Serbia take on Moldova in Belgrade on Saturday evening, with Slavoljub Muslin’s team being one of three unbeaten teams in Group D. Sitting at the top of the standings on goal difference, Serbia are the undoubted favourites to defeat rock-bottom Moldova, with the visitors having earned just two points from their six outings so far.
World Cup 2018 Qualifying – Stadion FK Partizan, Belgrade – Saturday 2nd September – 17:00 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 8/1 at Ladbrokes |
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Serbia
MoldovaMatch Preview
With a playing squad packed full of talent from the Premier League, Serie A and La Liga, among others, it is perhaps little surprise that Serbia remain unbeaten in qualifying. With an encounter against second place Republic of Ireland to come just days later, three points is a must on Saturday evening, with Muslin perhaps looking to give some of his fringe players an outing against minnows Moldova.
Serbia Team News & Form
A 1-1 draw with Chris Coleman’s Wales back in June meant that Serbia retained their position at the top of the pile in Group D, with a win this weekend enhancing the possibility of them making the finals in Russia next year. Serbia have been in fine form in front of goal throughout qualifying, scoring 13 goals from their six matches. Newcastle United striker Aleksandar Mitrović is likely to lead the line against Moldova, with the likes of Dušan Tadić and Adem Ljajić potentially supporting him in attack. Meanwhile, new Manchester United signing Nemanja Matic is set to add to his 32 caps to date.
Moldova Team News & Form
Moldova boss Igor Dobrovolski faces an uphill battle throughout the remainder of qualifying, with the minnows having earned just two points so far. With the majority of their squad plying their trade in the Moldovan top-flight, a trip to Serbia will hardly inspire confidence among supporters, with only six of their players currently playing elsewhere in Europe. Veteran striker Igor Bugaiov is the leading scorer within the squad, with the 33-year-old having scored nine goals throughout his international career. Meanwhile, midfielder Dan Taras could make his debut for Moldova, having been called-up for the first time recently.
Head to Head
The duo’s meeting back in October last year was the first in history, with Serbia comfortably earning three points in Moldova, with a 3-0 victory. With this being the first encounter between the two teams, there is little to go on in terms of predicting a result on Saturday, however a home win is very much anticipated by many within the game.
Betting Odds and Predictions
Best odds of 1/7 on for Serbia to claim victory are available at William Hill, however such short odds are unlikely to attract much interest from those looking to make substantial winnings. Meanwhile, backing Serbia to win both the first and second half is a quick way to crank up the potential earnings, with Ladbrokes offering odds of 1/2 on this market.
Finally, for those anticipating a goal fest in Belgrade this weekend, backing Serbia to score over 3.5 goals is well worth considering, with Ladbrokes providing their customers with odds of 9/4.
Top Betting Tip
Despite these appealing markets, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on Serbia to keep a clean sheet, which can be found at best odds of 20/57 at 10Bet.