Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Nations League match.
Friday's encounter between Cyprus and Lithuania offers one team the opportunity to alleviate the pressure of staying in League C. The hosts have the better chances of securing a win, despite currently suffering through a run of three consecutive scoreless defeats, having only found the net once in this Nations League campaign.
Cyprus
In the opening round of the Nations League, Cyprus capitalised on their trip to Kaunas, scoring an early goal against Lithuania (1:0), even though the hosts deserved more based on chances created (0.51-1.41 in xG). In the subsequent three matches, the Cypriots suffered heavy defeats to Kosovo (0:4, 0:3) and Romania (0:3), showing little to nothing in attack. Ahead of the fifth round, Cyprus will be without their main defender Konstantinos Laifis due to an accumulation of yellow cards, prompting them to focus even more closely on their defensive organisation.
Lithuania
That initial setback against Cyprus left Lithuania at the bottom of the group, although they have managed to score in every match against the group's favourites. Last month, the underdogs even took the lead against Romania (1:2) but failed to hold onto their advantage, allowing 1.37 xGA over 90 minutes. In their trip to Cyprus, Lithuania will be without their key midfielder Vykintas Slivka, also suspended due to yellow card accumulation.
Cyprus vs Lithuania Prediction
Over the past year, Cyprus and Lithuania have played out two dull matches (both ending 1:0). The upcoming meeting is unlikely to provide many exciting moments either, so we’re betting on a total under 2.5.
