Gibraltar vs Croatia Predictions

• Croatia have only scored more than three goals in one of their last 15 games.
• Gibraltar have only conceded four goals in one of their last 12 games.
• Gibraltar have avoided defeat in seven of their last nine games.

Gibraltar can keep things fairly respectable

Croatia begin their bid to reach World Cup 2026 with a trip to minnows Gibraltar on Friday night in a game they should win comfortably.

This fixture is a clear mismatch and the visitors are understandably huge favourites to win.

Gibraltar won’t offer a great deal going forward but they have been set a generous +4 line on the handicap market and they can at least avoid a heavy thrashing.

Since conceding 20 goals in two games against France and the Netherlands in November of 2023, Gibraltar have only shipped more than three goals in one of their last 12 games.

The hosts have also avoided defeat in seven of their last nine games, although those games have mostly been against far weaker teams than Croatia.

The visitors also face Czechia in this group of qualifying fixtures so they may rotate a little for Gibraltar and in any case Croatia aren’t necessarily prolific scorers. The Vatreni have only scored more than three goals in one of their last 15 games, so Gibraltar may be able to beat a +4 handicap – but only just, and a 3-0 win for Croatia seems a reasonable play for correct score backers as Gibraltar have shipped seven goals in total across their last two games.