Wales vs Austria Predictions

• Wales are unbeaten in 17 home games
• Austria have not won away against a top-40 ranked nation since 2015
• Wales’ eight qualifiers saw both teams score on five occasions

Can Bale inspire Wales to more history?

It is over 60 years since Wales last reached a World Cup, but two wins over the next week will see them qualify for Qatar 2022, and they are boosted by the return of Gareth Bale.

The forward missed El Classico at the weekend but is back in training ahead of the play-off, good news for Rob Page’s side as they have only lost three of their last 19 competitive fixtures when their talisman has been available.

Wales as a team come into this in good form as well. They are unbeaten at home in 17 games, while their record in qualifying in Cardiff was two wins and two draws from four outings.

Yet while they keep things tight, they do have a tendency to concede goals, with both teams scoring in four of their last six fixtures.

Austria up against it

Austria registered two away wins in World Cup qualifying, but they both came against teams ranked outside FIFA’s top-100, Moldova and the Faroe Islands.

They struggle against the bigger nations, including defeats recently to Denmark and Israel, while they have kept just three clean sheets in their last 11 outings.

Franco Foda’s side will have some hope of picking up a victory in Cardiff, but they have not won any of their last four meetings with the Dragons.

This will be a tight game, but with Bale available, I think Wales will sneak through. I predict a home win with both teams scoring, selecting 2-1 to the hosts as a correct score prediction.