Leading the way in Group L of World Cup 2026 Qualifying, Montenegro aspire to make it two for two when the Faroe Islands visit the Gradski stadion in Niksic on Tuesday evening.
Robert Prosinecki‘s survived an early scare to trump Gibraltar 3-1 in their opening battle, while the visitors’ valiant efforts were in vain in a 2-1 defeat to the Czech Republic.
Match preview
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Pitting their wits against a Gibraltar side who had lost every one of their previous 20 World Cup Qualifying matches, Montenegro were briefly set to make unwanted history when Los Llanis midfielder Dan Bent struck a shock opening goal inside 13 minutes.
However, none other than veteran striker Stevan Jovetic quickly levelled matters for the Montenegrins, before Marko Tuci‘s header completed the turnaround and a late strike from Lazio defender Adam Marusic completed the second-half fightback for Prosinecki’s men.
After avoiding the most calamitous outcome against one of Europe’s perpetual whipping boys, Montenegro can enjoy the view from atop their throne for the time being; they currently lead the way over the Czech Republic courtesy of a superior goal difference.
One of France or Croatia will soon fill the fifth and final spot in Group L, though – the loser of that Nations League quarter-final will drop into that section – presenting another massive roadblock to Montenegro’s hopes of a maiden World Cup qualification as an independent nation.
The hosts have also been their own worst enemies at the back, as Bent’s opener for Gibraltar on Saturday saw Montenegro concede for the ninth game running since their last clean sheet, which came on none other than March 25, 2024 in a friendly with North Macedonia.
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Unsurprisingly also yet to earn their World Cup Finals baptism, the Faroe Islands were the overwhelming underdogs heading into their scrap with the Czech Republic, although they appeared on course for a shock point when Gunnar Vatnhamar cancelled out Patrik Schick‘s opener.
Vatnhamar’s response came with 83 minutes on the clock, but with 85 minutes on the clock, Bayer Leverkusen marksman Schick converted his second header of the game to break Faroese hearts and deny them just a ninth-ever win in World Cup Qualifying.
The world’s 137th-ranked nation have now suffered five straight defeats in the preliminary phase since their last success – a 2-1 beating of Moldova in September 2021 – and the team managed by Eydun Klakstein now have just one win from their last 10 in all tournaments.
The National Team did enough to retain their League C status in the UEFA Nations League, though, and while they may have now lost six of their last seven away games in all competitions, each of their last four were only by a single goal.
However, the Faroe Islands have only ever defeated Latvia, Luxembourg and Malta away from home in World Cup Qualifying matches, a statistic that makes for unpleasant reading before their first-ever senior men’s international against Montenegro.
Team News
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Montenegro boss Prosinecki should be working with an identical squad from the recent success over Gibraltar, although Preston North End striker Milutin Osmajic – recently charged by the FA after an allegation of racist abuse against Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri – is not available due to injury.
With Osmajic absent, Stefan Mugosa led the line against Gibraltar with Jovetic occupying the number 10 position, as the latter scored a record-extending 37th goal for his nation on his 84th appearance.
The ex-Manchester City striker needs just three more caps to set an all-time Montenegrin men’s record, while Marusic will surely be promoted to the first XI for his 66th appearance, which would represent the outright fourth-most for his nation.
On the other hand, the Faroe Islands were forced into an unplanned alteration in their encounter with the Czech Republic, as right-back Jann Benjaminsen came off with an injury after just 39 minutes.
Joannes Danielsen should be promoted to the first XI in Benjaminsen’s place this week, but the visitors are otherwise in good shape and should stick with the same formula from their spirited effort against the Czechs.
Montenegro possible starting lineup:
Nikic; Vesovic, Tuci, Sipcic, Gasevic; Jankovic, Loncar; Marusic, Jovetic, Krstovic; Mugosa
Faroe Islands possible starting lineup:
Reynatrod; Danielsen, Vatnhamar, Faero, Edmundsson, Davidsen; Frederiksberg, Hansson, Hendriksson, Sorensen; Knudsen
We say: Montenegro 1-0 Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands can keep things tight in defence with their safety-first 5-4-1 shape, and it took a pair of aerial efforts from Schick to get the Czechs over the line against Tuesday’s visitors.
However, Montenegro’s rearguard will surely be untroubled on their own patch, and the enviable quality of the likes of Marusic and Jovetic should prove telling in the end.
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