1
Spain
21
2
France
22
3
England
20
4
Turkey
17
5
Albania
15
6
Belgium
20
7
Hungary
18
8
Denmark
22
9
Romania
22
10
Portugal
30
11
Scotland
17
12
Netherlands
18
13
Italy
14
14
Croatia
16
15
Czechia
15
16
Austria
19
17
Serbia
14
18
Slovenia
22
19
Switzerland
17
20
Slovakia
22
21
Norway
11
22
Greece
13
23
Ukraine
14
24
Wales
12
25
Poland
11
26
Sweden
10
27
Montenegro
11
28
Finland
18
29
Israel
15
30
Luxembourg
17
31
Georgia
8
32
Republic of Ireland
6
33
FYR Macedonia
8
34
Armenia
8
35
Moldova
10
36
Azerbaijan
7
37
Lithuania
6
38
Kazakhstan
18
39
Belarus
12
40
Iceland
10
41
Cyprus
0
42
Gibraltar
0
43
Malta
0
44
Latvia
3
45
Faroe Islands
2
46
Estonia
1
47
Bulgaria
4
48
Northern Ireland
9
49
Kosovo
11
50
Bosnia and Herzegovina
9
51
San Marino
0
52
Andorra
2
53
Liechtenstein
0
Sweden and Malta both picked up 2-1 victories in their first qualifying matches of Group F, against Romania and Faroe Islands respectively, but Sweden then added a point to their tally courtesy of a dramatic 3-3 draw in Norway, while Malta were beaten 2-0 at home by former World and European champions Spain.
Sweden went 2-0 down away at Norway in March, but Claesson pulled a goal back with twenty minutes left on the clock and four minutes from time an own goal from the unfortunate Nordtveit appeared to have rescued the visitors a point. However, Sweden then took the lead in stoppage time through Quaison only to see Kamara score a dramatic equaliser for the hosts with virtually the last kick of the match, as the game ended 3-3. Malta were dominated by Spain in their own backyard, with the visitors having 80% of the possession and having sixteen shots to the hosts two during the ninety minutes, but the scoreline remained respectable. Álvaro Morata scored a goal in each half to help Spain on their way to a 2-0 win, but they were positives, from a defensive point of view, for Malta to take from the match.
The head to head record and performances of both sides since the latter stages of 2018, suggests that Sweden will win, but that under 2.5 goals could be scored. Sweden have won all of their eleven matches against Friday-s guests, and Malta have only scored two goals against Sweden in their eleven meetings since 1972. Under 2.5 goals were scored in three of Sweden’s last six and three of Malta’s last five matches, but the hosts have won three of their last six matches and their guests have lost three of their last six. Malta have failed to score in two of their last four international matches, but showed defensive strength against Spain, which is why we’re backing a narrow 2-0 win for Sweden on Friday.