Introduction to the Match
Austria will face San Marino at the Ernst Happel Stadion on Thursday in another round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The home side have enjoyed a perfect start to their qualifying campaign and sit second in Group H with 12 points from an obtainable 12 as they inch closer towards a first World Cup appearance since 1998.
Recent Performance of Both Teams
They locked horns with Bosnia and Herzegovina in their last group game and won 2-1, with Marcel Sabitzer opening the scoring early after the restart before Bayern Munich man Konrad Laimer sealed the points midway through the half. San Marino, meanwhile, have been expectedly woeful in their qualifying campaign so far and can no longer advance from the group despite having three more games to play. They suffered a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Bosnia in their last group game, with a red card to team captain Alessandro Golinucci in the 16th minute making an already challenging task nearly impossible.
Current Standing of Both Teams
The visitors sit rock-bottom in the group with no points from five games and will be looking to get some points on the board in their final three matches. Austria, on the other hand, are on a roll, having won their last four games and losing just one of their last 10 games across all competitions.
Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
There have been just three meetings between the two teams. Austria have won all three of those games by an aggregate scoreline of 15-1. The visitors have managed just one clean sheet in their last 12 games across all competitions. Austria have the best defensive record in Group H so far with a goal concession tally of two. San Marino have conceded 18 goals in the World Cup qualifiers so far. Only Liechtenstein (19) and Moldova (25) have shipped more in UEFA. The visitors remain the lowest-ranked international team in world football, sitting 210th in the latest FIFA rankings. Austria, meanwhile, are ranked 22nd.
Prediction
Das Team are on a brilliant four-game winning streak and have lost just one of their last 10 games across all competitions. They will receive an additional boost from their home advantage this week and will be targeting a blowout victory. La Serenissima, meanwhile, are winless in their last seven games across all competitions and will mainly look to minimize the damage against a significantly stronger side this week. Prediction: Austria 4-0 San Marino.
Betting Tips
Tip 1 – Result: Austria to win. Tip 2 – Goals – Over/under 2.5 – Over 2.5 goals (Three of the hosts’ last four matches have produced more than 2.5 goals). Tip 3 – Both teams to score: No (Both sides have found the back of the net in just one of the visitors’ last five matches).
Conclusion
In conclusion, Austria is expected to win the match against San Marino with a significant margin. The home team’s perfect start to their qualifying campaign and their strong defensive record make them favorites to win. San Marino, on the other hand, will be looking to minimize the damage and get some points on the board in their final three matches. The match is expected to be a one-sided affair, with Austria dominating the game and scoring multiple goals.
