Cyprus suffers defeat against Montenegro in Nations League opener

Cyprus men's national football team opened their UEFA Nations League Group B campaign in League C with a 2-1 defeat against Montenegro at the Gradski Stadium in Podgorica on September 25, 2026. Marcus Edwards, making his debut, scored the opening goal for Cyprus in the 55th minute after hitting the post moments earlier. However, Montenegro responded with a penalty from Krstovic in the 66th minute following a foul by Tsaroullas, and sealed the victory with an 86th-minute header by Osmajic.

The match was officiated by Italian referee Daniele Chiffi. Despite a defensive effort led by goalkeeper Fabiano, who made several key saves throughout the first half, Cyprus struggled against Montenegro’s sustained pressure. This result leaves Cyprus with zero points in their group, currently sitting in third place ahead of Latvia, who lost 2-0 to Armenia in the other group fixture.

The team, coached by Akis Mantzios, must now regroup for their next match against Latvia on September 28, 2026, as they seek to secure their first points in the tournament. Meanwhile, the Cyprus U-21 team also faced a setback, losing 3-0 to Romania in a separate qualifying match for the 2027 UEFA European U-21 Championship held at the AEK Arena.