Sports Mole previews Monday’s Nations League clash between Montenegro and Wales, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Wales will be aiming to build on their draw against Turkey when they continue their 2024-25 UEFA Nations League campaign with a contest against Montenegro on Monday night.
Craig Bellamy‘s side picked up a welcome point in a 0-0 draw with Turkey last time out, while Montenegro opened their Group 4 League B challenge with a 2-0 defeat to Iceland.
Match preview
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Montenegro had plenty of positive moments during their Euro 2024 qualification campaign, but they ultimately fell just short, finishing third in Group G behind Hungary and Serbia to miss out on the finals.
The Brave Falcons would have been looking to get their Nations League challenge off to a winning start on Friday night, but they went down 2-0 to Iceland, which has put pressure on them to pick up a positive result here.
Robert Prosinecki‘s side are now on a run of three straight losses, having also been beaten by Belgium and Georgia in their last two friendlies, with their last win proving to be a 1-0 success over North Macedonia at the end of March.
Montenegro featured in League C in their first two Nations League campaigns, but they played in League B in 2022-23, finishing third in Group 3 behind Bosnia & Herzegovina and Finland.
The Brave Falcons have only ever faced Wales on three occasions, winning their first two meetings, but they suffered a 2-1 defeat when the two countries last met in September 2011.
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Wales suffered heartbreak in their attempts to qualify for Euro 2024, losing on penalties to Poland in their playoff, and they were then held by Gibraltar and beaten 4-0 by Slovakia in their June friendlies.
However, their 2024-25 Nations League campaign started on a positive note, as they held a talented Turkey outfit to a goalless draw on Friday in order to move onto one point in Group 4 of League B.
The match marked Bellamy’s first game in charge of the national side, and he will now be looking for his first win, with Wales heading to Niksic to tackle Montenegro.
Wales played in League A of the 2022-23 Nations League following their promotion in 2020-21, but they struggled in Group 4, only picking up one point from their six matches with the Netherlands, Belgium and Poland.
The Dragons will fancy their chances of making an impression in this group, though, and they will be bidding to end a run of four games without a goal in Monday night’s contest.
Montenegro Nations League form:
Montenegro form (all competitions):
Wales Nations League form:
Wales form (all competitions):
Team News
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Montenegro have not reported any injury concerns following their clash with Iceland, so it is expected to be the same squad available for their second game in the 2024-25 Nations League.
Head coach Prosinecki is likely to resist the temptation to shuffle his pack, meaning that there should be another start in the final third of the field for Nikola Krstovic, who has three international goals to his name.
Vladimir Jovovic is the most experienced midfielder in the squad with 59 caps, and the 29-year-old is also set to retain his spot, while Novica Erakovic should also keep his role in the XI.
As for Wales, captain Aaron Ramsey could again be used as the false nine, although Kieffer Moore is an option to start at centre-forward for the visitors.
Providing that there are no fitness setbacks ahead of the match, it may be the same XI here, with Ben Davies, Harry Wilson and Ethan Ampadu among the players certain to start.
Jordan James and Sorba Thomas, who both play their football in France, were handed starting roles against Turkey, and the pair are also expected to be in the Wales side that takes to the field for the first whistle.
Montenegro possible starting lineup:
Mijatovic; Vukcevic, Tuci, Rubezic, Radunovic; Marusic, Erakovic, Brnovic, Jovovic, Osmajic; Krstovic
Wales possible starting lineup:
Ward; Roberts, Rodon, Davies, N Williams; H Wilson, Ampadu, J James; Johnson, Ramsey, Thomas
We say: Montenegro 1-1 Wales
Wales will believe that they are good enough to triumph on Monday, but it will be a tricky assignment. It would not be a surprise to see a home or indeed an away win in this contest, but we just have a feeling that a cagey contest will end with the points being shared.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
