Romania vs San Marino: Prediction, Team News, Lineups Preview

Romania is set to face San Marino in their final World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday at Stadionul Ilie Oana. This encounter is significant for the Romanian team as they look to finish their campaign on a high note despite their inability to secure a top-two finish in Group H.

Match Overview: Romania vs. San Marino

Currently, Romania sits in third place in their qualifying group with 10 points, trailing Bosnia-Herzegovina by six points. While they cannot qualify directly for the World Cup, they still hold the possibility of entering the tournament through the playoffs as one of the highest-ranked Nations League group winners that did not finish in the top two.

Recent Performance

In their last match, Romania suffered a 3-1 defeat against Bosnia-Herzegovina, a blow to their hopes of securing a direct qualification spot. This match was particularly disappointing as Romania were level at 1-1 until Denis Dragus received a red card in the 68th minute. Prior to this loss, Romania had a decent run, winning two and drawing one of their three matches, but they had lost three of their previous five games.

Overall, Romania has accumulated 12 goals in their qualifying campaign so far, but they have only kept two clean sheets in their last 10 matches across all competitions. They aim to continue their strong home record, seeking a third consecutive victory at Stadionul Ilie Oana and their seventh win in the past nine matches at the venue.

San Marino’s Struggles

San Marino, on the other hand, is struggling significantly. Their most recent outing resulted in a 4-0 defeat to Cyprus on October 12, followed by another loss to the Czech Republic, marking their tenth consecutive loss in competitions. A defeat against Romania would extend their record to 61 losses in World Cup qualifiers since their last draw against Latvia in 2001.

La Serenissima has struggled offensively, failing to score in four of their last five games and not keeping a clean sheet in their last 15 fixtures. They have never beaten Romania in their previous encounters, losing all four matches, including a 5-1 defeat in March 2024.

Team News

Romania is expected to field a strong lineup to secure a necessary win. Notable players such as Virgil Ghita and Bogdan Racovitan are likely to feature in defense. Striker Daniel Birligea will probably lead the attack, supported by Marius Marin in a key midfield role. Changes may occur due to Dragus’s suspension, with David Miculescu likely to take his place.

San Marino will look to Filippo Berardi to provide some offensive spark alongside striker Nicola Nanni. The potential midfield will include players like Alessandro Golinucci and Gabriel Capicchioni.

Predicted Lineups

Prediction

The match is likely to conclude with Romania winning comfortably, with predictions suggesting a possible scoreline of 3-0. Given their need for a strong finish and San Marino’s ongoing challenges, Romania should be able to dominate the game.