Cyprus concludes Nations League group stage with defeat to Montenegro

The Cyprus national football team concluded its Nations League group stage campaign with a 1-4 loss to Montenegro on November 15, 2026, at the Alphamega Stadium, in front of 6,000 spectators. Montenegro took an early lead through Osmajic in the 5th minute. Ioannis Pittas equalized for Cyprus via a penalty in the 52nd minute, but Montenegro regained the lead through Vukotic at the 58th minute, followed by two late goals from Krstovic in the 67th and 83rd minutes.

Despite the defeat, Cyprus finished in second place in its group with 8 points, marking a historic achievement for the team in the competition. Coach Apostolos Mantzios acknowledged that defensive errors and a lack of experience in managing the game after the equalizer proved costly. The match saw the debut of players Brown and Zanos Savva under Dutch referee Sander van der Eijk.

Looking ahead, Cyprus now shifts its focus to the promotion play-offs for League B. The draw for the play-offs will take place on November 20, 2026, in Nyon, Switzerland. Cyprus will face one of the teams that finished last in their respective League B groups, with the final list of opponents to be confirmed on November 17 following the conclusion of all group stage matches.