The Netherlands continue their 2026 World Cup Qualifying campaign tomorrow evening with an away match vs minnows Malta.
Ronald Koeman’s side are expected to win this game with a degree of comfort. In fact, anything but a victory by three goals or more will be viewed as something of a failure.
Read on for our full preview of Malta vs Netherlands, complete with the latest online football odds for your bet.
Malta vs Netherlands Preview
This Group G clash has all the makings of a one-sided affair, given the obvious gulf in class between the two squads.
The Dutch, current group leaders, are recognised as one of the best international sides on the planet, recently reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2024, where they lost 2-1 to England.
Since then, Koeman’s side made the quarter-finals of the Nations League, participating in a sensational tie against Spain which saw La Roja eventually win on penalties following an epic 5-5 draw.
In World Cup Qualifying thus far, the Dutch have looked fairly impressive, beating Malta 8-0 on home soil and securing away victories over Finland (0-2) and Lithuania (0-2).
The only blemish on their record was the 1-1 draw with Poland back in September, but a place at next summer’s World Cup looks inevitable.
As for Malta, this match is all about avoiding humiliation after the aforementioned 8-0 loss in the Netherlands.
The Maltese have fared better on home soil, though, losing only 1-0 to Finland and drawing 0-0 with Lithuania, while a 3-1 friendly win over San Marino was also recorded last month.
So, can Malta avoid a thrashing? Well, when they hosted Italy in March 2023, the Azzurri only managed a 2-0 victory. A repeat of that result would certainly represent a moral win.
Malta vs Netherlands Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Unsurprisingly, the Netherlands are huge favourites to claim the win here, priced at just 1.02. A shock Malta victory is at long odds of 23.00, while the draw is 10.00.
Malta vs Netherlands Betting Tips
Anytime goalscorer – Donyell Malen @ 1.83
After a tough start to the season, Malen showed his class in Aston Villa’s 2-1 win over Burnley on the weekend, the Dutchman netting both goals. Malen has also scored 11 times in 45 previous international appearances, and with Memphis Depay’s ongoing passport issues, he may get the nod to start this fixture.
Anytime goalscorer – Tijjani Reijnders @ 2.63
We are looking for value in the goalscorer market, and Reijnders may very well represent it. The Manchester City midfielder already has a goal and two assists in Premier League action, while he netted 10 times in Serie A with AC Milan last season. His line-breaking runs from midfield could be key to breaking down Malta’s deep block in the early stages of the contest.
Total Netherlands goals – Over 3.5 @ 1.87
With the likes of Malen, Reijnders, Cody Gakpo and Xavi Simons set to be on show in Malta, we expect the Dutch to score at least four goals.
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