THE FIFTH worst team in Europe are just one win away from booking a place at Euro 2024.
Despite winning only two of their seven qualification matches, a victory for Moldova tonight will confirm their spot at the tournament in Germany next summer.
Moldova are currently fourth in the Group E qualification standings but victory against Czech Republic tonight would launch them above the second placed side and confirm automatic qualification.
They would join group leaders Albania in Germany, who lead the group on 14 points following a 3-0 win over the Czech Republic last time out.
Group favourites Poland are already out of the running to qualify having played all eight matches and only gaining 11 points.
They are currently third in the standings but would fall below Moldova should the Tricolours win to secure a historic qualification.
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Moldova are two points behind opponent’s Czechia who currently sit on 12 points in second.
Victory over the Czechs would see them qualify for the first tournament in their history.
The minnows are currently ranked 157th in the Fifa world rankings.
Moldova were handed a huge boost ahead of their showdown with Czechia after three of the Czech’s first team players were sent home from the squad in disgrace this weekend.
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West Ham’s Vladimir Coufal was booted out alongside Jakub Brabec and Jan Kuchta for “seriously breaking team rules”.
The players were meant to be resting for tonight’s match but less than 48 hours before kick-off the trio were reportedly out partying late into the night.
Qualification would represent a massive achievement for Moldova who only played their first professional international match in 1991 following the break up of the Soviet Union.
With the exception of the 2008 Euro qualifiers, Moldova have finished last or second-bottom in their group in all qualifying campaigns they have entered so far, dating all the way back to the Euro 1996 qualifiers.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
