Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the UEFA Nations League match.
The Romanians feel they've landed in League C by chance and are eager to return to competing against more formidable opponents. For now, they'll need to overcome the challenge posed by Cyprus.
Cyprus
Bookmakers rate Cyprus's chances of winning lower than Romania's. Their victory over Lithuania (1:0) is already an achievement. Cyprus's last win in an official match was back in 2022, when they unexpectedly defeated their Greek neighbours (1:0) in the previous Nations League. Nevertheless, that victory didn't help them climb above last place. It's fortunate they weren't relegated. They defeated Lithuania but conceded four goals against a not overly strong Kosovo side. What can they expect against a Euro 2024 playoff contender?
Romania
Likely, nothing less than a defeat. Romania have dropped points, but the last official game in which their opponents walked away with anything (excluding Euro 2024) was against Belarus (0:0), exactly a year ago. Now under the experienced Mircea Lucescu, who took charge in August, the team comfortably scored three each against Kosovo and Lithuania, with a total xG of 4.84. Cyprus's xG over two matches stands at a mere 0.91.
Cyprus vs Romania Prediction
Almost 13 years ago, Cyprus played a friendly against Romania that ended 1:1, but this is not a friendly—it's the Nations League. Romania might not thrash the hosts, but they will certainly secure the win.
