Is Romania keeping the chasers at bay?
Although they have only won four of their eight matches so far in Group J of the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers, the Romanian national football team can still hope to reach the play-offs. The Romanians are in second place behind group winners Germany and can reach the play-offs on their own merits with two wins from their last two matches.
The Romanian side will have the more difficult task of facing Iceland at home in Bucharest on Thursday before travelling to Vaduz to face football dwarfs Liechtenstein on Sunday. On matchday 9 of Group J, however, the odds are already swinging in the direction of the Tricolorii, who won the first leg 2-0 in Reykjavik.
Romania’s only recent loss was away to Germany and they have picked up ten points from a possible 15 in their last five qualifiers. Now they have to confirm this upward trend and win against the Icelandic team.
Romania vs. Iceland tip 1 is basically a good bet, especially as the Icelanders have only won three of their last 16 international matches. However, we see more value in betting that a maximum of two goals will be scored in this match.
Romania – Statistics & current form
The Romanian national football team has always been among the qualified teams at the first three World Cups in 1930, 1934 and 1938. Most recently, however, the Tricolorii missed out on successful qualification five times in a row. The last time they took part in a World Cup was in 1998 in France.
The Romanians have also been anything but permanent guests at European Championships. Just this summer, the finals were once again held without a Romanian team, which was defeated by today’s guest Iceland in the semifinals of the Nations League playoffs.
With two wins under their own steam into the play-offs
Accordingly, Iceland could cost the Romanian eleven a major tournament for the second time in relatively short order on Thursday night in Bucharest if the north-western Europeans manage to pick up a point. The winner of the match between Armenia and North Macedonia would then move past Romania and hold all the aces on the tenth and final matchday.
Mirel Rădoi’s side therefore need a home win over the Icelandic national football team to continue to qualify for the play-offs on their own merits. If the Tricolorii finally win their last two group games, they would no longer be ousted from second place in Group J.
Ten points out of a possible 15 from the last five matches
At least the recent record suggests that Romania vs Iceland tip 1 will work out. Not only did the Romanian side win the first leg in Reykjavik 2-0, but they have lost just one of their last five qualifiers – a narrow 2-1 draw against Germany in Hamburg, with the Tricolorii even leading 1-0 at the break.
In the other four international matches, in which the Romanians did not concede a single goal, the current group runners-up picked up ten out of a possible twelve points. By the way, this defensive strength also clearly speaks for betting on under 2.5 goals.
Predicted line-up of Romania:
Nita – Chiriches – Tosca – Bancu – Nedelcearu – Stanciu – Maxim – Marin – Hagi – Alibec – Puscas
Last matches played by Romania:
World Cup Qualification UEFA 1st Round Grp. J
10/11 2021 – Romania 1 – 0 Armenia
10/08 2021 – Germany 2 – 1 Romania
09/08 2021 – North Macedonia 0 – 0 Romania
09/05 2021 – Romania 2 – 0 Liechtenstein
09/02 2021 – Iceland 0 – 2 Romania
Iceland – Statistics & current form
The Icelandic selection experienced an absolute peak in the past decade. Not only did the Vikings surprisingly qualify for EURO 2016, but they even made it to the quarter-finals after defeating England.
The players, affectionately known in the country as Strákarnir okkar (our boys), then even reached the 2018 World Cup, before finally taking their gradual farewell from the world stage of football.
Only the two duels against Liechtenstein were won
Looking at the period between 2015 and 2018, which was so successful, the last three years are one chronology of failure. In the 2020/21 Nations League, Iceland lost all six of their games by 3:17 goals and were relegated without a trace, before not only missing out on the 2020 European Championship qualifiers, but it has been clear for some time that the 2022 World Cup will also take place without Icelandic participation.
In Group J of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, the Strákarnir okkar only managed two wins against football dwarf Liechtenstein. Only two points out of a possible 18 were taken from the remaining six matches.
Only three wins in the last 16 international matches
This means a total of just three victories among the last 16 international matches on record. In addition to the two victories over Liechtenstein, there is only a 1-0 away win in the Faroe Islands. The north-western Europeans have thus fully returned to mediocrity.
Accordingly, Arnar Vidarsson’s side will travel to Bucharest as underdogs.
Predicted line-up of Iceland:
Rúnarsson – Saevarsson – Skúlason – Thórarinsson – Br. Bjarnason – Bi. Bjarnason – Traustaton – Gudmundsson – Thorsteinsson – Gudjohnsen – Kjartansson
Last matches played by Iceland:
World Cup Qualification UEFA 1st Round Grp. J
10/11 2021 – Iceland 4 – 0 Liechtenstein
10/08 2021 – Iceland 1 – 1 Armenia
09/08 2021 – Iceland 0 – 4 Germany
09/05 2021 – Iceland 2 – 2 North Macedonia
09/02 2021 – Iceland 0 – 2 Romania
Romania – Iceland Direct comparison / H2H balance
Head to head: 3 – 0 – 1
There have only been four international matches between the two nations and with three wins the Romanians lead the direct comparison, who however experienced their most painful defeat against Iceland almost exactly a year ago, when they lost 2-1 away in Reykjavik in the semifinals of the playoffs for EURO 2021.
Romania – Iceland Tip
For Romania against Iceland, the prediction has to take into account that the Icelandic national team has clearly squandered the shine of the second half of the 2010s in the recent past. The Icelanders are now only number 62 in the FIFA world rankings and have only won three of their last 16 international matches. The in-form Romanians are accordingly favoured going into this important home match.
In addition, there is only one thing left at stake for the Tricolorii. Accordingly, there is no alternative to betting on a Romanian home victory, whereby the greater value can be found in betting on a maximum of two goals. After all, the Romanians operate from a stable defence that has kept a clean sheet in four of the last five international matches.
