Cautious duel between teams with similar struggles: prediction for Azerbaijan vs Malta - 05.06.2026
On Friday, Azerbaijan's national team will face Malta in a friendly as both sides gear up for the next UEFA Nations League campaign. Both squads endured a grueling qualifying cycle, so this match is less about prestige and more about regaining confidence through a positive result.
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Azerbaijan: Abbasov's reboot after a long winless streak
Azerbaijan once again finished World Cup qualifying without a single victory, prompting yet another reassessment of the team's direction. From September 2024 to March, the squad went 16 matches without a win, though that stretch did include draws against Estonia, Latvia, and Ukraine.
Under Aykhan Abbasov, the mood around the national team has stabilized somewhat: after a 1-3 home defeat to France, Azerbaijan got a much-needed boost in the FIFA World Series. A 6-1 win over Saint Lucia and a penalty shootout victory over Sierra Leone after a 1-1 draw didn't make the team favorites in the long run, but provided a crucial foundation ahead of the Malta clash.
Malta: A spark in Finland and a harsh return to reality
Malta collected just four points in eight World Cup qualifiers, but their 1-0 victory over Finland in November was one of the most remarkable results in the team's history. Jake Grech’s 81st-minute goal gave Malta only their fourth-ever win in World Cup qualifying.
However, Emilio De Leo's side couldn’t build on that momentum. In March, Malta fell to Luxembourg in the Nations League playoffs with an aggregate score of 0-5, and in their most recent outing, lost to Slovakia 1-2, conceding a decisive goal in the 97th minute.
Key facts and head-to-head record
- Azerbaijan defeated Saint Lucia 6-1 and advanced past Sierra Leone on penalties after a 1-1 draw in their last two FIFA World Series matches.
- Malta lost to Luxembourg in the Nations League playoffs 0-5 on aggregate, then fell 1-2 to Slovakia.
- The teams last met in 2022, when Malta claimed a 1-0 win to snap a 20-year winless streak against Azerbaijan.
Prediction
This isn’t a matchup where you should expect a high tempo or a flurry of chances. Both squads have spent too long mired in poor runs of form, making the first goal priceless and caution likely to dictate the rhythm of the game.
Azerbaijan have the slight edge, thanks to home advantage, their recent win over Saint Lucia, and a more coherent attacking unit led by Renat Dadashov. Malta have shown resilience - most notably against Finland - but after conceding a painful stoppage-time goal to Slovakia, their psychological state remains fragile.
