Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers match.
Bosnia and Herzegovina have made a disappointing start to their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign. Although the squad managed narrow wins over Romania (1:0) and Cyprus (2:1), a dominant scoreline against San Marino seems improbable.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Before the March international break, Bosnia and Herzegovina had gone more than 16 months without a victory, a poor run that began in October 2023. Over that period, they suffered 10 defeats in 12 matches, including heavy away losses to the Netherlands (2:5) and Germany (0:7). In their first two qualification fixtures, the squad produced only 1.91 xG in total — underlining their creative issues in midfield, particularly due to the absence of key attacking players.
San Marino
San Marino, while widely expected to finish bottom of the group, have shown some resilience against stronger opponents. In matches against Cyprus (0:2) and Romania (1:5), the team accumulated a combined 1.02 xG while playing in an aggressive 4-3-3 formation. In Zenica, San Marino will likely spend most of the match defending deep, but their recent away record suggests they can stay competitive: they have not lost by more than four goals in any of their last nine away fixtures.
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs San Marino Prediction
Bosnia and Herzegovina are no longer the dominant side they once were, and securing a convincing win over San Marino will require a significant attacking effort. A margin of two or three goals may be enough for the hosts, especially as they aim to manage their workload ahead of the upcoming fixture against Slovenia.
