Andorra 1-0 Moldova: Hosts end 21-year wait for a European Championship qualifying win

Former national team goalkeeper Koldo Alvarez was appointed Andorra manager in February 2010

Andorra's 21-year wait for a first European Championship qualifying win is over after they defeated Moldova to move off the bottom of Group H.

Andorra had lost all 56 of their previous European qualifying matches since contesting their first against Armenia on 5 September 1998.

But Marc Vales' 63rd-minute header was enough to deliver just his nation's third competitive victory in 23 years.

It is only Andorra's seventh win in all since joining Fifa and Uefa in 1996.

Against 10 men for the final 35 minutes following Radu Ginsari's dismissal, Koldo Alvarez's side held on for an historic win at Estadi Nacional despite having just 30% of the possession.

Vales' goal ends a 15-match winless run stretching back to March 2018 for the side ranked 139th in the world.

Moving above Moldova on goal difference, Alvarez's side now travel to face Iceland on Monday.

Line-ups Match Stats Live Text

Line-ups

Andorra

1Gomes Moreira

18Rubio GómezBooked at 32mins

20González-Adrio

6Lima Solà

15San Nicolás Schellens

10Clemente GarcesSubstituted forRebés Ruizat 73'minutes

3Vales González

7Pujol PonsSubstituted forRodríguez Soriaat 83'minutes

17Cervós MoroBooked at 84mins

8De Matos Vieira

2Martínez AlejoBooked at 45minsSubstituted forAláez Peñaat 61'minutes

Substitutes

4Rebés Ruiz

5García Miramontes

11Moreno Marín

13Pires

14Aláez Peña

16Martínez Palau

19Gómez Pérez

21García Renom

22Rodríguez Soria

Moldova

23Koselev

22Graur

5Posmac

14Prepelita

2Reabciuk

8MihaliovSubstituted forDedovat 72'minutes

9CebotaruBooked at 40mins

7Ionita

16SuvorovBooked at 76mins

19Boiciuc

11GinsariBooked at 55mins

Substitutes

1Celeadnic

3Efros

4Mudrac

6Rozgoniuc

10Dedov

12Cebotari

13Macritchii

17Sandu

18Anton

Referee:

Jonathan Lardot

Match Stats

Home TeamAndorraAway TeamMoldova

Possession

Home31%

Away69%

Shots

Home9

Away13

Shots on Target

Home3

Away3

Corners

Home1

Away9

Fouls

Home25

Away14

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Andorra 1, Moldova 0.

Full TimePosted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Andorra 1, Moldova 0.

Posted at 90'+3'

Attempt blocked. Alexandru Boiciuc (Moldova) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Posted at 90'+2'

Anatol Prepelita (Moldova) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+2'

Foul by Víctor Rodríguez (Andorra).

Posted at 90'+1'

Corner, Moldova. Conceded by Ildefons Lima.

Posted at 90'

Corner, Moldova. Conceded by Jesús Rubio.

Posted at 90'

Attempt blocked. Artur Ionita (Moldova) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Dinu Graur with a cross.

Posted at 90'

Attempt missed. Joan Cervós (Andorra) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Marcio Vieira.

Posted at 88'

Attempt missed. Alexandru Suvorov (Moldova) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Dinu Graur.

Posted at 87'

Artur Ionita (Moldova) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 87'

Foul by Marc Rebés (Andorra).

Posted at 85'

Oleg Reabciuk (Moldova) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 85'

Foul by Víctor Rodríguez (Andorra).

Posted at 85'

Attempt missed. Alexandru Boiciuc (Moldova) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Alexandru Dedov.

BookingPosted at 84'

Joan Cervós (Andorra) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 84'

Alexandru Suvorov (Moldova) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 84'

Foul by Marc Rebés (Andorra).

Posted at 83'

Veaceslav Posmac (Moldova) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 83'

Foul by Marcio Vieira (Andorra).

SubstitutionPosted at 83'

Substitution, Andorra. Víctor Rodríguez replaces Marc Pujol.

Posted at 80'

Offside, Andorra. Jesús Rubio tries a through ball, but Marcio Vieira is caught offside.

Posted at 79'

Foul by Anatol Prepelita (Moldova).

Posted at 79'

Joan Cervós (Andorra) wins a free kick on the left wing.

BookingPosted at 76'

Alexandru Suvorov (Moldova) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 75'

Alexandru Suvorov (Moldova).

Posted at 75'

(Andorra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 74'

Oleg Reabciuk (Moldova) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 74'

Foul by Marc Pujol (Andorra).

SubstitutionPosted at 73'

Substitution, Andorra. Marc Rebés replaces Ludovic Clemente.

SubstitutionPosted at 72'

Substitution, Moldova. Alexandru Dedov replaces Maxim Mihaliov.

Posted at 71'

Attempt missed. Jesús Rubio (Andorra) right footed shot from long range on the right is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Marc Pujol.

Posted at 68'

Foul by Alexandru Boiciuc (Moldova).

Posted at 68'

Marc Pujol (Andorra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 68'

Corner, Moldova. Conceded by Joan Cervós.

Posted at 65'

Corner, Moldova. Conceded by Ildefons Lima.

Goal!Posted at 63'

Goal! Andorra 1, Moldova 0. Marc Vales (Andorra) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Marc Pujol with a cross following a corner.

Posted at 62'

Corner, Andorra. Conceded by Maxim Mihaliov.

Posted at 61'

Foul by Artur Ionita (Moldova).

Posted at 61'

Marc Vales (Andorra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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Source: bbc.com