Montenegro Faces Faroes in World Cup Qualifying Showdown

NIKŠIĆ, Montenegro — Montenegro will host the Faroe Islands in the World Cup Qualifying clash on Tuesday at Gradski Stadion, aiming to solidify their lead in Group L. The match is set to kick-off at 7:45 PM UK time.

Montenegro is currently atop Group L after a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Gibraltar in their opening match. The Montenegrins overcame an early setback when Gibraltar’s Bent scored within the first 13 minutes. However, veteran striker Stefan Jovetić swiftly equalized, followed by goals from Marko Vešović and Andrija Živković that secured the win. Montenegro now holds a slight edge over the Czech Republic in the standings due to a superior goal difference.

The visitors, the Faroe Islands, are in search of their first points in the qualification campaign after suffering a narrow 2-1 loss to the Czech Republic. Vatnhamar had momentarily put them level, but a late header from Patrik Schick dashed their hopes. The Faroe Islands are ranked 137th globally and have only managed one win from their last ten matches.

Montenegro coach Robert Prosinečki is likely to field a consistent squad following their successful outing against Gibraltar. However, striker Fatos Bećiraj continues to miss out due to injury, presenting an opportunity for other forwards. Montenegro’s lineup may include the likes of Jovetić, who recently extended his national scoring record to 37 goals in 84 appearances.

On the other hand, the Faroe Islands will likely continue with the same tactics that allowed them to compete closely with the Czech Republic. They have yet to record a win in World Cup Qualifying, suffering 20 consecutive losses in previous attempts. Their last victory came in September 2021 against Moldova.

To achieve a positive result in this match, the Faroese must improve their scoring after scoring only one goal in their last five contests. The Faroe Islands have generally struggled on the road, being unable to secure a win in their last nine away World Cup qualifiers.

Statistically, Montenegro enters this fixture as strong favorites, with an 87.1% probability of winning according to recent data. In contrast, the Faroe Islands are given only a 5.7% chance of pulling off an upset. Montenegro has beaten the Faroe Islands in all of their previous encounters, indicating a clear advantage as they prepare for this critical qualifier.

As both teams anticipate the highly charged environment at Gradski Stadion, the stakes are high for the Montenegrins aiming for their first-ever qualification to the World Cup, and for the Faroese, a chance to change their fortunes dramatically.