World Cup Qualifying - Europe | Group Stage

Mar 25, 2025 at 5pm UK

Stadionul CPTF

Moldova vs Estonia

Match preview

It will come as no surprise to learn that minnows Moldova have never reached a World Cup finals as an independent country, and the 151st-ranked nation are already top of Group I after just one matchday in the 2026 preliminaries.

Five goals from five different players - Erling Haaland, Alexander Sorloth, Thelo Aasgaard, Julian Ryerson and Aron Donnum - saw Norway cruise to a comfortable win over Serghei Clescenco's side on Saturday, with the Scandinavian giants taking a 4-0 lead at half-time.

Tuesday's thrashing of Moldova extended an abysmal run in World Cup qualifying for the hosts, who have now lost 10 in a row since holding the Faroe Islands to a 1-1 draw in March 2021.

You have to go back even further to October 2013 for the last time the Tricolours triumphed in a World Cup qualifier - a 5-2 thrashing of Montenegro - and they have won just three such matches at home since the turn of the millennium.

To say that the odds are stacked against Moldova would be a gross understatement, although Saturday's heavy defeat was only their third loss in their last 11 matches in all competitions, having secured promotion to the UEFA Nations League C for the 2026-27 tournament.

Estonia, also awaiting their baptism at the finals as an independent nation, may not have been torn to shreds like their hosts in their opening Group I match, but their valiant efforts against Israel were in vain.

Young centre-back Maksim Paskotsi - formerly of Tottenham Hotspur - scored Estonia's first goal of the qualifiers after just 10 minutes on Israel's adopted Hungarian soil, but Karl Hein's own goal and Eli Dasa's winner 15 minutes from time sent the Blueshirts home empty-handed.

Estonia's opening defeat means that Tuesday's visitors have their own disheartening run of defeats in World Cup qualifying, although they have lost just four times in a row to Moldova's 10 and have recorded at least one win in every qualifying campaign since 1998.

However, Jurgen Henn's side - ranked 123rd in the world - are also on a four-match winless run in all competitions and have taken just four points from 18 in the 2024-25 Nations League.

The Blueshirts also have fond memories of their previous encounters with Moldova, having won each of their last three meetings with the Tricolours, although Tuesday's clash will be their first since a 1-0 friendly win for the visitors in 2008.

Recent Performance

Moldova World Cup Qualifying - Europe form:L

Moldova form (all competitions):WWLWDL

Estonia World Cup Qualifying - Europe form:L

Estonia form (all competitions):LWLDLL

Team News

Moldovan egos may have been bruised by Saturday's Scandinavian carnage, but the Tricolour side were not hit by any fresh injury problems against Norway, so Clescenco should have an unchanged squad to choose from.

However, the hosts were dealt a blow in the build-up to their opening defeat when 75-cap midfielder Artur Ionita and five-goal striker Vitalie Damascan were forced to withdraw.

However, Heerenveen's Ion Nicolaescu, the all-time leading goalscorer, is in the squad and is expected to operate at the top of a 5-4-1 formation as he looks to add to the 16 goals he scored for the hosts on Tuesday.

Estonia, on the other hand, have not one but two new concerns for their second Group I match, as midfielder Markus Soomets was sent off for two bookable offences against Norway and will serve a one-match ban.

A nightmare afternoon for number one Hein - on loan at Real Valladolid from Arsenal - also ended prematurely when he was forced off at half-time with an injury, meaning Matvei Igonen is likely to take over in Chisinau.

Soomets' suspension opens the door for either Mihkel Ainsalu or Kevor Palumets to join Markus Poom - the son of former Arsenal goalkeeper Mart Poom - in the centre of the park.

Possible starting lineup

Moldova possible starting lineup:

Celeadnic; Revenco, Baboglo, Posmac, Craciun, Reabciuk; Cojocaru, Rata, Motpan, Caimacov; Nicolaescu

Estonia possible starting lineup:

Igonen; Peetson, Paskotsi, Kuusk, Larsen; Poom, Palumets; Yakovlev, Kait, Sinyavskiy; Anier