Prediction: Montenegro vs North Macedonia

Verdict: Draw

Best odds: 41/20

Bookmaker: ZetBet

Montenegro and North Macedonia add another friendly to their busy schedule before the UEFA Nations League as they meet in Antalya on Monday.

Both teams managed to avoid defeat in their previous games during the March international break and will aim to gather momentum as they prepare for upcoming fixtures later in the year.

Montenegro

Montenegro found themselves in a challenging group alongside Serbia and Hungary within the Euro 2024 qualifications, where they were considered underdogs from the start. As anticipated, they finished third in Group G.

Despite falling short, Montenegro can draw positives from finishing just three points behind a strong Serbian team, offering optimism for the future.

Over their last 11 international fixtures, Montenegro have recorded five wins and two draws. Their goalless draw with group winners Hungary stands out as a notable result.

Montenegro are entering a new era under the guidance of Robert Prosinecki, the former Croatia and Real Madrid star. Prosinecki began his tenure with a promising 2-0 victory in Belarus, signaling a fresh start for the team. The game was played in Antalya, Turkey, and the same city will also host this contest against North Macedonia.

Team News

Prosinecki demonstrated his tactical flexibility by making regular alterations during the match against Belarus. It’s likely that he will continue to make changes to the Montenegro XI as he assesses the capabilities of his squad.

Key players like Stefan Savic and Stefan Mugosa were notable names who remained unused substitutes in the previous match and could return to bolster the team in the center-back and attacking positions, respectively.

Millwall goalkeeper Matija Sarkic might be recalled for his eighth cap, providing stability between the posts. Additionally, midfielder Milos Brnovic, the only uncapped player in the squad, will be eager to make his debut and showcase his talents.

North Macedonia

It has been only two years since the country that was once the southern-most part of Yugoslavia achieved a remarkable victory over Italy in a World Cup qualifying play-off, albeit followed by a 2-0 defeat to Portugal which practically saw them fall at the last hurdle.

There were hopes that this triumph would mark the beginning of a new era for North Macedonia. However, in the 20 matches since then, they have managed just six wins, with the most notable one coming against Armenia in a friendly.

Despite this, North Macedonia have shown surprising resilience by securing draws against Italy and England in home Euro 2024 qualifiers, with both matches ending in 1-1 scorelines. These results have given head coach Blagoja Milevski reason to be optimistic about the team’s future.

However, in their most recent outing, Milevski’s side was held to a disappointing 1-1 draw at home against Moldova, conceding a late goal eight minutes from time. This result extends their winless streak to three matches, posing challenges for the team as they prepare for future challenges.

Team News

Milevski is expected to make changes in several positions to inject freshness into the team.

Bojan Dimoski provides an alternative at left-back or in midfield, offering versatility to the squad. Agon Elezi is another option in the midfield, providing solidity in the engine room.

Additionally, Aleksandar Trajkovski could potentially return to the squad after not featuring in the previous match, adding depth and experience to the team.

Conclusion

North Macedonia’s recent draw with England underscores their potential and deserves recognition as they approach this upcoming contest. Consequently, a tightly contested match is to be expected, most likely a low-scoring draw.

Verdict: Draw

Best odds: 41/20

Bookmaker: ZetBet