Malta vs Spain 27/03/19

27 March 2019

After starting their journey in Euro 2020 qualifying with a promising 2-1 home win over the Faroe Islands, Malta (FIFA Rank: #182) prepare for the most challenging task in Group F as they welcome Spain (#9) to the Ta’Qali National Stadium in Ta’Qali.

Saturday’s success against the Faroe Islands was Malta’s first competitive triumph after 26 consecutive failures (D6, L20). Knights of Malta have occupied the bottom spot of their respective UEFA Nations League group with a record of three draws and three defeats, which means they’ve already bettered their previous competitive record. Falcons’ tremendous defensive problems can be a major setback for Ray Farrugia here, given his players have failed to preserve a clean slate in 17 straight outings. In the same period, they have conceded over 1.5 goals per match nine times while failed to hit the net on eight occasions.

Meanwhile, the Red Fury opened Euro 2020 qualifying with a tight 2-1 home win over Norway as they look to bounce back after a disappointing UEFA Nations League campaign that has seen them finished as runners-up in Group A/4 behind England. The 2010 FIFA World Cup winners have endured mixed fortunes after exiting the final tournament, winning and losing in sequences. Luis Enrique’s men have racked up a three-game winning run subsequent to their return from Russia, suffering back-to-back defeats afterward. However, Enrique and his men have clinched two consecutive triumphs in the build-up for this meeting, both with the narrow 1-goal margin.