North Macedonia meet Wales in a top of Qualifying Group J showdown in the race for automatic qualification to 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Locked on three points apiece with the hosts top on goal difference, North Macedonia will stay top with victory.
Wales will move above North Macedonia to the summit of the group with a win.
Team News
North Macedonia have no fresh injury concerns following their 3-0 win over Liechtenstein last weekend.
Wales have no fresh injury concerns to report following their 3-1 win over Kazakhstan last weekend.
When is Kick-Off?
North Macedonia host Wales at Tose Proeski Arena, Skopje, on Tuesday 25 March at 8:45pm CET (7:45pm UK Time), live on BBC One Wales and S4C in Wales plus BBC Three in rest of UK.
Stat Attack
- North Macedonia have won one of two previous World Cup qualifiers against Wales (W1, L1).
- Wales lost 2-1 in their only previous visit to North Macedonia in September 2013.
- North Macedonia have scored 12 goals in their last six matches in all competitions without conceding (W6).
- Wales are unbeaten in three matches on the road since Craig Bellamy took charge (W1, D2).
Prediction
Having comfortably dispatched Liechtenstein in a routine result, North Macedonia now face a much tougher test against their likely nearest competitors for a play-off spot – assuming Belgium qualify as group winners, which will mean that they must get something from these sort of games if want any chance of going to the World Cup.
Wales meanwhile are yet to lose under Bellamy and seem to have finally found their groove with consecutive wins, although their first-half performance against Kazakhstan was scrappy before they found their feet with a clinical second-half display which will give them belief coming into this game.
I certainly expect a scrappy battle between both teams who will be targeting the play-off spot as group runner-up realistically, but if Wales play like they did in that second half then they should nick this but North Macedonia are currently difficult to break down defensively so can’t be underestimated at all cost.
Prediction: North Macedonia 1-2 Wales
Result: North Macedonia 1-1 Wales
