided for each team reflects their formation in their previous match in this tournament.