John Hartson
Ex-Wales striker on BBC Radio 5 live

Wales lost once in qualifying last time around but Chris Coleman will be telling the players not to rest on their laurels.

Coleman has shown he believes in this team by signing a new deal and now the players need to repay his faith.

We have not qualified for a World Cup in six decades and it is time to put that right.

Republic of Ireland boss Martin O'Neill is unperturbed by the wet conditions in Belgrade as his gives his pre-match thoughts.

"Conditions are fine. As long as the balls runs freely, I think everything is going to be fine."

The rain is continuing to batter down mind you. 

Image source, Getty Images

The teams are out at the Cardiff City Stadium. Moldova rocking a spiffy yellow kit as they belt out the anthem.

Mark: Found some bread at the back of my cupboard once. Had to throw it away, there was Moldova it

Can hear the tumbleweed Mark.

Image source, Getty Images

John Hartson
Ex-Wales striker on BBC Radio 5 live

"We did fantastically well at the Euros but that is gone now.

"It's Moldova at home for goodness' sake. They will finish bottom of this group I would think. They've won one in 21.

"I am super confident. If they score and early goal it could be three or four."

One man who won't be pulling on the red shirt is Aaron Ramsey. The Arsenal midfielder picked up a hamstring injury in the opening Premier League game of the season against Liverpool.

Image source, PA

You wouldn't think desperation would be on the menu for Wales - what with having their best tournament ever and all.

But that's been boss Chris Coleman's lexicon of choice for this World Cup qualifying campaign.

"For the World Cup I have to use the word 'desperation'. We need to feel like that," he said.

"Every result we get is massive for us, just as important as the last one. It doesn't matter who we're playing against. It's all about accumulating enough points to get us where we need to be."

Omar Hakim: Interestingly, Moldova has the largest wine cellar in the world. Got gifted a bottle from there from my Moldovan friend. 

Correct Omar, it stretches 200 km and is filled with nearly two million bottles of wine.

Siôn Edwards: Valentina Nafornita from Moldova won the Cardiff Singer of the World in 2011.

That ticks two boxes Sion, Moldova and Wales. Good one.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Oh yeah. They have one. And he has a Welsh connection. Sort of. Tenuously.

Midfielder Artur Ionita was a rumoured summer target of Swansea. OK, it's extremely tenuous.

Ionita joined Cagliari instead after a decent season with Hellas Verona.

Image source, PA

Moldova's football history is not soaked in glory.

But the team ranked 165th in the world have a few things to shout about.

A footballing nation since becoming independent in 1991, one of their greatest ever results came against Wales, in their first meeting in the qualifying group Euro 96.

Moldova beat Wales 3-2 in Chisinau in 1994 in what was a memorable moment for the nation.

They also beat Georgia in the same group, stuffed Hungary 3-0 in 2008 and smashed Montenegro 5-2 a couple of years ago.

That's about it though.

Image source, Getty Images

Moldova celebrated 25 years of independence from Russia this year, which means there is a handy recent guide, external kicking around with cracking Moldovan facts.

Such as:

• Moldova is the world's 22nd biggest wine producer
• It has the biggest wine cellar in the world (pictured)
• It is the least visited country in Europe
• It's national animal is a cow called a auroch

Mark: @fozzy_whufc not buying me a ticket for the England game four years ago and a 16 hour train journey back to Romania in 3rd class.

Anonymous: Moldova is probably the poorest country in Europe and continues to suffer from its recent political heritage. But it has wonderful communities and a terrific sense of determination that reminds me of what I've read about the history of the Welsh people. Respect before comedy, please.

Normally we don't let anonymous tweets or texts on, but we will make an exception for this eloquent correspondence.

Take a look at what John Hartson and Trevor Sinclair had to say before tonight's game.

Wales boss Chris Coleman on Sky Sports: "We need to get the first points on the board but we must never come away from what we are - we are a hard-working team but with the imagination to win games.

"But we have to work hard first of all and that is no different here."

Loud and Shouty: Dear #bbcfootball: has @TJRostance left live text, or do I keep missing him?

I've locked Tom in a cupboard. He's being looked after.

Not really. The boy needs a break sometimes...

Emlyn Begley: Had to hold back some Moldovan money for a bribe to get through unofficial breakaway republic on train out of there.

Valik Isac: Born there.

Have any story - however tenuous - about Moldova?

Tweet us #bbcfootball or text 81111.

Wales have gone big on the Russian World Cup theme...

And by big, I mean height-of-the-stadium big.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Rex Features

Here's a game worth keeping an eye out for tonight.

Kosovo are set to play their first ever competitive match - and had six players cleared to play earlier today.

It was like a mini-Kosovan transfer deadline day.

The Balkan territory, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008, became a Fifa member in May, promoting some Kosovans, who have played for other nations, to ask to change teams.

They start their World Cup 2018 qualification campaign against Finland.

Read more here.