Match Overview and Betting Preview

The fifth-round qualifier for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will see San Marino host Bosnia and Herzegovina on September 6th at the San Marino Stadium in Serravalle. This preview delves into the match’s prediction, betting tips, odds, and key statistics.

San Marino Team Analysis

San Marino’s Recent Form and Qualification Struggles

Under the guidance of Roberto Cevoli, San Marino endured another significant setback in their last fixture, suffering a 0-4 home loss to Austria. This result extends their unfortunate streak to 57 consecutive defeats in World Cup qualification campaigns. The team’s offensive struggles are evident, with only a single goal scored in their last nine European qualifiers. Currently, San Marino remains at the foot of their group, without a single point to their name.

San Marino’s Defensive and Offensive Woes

• San Marino has conceded at least three goals in regulation time in 10 of their last 11 home World Cup qualification matches.
• The team has failed to find the net in 90 minutes in 11 of their last 13 home European qualifiers.

San Marino Predicted Lineup (4-5-1)

Edoardo Colombo – Tommaso Benvenuti, Michele Cevoli, Dante Carlos Rossi, Filippo Fabbri – Alessandro Golinucci, Marcello Mularoni, Nico Sensoli, Valli Casadei, Samuele Zannon – Nicola Nanni.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Team Analysis

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Strong Qualification Start

Bosnia and Herzegovina has had a stellar start to their World Cup qualification campaign, securing victories in all three of their matches so far. They commenced with a narrow 1-0 win against Romania, followed by a 2-1 triumph over Cyprus, and a 1-0 victory against San Marino. Accumulating nine points, they currently top their group. However, Austria also boasts a perfect record, having played one fewer game. It’s worth noting that Bosnia and Herzegovina has only managed to keep three clean sheets in their last 13 European qualifying encounters.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Away Form Statistics

• A maximum of three goals has been scored in regulation time in 5 of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s last 6 away World Cup qualifiers.
• The team has scored exactly one or two goals in 90 minutes in their last six away European qualifying fixtures.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina has conceded goals in regulation time in 7 of their last 10 away World Cup qualifiers.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Predicted Lineup (4-5-1)

Nikola Vasilj – Tarik Muharemovic, Adrian Leon Barisic, Stjepan Radeljic, Arjan Malic – Amar Dedic, Armin Gigovic, Ivan Sunjic, Benjamin Tahirovic, Ermedin Demirovic – Edin Dzeko.

Referee Profile

Referee: Enea Jorgji (Albania)

Match Statistics

Matches officiated – 7 (International matches, 2024/25–2025/26);

Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 28;

Average yellow cards per match – 4;

Red cards shown – 1;

Average fouls per match – 23;

Penalties awarded – 43%.

Match Prediction: San Marino vs Bosnia and Herzegovina

San Marino’s Defensive Resilience at Home

San Marino consistently ranks among Europe’s weakest national teams, struggling to secure points in World Cup qualifiers. Despite this, when playing at home, they occasionally demonstrate a resilience that allows them to limit opposition scoring. In their last seven home European qualifiers, they’ve only conceded more than four goals against powerhouses like England, Poland, and Romania. Their attacking output remains minimal, with a meager two goals scored in their previous 13 home World Cup qualification matches.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Away Scoring Tendencies

While Bosnia and Herzegovina consistently score away from home, they rarely achieve high-scoring results. In their last 12 World Cup qualifiers, the national team has netted more than twice on only one occasion – against Gibraltar. Moreover, in their recent home encounter in the current European qualifiers, Bosnia and Herzegovina managed to score just a single goal against San Marino.

Final Betting Pick

Considering San Marino’s ability to limit goal differences at home and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s modest away scoring, I anticipate the hosts will put up a respectable defense, preventing their opponents from scoring excessively. My prediction for this match is: «Bosnia and Herzegovina Individual Total Under 4.5»