Montenegro vs Cyprus Prediction, Betting Tips & Preview

Featured Offer

bet365

Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets

Claim Offer →

Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org #ad

Montenegro

vs

Cyprus

KickoffFriday 25 September 2026, 7:45pm

VenueStadion pod Goricom

CompetitionUEFA Nations League

Nations League football in League C might not carry the glamour of the top tier, but there is always something compelling about a group where every point genuinely matters. Montenegro and Cyprus both want promotion to League B, and with Armenia and Latvia also in the mix, this opening fixture in Group 2 could set the tone for the entire campaign. Add in some genuine quality on both sides, a sprinkling of new faces making their international bows, and the fact that Cyprus will be carrying a grudge from two heavy defeats last time these sides met in this competition, and you have got a game worth watching closely.

Montenegro have the home advantage and the historical edge over Cyprus, but the visitors arrive in better recent form and with a squad that has been freshened up with some intriguing new additions. This one could genuinely go either way, and the betting angles are interesting as a result.

Montenegro vs Cyprus Match Details

This UEFA Nations League Group 2 League C fixture takes place in Montenegro, with the hosts looking to use home support as a springboard for what they hope will be a promotion campaign. Both sides have plenty riding on this one as an early statement of intent in the group.

Team News

Montenegro look relatively settled and should be able to name a strong side. Cyprus, on the other hand, have some fresh faces involved in this camp who could feature from the off.

• Stevan Jovetic, 36 years old with 37 goals in 91 caps, is expected to start for Montenegro in the attacking third
• Milutin Osmajic, who has nine international goals, should also lead the line alongside Jovetic
• Sead Haksabanovic is expected to anchor the midfield for the Brave Falcons
• Stefan Savic should marshal the Montenegro backline from central defence
• Cyprus have handed debut call-ups to Marcus Edwards, Leonidas Konomis and Nicholas Tsaroulla, with all three capable of featuring
• Edwards, who qualifies through his mother and plays his club football for Burnley, is expected to start for Cyprus
• Pyunik striker Iasonas Pikis was notably left out of the Cyprus squad despite scoring four goals and registering three assists in his opening seven league games of the season

Predicted Lineups

Mirko Vucinic looks set to go with experience in key areas. Petkovic starts in goal, with Vesovic, Savic, Vujacic and Radunovic making up the back four. Jankovic, Haksabanovic and Loncar should form the midfield three, with Jovetic, Osmajic and Krstovic operating ahead of them. That is a front line with genuine threat at this level.

For Cyprus, Akis Mantzios is expected to line up with Mall in goal behind a back four of Pileas, Sielis, Siikkis and debutant Konomis. Kastanos and H Kyprianou should sit in the middle, with Andreou alongside them. Edwards will be the name everyone is watching in the attacking line, operating with Pittas and Loizou. The new recruits give Cyprus a freshness that could work in their favour, particularly if Montenegro underestimate them early on.

Recent Form

Montenegro come into this on the back of a mixed but broadly encouraging run. They have won two and lost just one of their last four outings, and while their most recent outing was a 2-2 draw with Slovakia in a summer friendly, there is enough quality in this side to suggest they can be competitive at League C level. Their last competitive win came against Gibraltar in World Cup qualifying, which is modest company, but a win is a win and the confidence from it should carry over.

The concern for Montenegro is that they have dropped out of League B after two campaigns at that level. Relegation stings, and they will be desperate to bounce back immediately. Playing at home in front of their own supporters gives them the best possible platform to make a statement, but they need to convert that into performances rather than just desire.

Cyprus actually arrive in better shape on paper. Mantzios has his side on a three-game unbeaten run, and their most recent result was a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein in June. That is a morale-boosting victory regardless of the opposition, and a clean sheet alongside it gives the backline some confidence. Their last competitive defeat came against Austria in World Cup qualifying, a 2-0 loss that was no disgrace given the quality of their opponents. Cyprus have been settled in League C throughout the Nations League era, and they know how to grind out results at this level.

Head-to-Head Record

Montenegro have never lost to Cyprus across five previous meetings, but it is worth noting that their record reads three draws and two wins rather than five comfortable victories. These are tight, competitive encounters. The two Nations League meetings back in 2020 are the ones Cyprus will not want to be reminded of, a 2-0 home defeat followed by a 4-0 thrashing away from home. That is the sort of result that lingers, and you can be sure the Cyprus dressing room has talked about it.

Montenegro will draw confidence from their clean record against these opponents, but Cyprus are a different proposition now compared to six years ago. New personnel, a run of form behind them, and a point to prove all add up to a visiting side that will not be rolling over meekly this time around.

Key Stats

• Montenegro are unbeaten in all five previous meetings with Cyprus, though three of those ended level
• Cyprus arrive on a three-match unbeaten run, their best recent sequence heading into a competitive fixture
• Jovetic has 37 goals in 91 caps for Montenegro, making him a constant threat regardless of his age
• Montenegro’s overall Nations League record is nine wins, three draws and 12 defeats from 24 games, showing they are capable of winning at this level but far from a cert

Montenegro vs Cyprus Betting Tips

This feels like a game where the goal market is more appealing than backing a straight result. Both sides have attacking quality, Cyprus bring genuine threats through Edwards and their experienced front players, and Montenegro are not a team that sits deep and defends. The head to head history suggests tight margins, and while Montenegro are favourites on home soil, Cyprus have the tools to make this uncomfortable.

Cards Prediction

Nations League football at League C level with promotion stakes early in the group tends to produce some feisty moments, particularly in the middle of the park. Both sides have physical, combative midfielders and neither will want to concede ground cheaply. Over 3.5 cards looks like a reasonable shout, and backing a Montenegro midfielder to be carded given how hard the hosts will press for dominance makes sense too.

Over and Under Goals Prediction

Over 2.5 goals is the call here. Montenegro have plenty of firepower with Jovetic, Osmajic and Krstovic all capable of producing, and Cyprus are not a team that shuts up shop. Their three-game unbeaten run includes attacking outputs, and with Edwards getting his debut start, the visitors will want to get forward and show what they can do. A low-scoring, scrappy affair feels unlikely given the personnel involved.

Correct Score Prediction

Montenegro 2-1 Cyprus. The hosts have enough quality to edge this one in front of their own supporters, and Jovetic in particular is the kind of player who raises his game on the big stage. But Cyprus will get on the scoresheet, they are too good not to, and this feels like a narrow home win rather than a repeat of that 4-0 demolition from 2020.

Both Teams To Score (BTTS) Prediction

Yes. Cyprus have shown they can score goals, their 2-0 win over Liechtenstein was built on genuine attacking play rather than a freak result, and Montenegro have defensive vulnerabilities that have been exposed at higher levels. The Brave Falcons should find the net, but so should the visitors. Back both teams to score.

First Goalscorer Prediction

Stevan Jovetic is the standout pick here. At 36 he is not the explosive forward he once was, but he remains a clever, instinctive finisher and he carries that weight of experience that makes him dangerous in tight situations. With 37 goals in 91 caps he knows how to put the ball in the net, and in a home game where Montenegro will be on the front foot from the off, Jovetic will get the chances. He is the first goalscorer selection.

Corners Prediction

Over 9.5 corners is the play. Montenegro will be pushing hard at home and looking to get balls into the box, while Cyprus will be looking to use set pieces as a platform themselves given the aerial options available. Both sides pressing forward at different moments in the game should generate a healthy corner count throughout the 90 minutes.

Bet Builder Tip

These three selections complement each other nicely, if both teams score and Jovetic opens the scoring, you are well on your way to clearing the goals line too.

Final Match Prediction

Montenegro should have enough at home to get the job done, but Cyprus will make them work for it. The visitors are in form, they have new energy with their debutants, and they carry a genuine desire to erase the memory of those 2020 Nations League defeats. This will not be comfortable for the Brave Falcons.

In the end though, home advantage and the quality of Jovetic, Osmajic and company should be the difference. Montenegro 2-1 Cyprus is the final prediction, a hard-fought home win that gets their promotion campaign up and running while giving Cyprus enough to feel they can compete in this group over the coming months.

Featured Offer

bet365

Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets

Claim Offer →

Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org #ad