Will the DFB team set off the next fireworks?
The Armenian national football team caused a sensation in Group J of the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers with three wins from the first three matches and even led the table for a while. However, since they failed to win any of their next six matches, the Armenians now only have a highly theoretical chance of making the play-offs.
After the 5-0 home defeat against North Macedonia, the Armenians would now need a landslide victory over Germany with a simultaneous North Macedonian defeat against Iceland and a Romanian away defeat in Liechtenstein. The football dwarf, who according to the odds are heavy underdogs in Armenia’s match against Germany, should therefore be finished with the World Cup in Qatar.
Instead, the Armenians, who also suffered a 6-0 defeat in the first leg against Germany, will be looking for a proper farewell. In view of Germany’s recent winning streak, however, it could be a bitter evening in Yerevan. After all, the DFB team scored 27 goals in six international matches under Hansi Flick.
Accordingly, there is a lot of value in betting on the Germans to win by at least a three-goal difference against Germany (AHC -2.5).
Armenia – Statistics & current form
Like so many other Eastern European countries that belonged to the Soviet Union until the end of 1991, Armenia has only been competing with an independent national football team in World Cup and European Championship qualifying tournaments since the mid-1990s.
The Reds have never made it to a major finals before, although this time they started out quite ambitiously. After three victories in their first three international matches against Liechtenstein (1-0), Iceland (2-0) and Romania (3-2), the Armenians temporarily topped Group J in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
After strong start, six winless qualifiers
But because they failed to win any of their next five qualifiers, the Armenians slipped to fourth place. Until Thursday evening, they remained in a three-way battle with Romania and North Macedonia for a place in the play-offs. However, with the 5-0 defeat against the North Macedonians in Yerevan, it is clear that it will once again be nothing for the football dwarf.
Accordingly, it is all about prestige against the German side at home and perhaps scoring for the first time against the four-time world champions, who will not be at their best and will be using one or two players from the second row.
Can the football dwarf avoid the next high defeat
However, betting on the Reds to win a point in the Armenia vs. Germany match is not too illustrious. After all, Joaquín Caparrós’ men have now gone winless in eight consecutive international matches, which is due in particular to their poor attack, which has scored just four goals of its own in that period.
At the very least, however, the team – which boasts difference-makers in Henrikh Mkhitaryan (AS Roma) and Sargis Adamyan (TSG Hoffenheim) – could try to do better this time around than in the first leg, which they lost 6-0 on 5 September 2021.
Predicted line-up of Armenia:
Yurchenko – Hovhannisyan – Calisir – Hambardzumyan – Terteyan – Vardanyan – Udo – Mkhitaryan – Zelaryán – Barseghyan – Adamyan
Last matches played by Armenia:
World Cup Qualification UEFA 1st Round Grp. J
11/11 2021 – Armenia 0 – 5 North Macedonia
10/11 2021 – Romania 1 – 0 Armenia
10/08 2021 – Iceland 1 – 1 Armenia
09/08 2021 – Armenia 1 – 1 Liechtenstein
09/05 2021 – Germany 6 – 0 Armenia
Germany – Statistics & current form
The German national football team continues to be in a state of flux. However, since the team failed to beat England in the last 16 of EURO 2021 and Hansi Flick took over from Jogi Löw, things have been positive overall for the Germans.
In an initially very bumpy 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign, which included a memorable 2-1 home defeat to North Macedonia on matchday three, the four-time world champions marched confidently to group victory.
Six games and six wins under Hansi Flick
The Germans celebrated their sixth victory under Hansi Flick in their sixth international match against Liechtenstein on Thursday evening.
It is the best start ever made by a national coach, with Ridle Baku and Jonas Hofmann, players from the second row, also coming to the fore, who certainly benefited from the fact that, in addition to Niklas Süle, four other players had to leave at short notice.
Of course, football dwarf Liechtenstein is not considered a benchmark. Nevertheless, there is reason to hope that the DFB team, which had to endure a memorable 6-0 defeat against Spain this time a year ago, has become much more competitive again.
Despite tough rotation, the clear favourite
In the final group match at the Armenian side, who were easily swept off the pitch 6-0 in the first leg, it is now a question of confirming the upward trend and giving the players coming up the ranks a chance to gain valuable match practice. With this in mind, Manuel Neuer also departed after the win against Liechtenstein.
Admittedly, with the appropriate rotation, it is not to be expected that things will go as smoothly as in the first leg. Nevertheless, the team travels to Yerevan as house-high favourites.
Predicted line-up of Germany:
Ter Stegen – Günter – Rüdiger – Kehrer – Hofmann – Gündogan – Goretzka – Wirtz – Havertz – Baku – Nmecha
Last matches played by Germany:
World Cup Qualification UEFA 1st Round Grp. J
11/11 2021 – Germany 9 – 0 Liechtenstein
10/11 2021 – North Macedonia 0 – 4 Germany
10/08 2021 – Germany 2 – 1 Romania
09/08 2021 – Iceland 0 – 4 Germany
09/05 2021 – Germany 6 – 0 Armenia
Armenia – Germany Direct comparison / H2H balance
Head to head: 0 – 0 – 4
There have been four matches between the two nations so far and in all four duels the Germans have prevailed by a total of 21:2 goals. The DFB team celebrated a 5:1 victory in Yerevan in the 1998 World Cup Qualifiers, their only previous visit to the country.
Armenia – Germany tip
In the case of Armenia against Germany, the prediction must not only take into account how clearly the first leg went (6:0 home win for the DFB team), but also how differently the two teams presented themselves on Thursday evening. While the Armenians lost 5-0 at home to North Macedonia, which would have put them in a good position to reach the play-offs, the Germans celebrated a goal festival with a 9-0 victory over Liechtenstein.
With the team scoring 27 goals in six international matches under Hansi Flick, there is a lot to be said for the next German goal festival. We therefore give the bet on a German away win an Asian handicap of -2.5.
