Finland will take on Malta in a World Cup qualifying match on Friday, 14 November, in what will be the hosts' final match of the campaign.
Although Finland can still mathematically finish in second place in Group G, they need a minor miracle – Not only do they need to beat Malta and hope Poland lose both of their final two games, they also need a 12-goal swing.
As part of this week's round of World Cup qualifying betting tips, check out our Finland vs Malta prediction below.
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Finland vs Malta prediction: An easy night for the Fins
Key Stats
- Malta have failed to score a goal in five of their World Cup qualifiers so far.
- Finland are ranked 96 places above Malta in the FIFA World Rankings.
- More than three goals have been scored in five of Finland's seven World Cup qualifiers so far.
Correct score prediction: Finland 3-0 Malta
Finland should have far too much strength for Malta, particularly with the added motivation of needing a win to keep their faint hopes of qualifying for the playoffs alive.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Finland start as heavy favourites
- HOME: 1/5 (1.20) – 83.3%
- DRAW: 11/2 (6.50) – 15.4%
- AWAY: 12/1 (13.00) – 7.7%
*odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
The Finland vs Malta odds are weighted heavily in favour of the hosts, which was expected given how poorly Malta have played during this qualifying campaign. Ladbrokes have given Finland an 83.3% chance of winning the match, while Malta have been given just a 7.7% chance of victory.
You can find all our predictions for today's games on our football betting tips page.
Most recent H2Hs: Advantage Finland
Finland and Malta have played against each other on three occasions over the past 15 years, and Finland have come out on top in all three of those clashes. In fact, Malta have only avoided defeat once before against Finland, and that match was played back in 1990.
International Match 26/03/18
Finland
Malta
Finland preview: Farewell to Pukki
It's set to be an emotional week for Teemu Pukki as the experienced striker prepares to bid farewell to international football. The former Norwich City striker has amassed 131 caps for his country, but has announced that this match against Malta will be his penultimate outing for Finland.
Predicted lineup: Hradecky (GK), Alho, Ivanov, Tenho, Koski, Lahteenmaki, Antman, Kairinen, Lod, Keskinen, Pukki
Last five results
- Netherlands 4-0 Finland
- Finland 2-1 Lithuania
- Poland 3-1 Finland
- Norway 1-0 Finland
- Finland 2-1 Poland
Malta preview: A chance to become legends
James Carragher is back in the Malta squad after missing the last international break through injury. However, it isn't all good news as Ryan Camenzuli and Teddy Teuma both miss out due to suspensions.
Predicted lineup: Bonello (GK), Corbalan, Shaw, Carragher, Beerman, Guillaumier, Satariano, J.Mbong, Grech, Chouaref, Cardona
Last five results
- Malta 1-4 Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Malta 0-4 Netherlands
- Malta 3-1 San Marino
- Lithuania 1-1 Malta
- Netherlands 8-0 Malta
Player to watch: Teemu Pukki
Who else to talk about than Teemu Pukki, who will make his final competitive appearance for Finland on Friday, with the clash against Andorra next week a friendly. Pukki has scored 42 international goals throughout his career, and he would love just one more before he calls it a day.