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Sports Mole previews Thursday's Nations League clash between Liechtenstein and Andorra, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

In a battle at the bottom of the UEFA Nations League's fourth tier, international minnows Liechtenstein and Andorra go head-to-head on Thursday.

Three months after the League D Group 1 rivals met in Andorra la Vella, they reconvene at Rheinpark Stadium in Vaduz, where the hosts will seek their first points of the campaign.

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Match preview

Rooted to the bottom of the standings, having failed to register a single point across four Nations League fixtures to date, Liechtenstein resume their search for an elusive victory this week.

The principality's stay in the bottom division is set to continue following their pointless start to proceedings in the summer, during which they only scored once in their first quartet of games.

After losing to 2-0 Moldova, Martin Stocklasa's side were edged out 1-0 by Latvia on the second matchday, before heading to Andorra's modest Estadi Nacional four days later.

Heading into the final 15 minutes, Liechtenstein - who previously finished rock-bottom of Group J in World Cup qualifying - were on course to play out a goalless draw and claim a rare point, but two Andorran strikes in the space of four minutes ultimately sent them home empty-handed.

Suffering defeat in each of their last 10 matches, while failing to win for 21 games since September 2020, the Blau-Rot's boss is yet to steer his side to even a single draw since being promoted to the senior setup from the Under-21s, so will be desperate to finally do so on Thursday.

When they last met Liechtenstein, back in June, both nations were winless from their opening two games, but Andorra's 2-1 victory followed a goalless draw against Moldova; moving them on to four points in League D Group 1.

Head coach Koldo Alvarez can therefore target catching the Moldovans for second spot over the course of the next week, but leaders Latvia are already off into the distance with four wins from four.

Like Liechtenstein, the tiny principality endured a tough World Cup qualifying campaign, in which they picked up just six points courtesy of a pair of wins over San Marino.

After opening 2022 with a pair of friendly wins over Grenada and St Kitts & Nevis, the Tricolors kicked off their new Nations League campaign with a defeat to League C-bound Latvia.

They later lost a third straight away match, against Moldova, in their most recent outing; indeed, before making the journey to Vaduz this week, Andorra have lost 15 of their last 19 away internationals.

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Team News

Liechtenstein coach Martin Stocklasa has decided to include 30-cap striker Yanik Frick this month, despite the 24-year-old remaining without a club.

Noah Frick could join his older brother in the hosts' lineup - both are sons of former Serie A star Mario Frick, who is still the principality's all-time record scorer with 16 goals. Fellow forward Niklas Beck misses out through suspension, as does Aron Sele.

FC Vaduz midfielder Nicolas Hasler will again sport the captain's armband, while his clubmate Jonas Hilti earns a first senior call-up; one of several players from the Swiss Challenge League side to feature in the squad.

Meanwhile, Andorra once more name 42-year-old defender Ildefons Lima in their latest selection: the former Las Palmas centre-back leads his nation's all-time charts for caps and goals, with 134 and 11 respectively.

He is likely to be consigned to the bench, though, as Max Llovera and Albert Alavedra instead team up at the heart of the visitors' defence.

Albert Rosas could partner Ricard Fernandez up front, though the pair have only one international goal between them to date.

Liechtenstein possible starting lineup:
Buchel; Malin, Grunenfelder, M. Wolfinger; Brandle, Meier, Luchinger, Netzer; N. Frick, Hasler; Y. Frick

Andorra possible starting lineup:
Gomes; Rubio, Alavedra, Llovera, Cervos; Alaez, X. Vieira, Clemente, Reyes; Rosas, Fernandez

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We say: Liechtenstein 1-2 Andorra

They may add to their goal tally - scoring even once would immediately double it - but Liechtenstein could continue their losing streak nonetheless. Andorra have only failed to find the net three times in their last nine outings, so can overcome their struggles on the road to take maximum points.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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