HAVING successfully navigated two tough opening tests in Group C, England now travel to Malta, then host North Macedonia, expecting to pick up maximum points and comfortably so.
By Monday evening, the Three Lions should be in a commanding position in their group, heading into a summer break knowing that most of their work has been done with half of their qualifying campaign still to play.
Yet if this all sounds reassuringly straightforward– and it very possibly will be – there are a number of factors that suggest low-scoring affairs await us in Ta’ Qali and at Old Trafford.
Malta may be ranked 172 in the world, and so many of their players may require a good googling, but the Falcons have become an improved proposition of late, losing just six of their 13 games since the start of 2022.
Included in that number are some impressive results, namely a draw against Greece and a defeat of Israel, but what really stands out is they no longer lose comprehensively, going down only to one or two goals.
The Republic of Ireland will attest to this, their 53 attacks largely rebuffed last November until a breakthrough finally came in the second period.
Italy know too, grabbing an early two-goal advantage in March but failing to extend on that thereafter, despite boasting nearly three-quarters of the possession.
In the last 18 months, Malta have conceded 13 in 13. England have conceded 15 in 13.
