World Cup Qualifying - UEFA
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0 vs 5
Played
September 7, 2012 7:45 PM BST
Stadionul Zimbru — Chişinău
Referee:‬ P. van Boekel‎
Attendance:‬ 10250‎
 
 
Frank Lampard 3′ (PG)
 
Frank Lampard 29′
 
Jermain Defoe 32′
 
James Milner 74′
 
Leighton Baines 84′

Moldova - England Preview: Hodgson hoping to kick start World Cup qualification campaign with a win

The Three Lions travel to Chisinau for the first time since 1996 and will want to secure all three points in the race to reach Brazil 2014 with tougher tests still to come

By Ewan Roberts

More On :  England, Moldova, Moldova vs England
International Friendly - Norway v England, Roy Hodgson
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  PROBABLE LINEUPS

MOLDOVA

Namasco
Bulgaru, Racu, Epureanu, Armas
Gatcan, Patras
Covalciuc, Onica, Doros
Picusciac
ENGLAND

Hart
Walker, Cahill, Terry, Baines
Lampard, Carrick
Milner, Gerrard, Oxlade-Chamberlain
Welbeck

Moldovan manager Ion Caras has pretty much a full squad to choose from. However, Caras was unhappy that Moldovan clubs Zimbru and Dacia refused their players permission to join up with the national team for friendlies against Venezuela and El Salvador in May, so has excluded players from those clubs from his squad.

Roy Hogdson has a depleted frontline to choose from, with both Wayne Rooney (leg) and Andy Carroll (hamstring) injured. Hodgson opted not to call up a replacement for the injured Carroll, so his options up front are limited to Danny Welbeck, Jermain Defoe and Daniel Sturridge.

In defence there are concerns over the fitness of John Terry, who missed Chelsea’s most recent match against Newcastle. If fit, Hodgson must decide whether to partner him alongside his European Championship partner Joleon Lescott, Chelsea teammate Gary Cahill, or the in-form Phil Jagielka.

Ashley Cole (ankle) has been ruled out, though could yet feature against Ukraine on Tuesday with Everton's Leighton Baines is likely to deputise.

Hogdson may field Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard together for the first time in a competitive match since the 4-1 mauling at the hands of Germany in Bloemfontein.

Michael Carrick, who has not played a competitive match for England since making himself unavailable for selection last year, could also start. Meanwhile, the absence of Ashley Young (knee) and Adam Johnson (thigh) gives Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain the opportunity to start on the left wing.

  DID YOU KNOW?
  • Moldova are ranked 141st in the world and 47th out of 53 in Europe. By contrast, England are ranked 3rd in the world and Europe according to Fifa.
  • Moldova have only faced England twice, in qualification for the France ’98 World Cup, and lost 3-0 at home in 1996 and 4-0 away in 1997.
  • Moldova haven’t won a match or scored a goal in 2012. Their last victory came against Georgia in November 2011.
  • Just six of Moldova's 23-man squad play their domestic club football in Moldova, whereas England's entire squad play in England.
  • England were unbeaten in qualification for the 2012 European Championships, and haven’t lost a qualification match since being beaten by the Ukraine 1-0 in 2009.
  • If Jermain Defoe (pictured right) plays, it will be the Tottenham striker’s 50th cap for England. He’s scored 16 goals in his previous 49 games (including against Italy in England's last match).
  • The last time England travelled to Moldova, in September 1996, Glen Hoddle was making his England managerial debut and David Beckham was handed his first cap for the national side.
  • Since Roy Hodgson took over as England manager, the team have been unbeaten in normal time. England have won five games and drawn two under Hodgson.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Moldova 0-2 England
    19.54 %
  • Moldova 0-3 England
    16.57 %
  • Moldova 1-3 England
    8.78 %
Head to Head
World Cup Qualifying - UEFA ‎(WCQ)‎ Sep 7, 2012 Moldova 0 - England 5
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Last Five Matches
Moldova
Mar 26, 2013Ukraine 2 - Moldova 1WCQ
Mar 22, 2013Moldova 0 - Montenegro 1WCQ
Feb 6, 2013Moldova 1 - Kazakhstan 3FR
Oct 16, 2012San Marino 0 - Moldova 2WCQ
Oct 12, 2012Moldova 0 - Ukraine 0WCQ
England
Mar 26, 2013Montenegro 1 - England 1WCQ
Mar 22, 2013San Marino 0 - England 8WCQ
Feb 6, 2013England 2 - Brazil 1FR
Nov 14, 2012Sweden 4 - England 2FR
Oct 17, 2012Poland 1 - England 1WCQ
Odds
Returns: Moldova £810.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Draw £290.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: England £13.00 PaddyPower Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Team News
Available Squads
-Stanislav NamascoGoalkeeper
5Aleksandr EpureanuDefender
-Igor ArmasDefender
13Semion BulgaruDefender
-Victor GolovatencoDefender
-Alexander GatskanMidfielder
-Alexandru OnicaMidfielder
-Artur PătraşMidfielder
16Alexandru SuvorovStriker
-Serghei CovalciucMidfielder
-Igor PicusciacMidfielder
-Andrian NegaiGoalkeeper
-Sergiu PaşcencoGoalkeeper
6Petru RacuDefender
9Vitaliy BordiyanStriker
-Alexandru DedovMidfielder
-Alexandr PaşcencoMidfielder
8Eugeniu CebotaruMidfielder
-Eugen SidorencoStriker
-Stanislav IvanovMidfielder
-Anatoliy DorosStriker
-Gheorghe OvsianicovStriker
-Sergei AlexeevStriker
1Joe HartGoalkeeper
2Glen JohnsonDefender
15Joleon LescottDefender
-John Terry
12Leighton BainesDefender
8Frank LampardMidfielder
16James MilnerMidfielder
4Steven GerrardMidfielder
23Tom CleverleyMidfielder
20Alex Oxlade-ChamberlainStriker
21Jermain DefoeStriker
23Jack ButlandGoalkeeper
-John Ruddy
-Gary Cahill
2Kyle WalkerDefender
-Phil Jagielka
3Ryan BertrandDefender
7Michael CarrickMidfielder
23Daniel SturridgeStriker
22Danny WelbeckStriker
7Theo WalcottStriker
Results
Group A Matchday 1
Times In BST
ALL MATCHES >>
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Edin Dzeko Edin Dzeko
Striker
Manchester City 		7 0
Tomer Hemed Tomer Hemed
Striker
Mallorca 		6 0
Mesut Özil Mesut Özil
Midfielder
Real Madrid 		5 2
Wayne Rooney Wayne Rooney
Striker
Man Utd. 		5 1
Robin van Persie Robin van Persie
Striker
Man Utd. 		5 1