Serbia-Montenegro is a match on the eighth day of Euro 2024 qualifying Group G and is played Tuesday at 8:45 p.m.: predictions.
Serbia’s dream of qualifying for Germany 2022 as early as this day faded on the night in Budapest. Mitrovic and his teammates surrendered to the Magyars for the second time in the space of a month, losing the lead in the standings and also putting Montenegro, the White Eagles’ next opponent at the Marakana, back in the running.
A derby to be won at all costs, since the Montenegrins have yes two points less but unlike their Serbian cousins they still have to play three games, while the selection led by Dragan “Piksi” Stojkovic only two. The standings, in fact, see Serbia stuck on 10 points, three less than a Hungary that, in case of a victory in Lithuania will be able to celebrate direct qualification with two rounds in advance. Margin of error increasingly reduced, then, for a team that has plenty of talent but which, as usual, tends to hide when it comes to raising the level. Continuing to worry is a defense that in the last four games has always been drilled on at least one occasion. And which once again appeared to be the weak link of this national team in the match at Puskas Arena, won by Hungary thanks to two individual errors (1-2).
Serbia’s last clean sheet coincidentally dates back to last March, when two goals by Dusan Vlahovic, now absent due to low back pain, downed Montenegro (0-2).
Savic
Since that defeat Miodrag Radulovic’s men have not lost – except in a friendly test against the Czech Republic – getting two draws (Hungary and Lithuania) and a win with Bulgaria in the last three official matches. On Thursday, Jovetic and his teammates narrowly edged it out against Lebanon in a friendly (3-2) in which the coach kept several starters on the bench with the aim of having them fresh against Serbia.
The prediction
Serbia, after the double defeat against Hungary, cannot miss the appointment with the three points against Montenegro as well. Stojkovic’s selection is already certain to play in the play-offs thanks to the Nations League. Yet, finishing third in this round would take on the trappings of failure. The hosts can be trusted but, in light of frequent defensive amnesias, it is highly likely that Montenegro, which in front fields the Krstovic-Jovetic pair, will manage to score at least one goal.
The probable lineups of Serbia-Montenegro
- SERBIA (3-4-2-1): V. Milinkovic-Savic; Erakovic, Milenkovic, Pavlovic; Zivkovic, Gudelj, Djuricic, Terzic, S. Milinkovic-Savic, Tadic; Mitrovic.
- MONTENEGRO (3-5-2): Mijatovic; Tomasevic, Savic, Sipcic; Marusic, Vukcevic, Jankovic, Bakic, Loncar; Krstovic, Jovetic.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
