Moldova v Scotland betting tips: Clarke crew on brink of play-offs
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Moldova v Scotland betting tips and odds
Scotland can guarantee a place in the World Cup play-offs with a victory against Moldova on Friday night.
Steve Clarke’s side are 2/9 favourites to win a fifth successive group game to ensure they finish runners-up to runaway leaders Denmark.
With the Scots wrapping up the group stage against Denmark three days later there is no margin for error as we look at the options in our Moldova v Scotland betting tips.
Match Odds
Scotland had plenty of chances in the first match but in the end it took a Lyndon Dykes tap-in to secure a 1-0 victory over Moldova.
The visitors have lost seven and drawn one of their eight group games, scoring just four times, and they can be backed at 8/11 to lose without scoring again or another 1-0 defeat is available at 5/1 in Friday’s Moldova v Scotland betting tips.
That said, they did manage to find the net in both games against Israel and Faroe Islands, so we make Scotland 5/2 to win and concede in Chisinau.
🏴 Good to have you with us @JohnSouttar #MDASCO pic.twitter.com/PjFlnw9Xpc
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) November 9, 2021
All three meetings between these sides have produced two goals or fewer and so Scotland are 17/20 to win by that method or it’s 27/20 on a potential 1-0 or 2-0 victory for the visitors in the both teams to score: no and under 2.5 goals market.
Scotland took the lead in the 14th minute two months ago and are 3/1 and 13/10 respectively to be leading after a quarter or half an hour, but Dykes is suspended for the game, so it may take longer to get the opening goal should it arrive.
Draw HT/Scotland FT is 5/2, but the hosts were trailing at the break in five of their eight games and Scotland HT/Scotland FT is availalable at 4/5.
Talking Tactics
Ryan Christie, like Dykes, is suspended so Clarke has drafted in Stoke striker Jacob Brown for the first time.
Hearts defender John Souttar has also been called up as a replacement for Grant Hanley, who has been ruled out for several weeks with a groin injury.
Scotland squad update:
IN: John Souttar.
OUT: Ryan Fraser & Grant Hanley. pic.twitter.com/uu0Nrq9MAJ— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) November 7, 2021
Clarke went with a 3-4-1-2 for the 1-0 win at Faroe Islands last time out but both forwards from that game are missing, plus Hanley and Ryan Fraser, so Che Adams is likely to take one of the available attacking roles.
Left-back Oleg Reabciuk was sent off in the 2-1 defeat by Israel and is suspended for Moldova, who lined up in a 3-5-2 formation in that game.
Goalscorer Odds
Goals may be hard to come by on Friday but Southampton striker Adams is the 3/1 favourite to break the deadlock or 21/20 just to score in our Moldova v Scotland betting tips.
Brown, who has scored five goals for the Potters this season including Saturday’s winner at Luton, is 7/2 to net the game’s first goal on what would be his Scotland debut or 11/8 in the anytime market.
John McGinn has an eye for goal and is 4/1 and 6/4 in the two markets, while Southampton midfielder Stuart Armstrong is back to fitness and is 6/1 and 9/4.
Ion Nicolaescu has scored two of Moldova’s four goals during the group phase and the striker is 14/1 and 11/2 in the two options.
Match Info
Where: Zimbru Stadium, Chisinau
When: 17:00, Friday 12th November
How to watch: Sky Sports
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
