Italy U21 vs North Macedonia U21 Prediction & Betting Tips 26.03.2026

Italy U21 come into this qualifier with four wins in their last five and plenty of control at the sharp end, scoring four against Montenegro U21 away, five against Armenia U21 and four against Sweden U21. That sort of output is hard to ignore when they are at home, especially with North Macedonia U21 arriving on the back of three defeats in their last four and six without a clean sheet.

The away side have at least shown they can nick a goal, as seen in the 3-2 defeat at Montenegro U21 and the 2-1 win over Armenia U21, so a 2-1 home-type scoreline is not impossible. Even so, Italy’s defensive record in this group has been strong enough to make North Macedonia’s scoring chances look limited, and the visitors’ latest 0-1 loss to Poland U21 again underlined how often they fall short in tight games.

Italy also have a useful head-to-head edge from the 1-0 win in North Macedonia on 9 September 2025, which adds weight to a home result rather than a draw. North Macedonia’s recent pattern is the bigger concern for them: three losses in their last four, and five first-half defeats in six, which usually leaves them chasing the game early.

My prediction is Home Win at 1/12. Italy have won four of their last five qualifiers, they beat North Macedonia 1-0 in the reverse fixture, and North Macedonia have lost three of their last four while failing to keep a clean sheet in six straight. The projected 2-1 score does suggest the visitors can threaten, but the stronger home form and Italy’s recent attacking level still point to the hosts taking it.

Italy U21 to win looks the right call at 1/12. Their recent run includes victories over Montenegro U21, Armenia U21, Sweden U21 and North Macedonia U21, while North Macedonia have been beaten in three of their last four and have struggled to shut opponents out.