The Netherlands are set to continue their journey towards the 2026 World Cup as they host Malta at the Eurborg Stadium in Groningen for Tuesday's qualifiers. The Oranje commenced their qualifying campaign on a positive note with a successful visit to Finland, while Malta has garnered just one point from their initial three matches in Group G.
Following their UEFA Nations League campaign that culminated in a penalty shootout loss in the quarter-finals against Spain, the Netherlands have now shifted their focus to the World Cup qualifying bid. With a track record of qualifying for four out of the last five World Cup finals, the Oranje are expected to navigate through a qualifying group comprising Poland, Finland, Lithuania, and Malta on their path to the 2026 edition.
Ronald Koeman's side kicked off their qualifying journey with a 2-0 victory in Helsinki, courtesy of goals from Memphis Depay and Denzel Dumfries. They will now face Malta at home, a team they last played in 1995 during their Euro 2026 qualification campaign, securing a convincing 4-0 win. The Netherlands enjoy a perfect record against Malta, having won all six of their previous encounters without conceding a goal, with five of those matches witnessing the Oranje netting at least four goals.
The Dutch team will draw confidence from their recent home performances, having won six and drawn two of their last eight home internationals. Malta, on the other hand, enters the World Cup qualifiers off the back of a satisfactory showing in the UEFA Nations League, securing seven points from four matches to set the stage for their current campaign.
As the lowest-ranked team in the group, Malta's primary objective will be to compete credibly in the face of challenging opposition, rather than harboring realistic ambitions of qualifying for their first major tournament. Despite enduring defeats in their initial two qualifiers, Malta managed to secure a point in their recent clash against Lithuania, playing out a goalless draw.
With five matches remaining in Group G, Malta faces a tough task against the Netherlands on Tuesday, particularly as they have struggled to find the back of the net in their recent outings. To bolster their squad, Malta welcomes back defensive duo Gabriel Mentz and Kurt Shaw for selection, while the Netherlands have omitted several players due to injury and technical reasons.
It is anticipated that Stefan de Vrij could partner Virgil van Dijk in central defense for the Netherlands, while Memphis Depay is expected to lead the attacking line following his scoring exploits in the previous fixture. Malta will be without Sion forward Ilyas Chouaref due to suspension but will look to James Carragher to marshal their defense alongside Shaw and Zach Muscat.
In terms of predictions, the Netherlands are heavily favored to secure a comfortable victory against Malta, with a high probability of an Oranje win. Our analysis of available data suggests an 83.11% chance of a Netherlands victory, with a draw at 11.5% and a Malta win at 5.41%. The most probable scoreline for a Netherlands triumph is predicted to be 2-0.
As the two sides prepare to clash once again after historical meetings, including the infamous encounter in 1983, the focus remains on the current World Cup qualifying campaign. The match promises to be another chapter in the footballing journey of both nations. The Netherlands and Malta are set to kick off their World Cup qualifier in Groningen, with expectations high for an exciting and competitive game on the field.
