Cyprus national teams suffer defeats in Nations League and U-21 qualifiers
The Cyprus men's national football team opened their UEFA Nations League Group C2 campaign with a 2-1 defeat against Montenegro at the Gradski Stadium in Podgorica on September 25, 2026. Despite an early lead provided by Marcus Edwards in the 55th minute during his debut, the team conceded an equalizer via a penalty kick by Krstović in the 66th minute and a decisive goal by Osmajić in the 86th minute. Coach Akis Mantzios expressed significant dissatisfaction with the team's performance, particularly during a "terrible" first half characterized by numerous unforced errors.
Simultaneously, the Cyprus U-21 national team faced a 3-0 home defeat against Romania at the AEK Arena in Larnaca during their European Championship qualifying match. Following a goalless initial period, Romania secured the win through goals by Vermeșan in the 34th and 44th minutes, and a final goal by Ciubotaru in the 89th minute. Marios Nikolaou, in his debut as the U-21 coach, noted that the team struggled to recover after the conceded penalty and subsequent defensive lapses.
The men's national team has departed for Latvia to prepare for their next Nations League match scheduled for September 28, while the U-21 team looks ahead to their upcoming away game against Kosovo on September 30.