The only teams with a win so far in Group J will meet to determine who will top the group in the months leading up to the next rounds. Both North Macedonia and Wales have not lost in seven consecutive matches each. Which side will continue its streak?
North Macedonia did not concede a single defeat during the UEFA Nations League group stage and deservedly progressed to League B. The new mission for Blagoja Milevski and his team is to reach a historic first World Cup qualification. However, the questions start with the fact that all of their opponents over the last year have been teams outside the Top 100 in the world rankings.
The win over Liechtenstein was fully expected, but now they face #29-ranked Wales, who are in no worse shape than them. The Dragons also made it out of the UNL without conceding a single loss, which led to a promotion to League A. So it will be interesting to see how prepared North Macedonia will be for a match at such a higher level.
How the bookies view it: Fair chances and good value on both ends
Both teams come into the game after solid wins and are undefeated since September. So the odds are closer than expected, although Wales remain the bookies' favourites. You can pick North Macedonia at 21/10, the draw at 11/5, or Wales at 27/20.
Recent head to head: There is yet to be an away win between these teams
North Macedonia and Wales have only met twice in official fixtures, 12 years ago when they were in the same World Cup qualifying group again. Back then, they finished together at the bottom of the standings in 5th and 6th place, exchanging home wins in the H2Hs. Both national teams have undergone some serious development over the last decade, ensuring the upcoming clashes will be much more interesting.
Players to watch: Referees must hate to see Brennan Johnson
Brennan Johnson is well known as one of the players in the Wales national team who is not afraid to take risks, earning himself four yellow cards in his five UEFA Nations League appearances in 2024. Tottenham's player will also take part in this match, which is expected to be quite physical. Even if you don't place a bet before kick-off, you can follow the action and make it live if Johnson picks up an early foul or two.
Probable line-ups
Northern Macedonia: Dimitrievski, Dimoski, Zajkov, Musliu, Alioski, Bardhi, Alimi, Churlinov, Elmas, Trajkovski, Miovski
Wales: Dimitrievski, Dimoski, Zajkov, Musliu, Alioski, Bardhi, Alimi, Churlinov, Elmas, Trajkovski, Miovski
Anything else catch the eye?
North Macedonia had absolutely no trouble in their UEFA Nations League group, but the level of their opponents will rise significantly from this game onward. In six games, they conceded just one goal, scoring 10. They also did not concede against Liechtenstein in the previous round. But Wales have shown quite clearly that they can score goals too and their much faster football could cause serious problems for North Macedonia's defence. The Dragons, however, are not perfect in this particular aspect of the game, conceding one goal each in their last two games against Iceland and Kazakhstan. We expect the teams to trade at least one goal each in this fixture.
Bookmakers are also expecting a tense clash, with the line for cards sitting at over 4.5. The referee for the match will be Jerome Brisard, who gives an average of 3.94 yellow cards per game. It's worth keeping an eye on the live market, but we'll turn our attention to another interesting bet – a penalty in the match. Brisard has given nine penalties in the 18 games he has officiated this season. Kazakhstan earned themselves a penalty against Wales in the previous game and serious defensive mistakes are quite possible in this upcoming fixture. It's worth taking a chance at 47/20.
This World Cup match between Northern Macedonia and Wales will be played on and kick off at 19:45. Check below for our tipsters best Northern Macedonia vs Wales prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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