Following a month of domestic action across the continent to kickstart the new season, it’s time for the first international break of the campaign. It’s full steam ahead to UEFA Euro 2024 next summer but until then, we have to figure out who will be there. Today, we’ll be taking a look at this week’s qualifier between Cyprus and Scotland.
Cyprus Form GuideAs a small nation in comparison to many of their rivals, it’s hardly surprising to see that Cyprus have never qualified for a major international tournament. They are forever known as the underdogs and rightfully so, but it must be said that they know how to put up a fight. They are a plucky side and one day, that’s going to lead them down the path of a golden generation.
A 3-0 loss to Scotland was a poor way to get their campaign started, but Cyprus did pick up a draw against Armenia in an entertaining friendly. Unfortunately, that didn’t translate to qualifying success, as they went on to lose to Georgia and Norway in quick succession.
Scotland Form GuideScotland enjoyed their cameo at the last European Championships so much that they’re ready to try and do it all over again. They’ve certainly got a great deal of raw talent and they have a spirit within their squad that we haven’t seen from them in years. Now, it’s a case of whether or not they can keep up their consistency in the face of adversity, which has often held them back in the past.
There’s no other way of putting it - Scotland have been perfect since the start of qualifying. They’ve won all four of their games up to this point with victories over Cyprus, Norway, Georgia and, most remarkably, former world and European champions Spain.
Match PredictionWe do expect there to be some trepidation from the Scots, given just how incredible their start to the campaign has been. On the flip side, Cyprus really don’t have much to lose, which is why we’re expecting a strong defensive performance from them. As such, we’re going to back under 2.5 goals scored.
