Lithuania face a crucial match to defend their place in League C of the UEFA Nations League when they travel to Cyprus for Match Day 5. Cyprus currently sits third in the group, just above Lithuania, who are still searching for their first point. Here’s a preview and prediction for the match.
Cyprus cannot afford to drop points if they hope to feature in the promotion playoff, especially since they have already secured a win against Lithuania earlier in the group. However, they come into this match on a downward spiral, having lost three straight matches since their 1-0 victory over Lithuania, with the latest setback being a 3-0 defeat to Kosovo.
On the other hand, Lithuania has had a challenging campaign, remaining the only team in the group without a point. Despite this, there are signs of improvement in their recent performances. After losing to Cyprus, Lithuania managed to score in each of their last three matches, although they ended in defeats. Their most recent outing saw them score first against group leaders Romania before succumbing to a 2-1 loss.
This match will mark the sixth encounter between the two sides, with Lithuania having won once and lost four times. In their two recent meetings in 2023 and 2024, Lithuania failed to find the back of the net.
Given Cyprus’s need for points and Lithuania’s struggles, we predict that Cyprus will secure a narrow victory, potentially pushing Lithuania closer to relegation from League C. However, if Lithuania can capitalize on their recent scoring form, they might just surprise their hosts.