Two of European football's underdogs meet as Liechtenstein welcome Moldova to the Rheinpark Stadion on Friday evening during the opening matchday of the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League.

The visitors have joined their hosts in the bottom tier of the competition - League D - after suffering relegation last year and will be looking to return to the third tier at the first attempt.

Match preview

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The world's 192nd-best men's football team - at least according to FIFA's rankings - will have a rare opportunity of a victory when they take on the 180th-ranked team.

Liechtenstein were unable to grab their chance of an unlikely promotion during the 2020-21 campaign, having been drawn in League D Group 2 alongside lowly San Marino and Gibraltar - the only European teams ranked below them.

They did manage a 2-0 win over the Sammarinese but could only finish second in the group, three points behind Gib, who snatched a crucial 1-0 victory during the pair's first meeting.

Martin Stocklasa's side will face a slightly tougher task this time round as they enter a group also featuring Latvia and Andorra, but they will fancy their chances of grabbing an opening win on Friday.

The Blues-Reds may have only won two of 67 World Cup qualifying matches and lost 13 of their last 14 games, but they are coming up against a side with similarly-unimpressive statistics and one whom they have beaten once and drawn with once in their two previous meetings.

Indeed, Moldova can go one better than their upcoming opponents, having lost 14 of their last 15 matches, including each of the last 11.

That form saw them relegated from League C last campaign, finishing bottom of Group 3 having taken just one point from a draw with third-placed Kosovo.

Manager Engin Firat left his post without a win to his name after 11 games in charge of the Moldovan national side and was replaced by Roberto Bordin.

The Libyan has at least managed one win from his 12 games in the dugout, but The Selectionata's slide down the world rankings has continued.

Moldova have never qualified for a major international tournament in their 28-year history and now face a battle simply to move up from the bottom rung of the Nations League ladder.

Team News

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Brothers Yanik Frick and Noah Frick will lead the home side's attack, looking to add to their international goal tallies of three and two respectively.

They still have some work to do to catch captain Nicolas Hasler, though, who is the squad's top scorer with five goals from 84 caps.

Goalkeeper Benjamin Buchel looks set to make his 45th appearance, looking on at a 5-3-2 formation in front of him.

Experienced players such as centre-back Igor Armas, midfielder Vadim Rata and forward Ion Nicolaescu will all likely feature for the visitors.

Benevento's Artur Ionita has surprisingly been left out of the squad, leaving a hole in the midfield which may be filled by Maxim Cojocaru.

Liechtenstein possible starting lineup:
Buchel; Yildiz, S. Wolfinger, Malin, Grunenfelder, Hilti; Sele, Meier, Hasler; Y. Frick, N. Frick

Moldova possible starting lineup:
Namasco; Posmac, Bolohan, Dumbravanu; Revenco, Cojocaru, Rata, Reabciuk; Caimacov, Ginsari; Nicolaescu

We say: Liechtenstein 1-1 Moldova

It is very difficult to pick a winner from a match featuring two sides who have lost 27 of their last 29 matches when combined. So, quite simply, it seems most sensible not to do so and instead to back a score draw.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Written by
James Mackenzie

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