The international friendly between San Marino and Cyprus on Tuesday night promises to be an intriguing matchup.
Cyprus will look to bounce back from recent disappointments, while San Marino aims to end their long winless streak. Here’s a detailed preview and prediction for the game.
Match Preview
San Marino will enter the contest off the back of a 4-0 defeat to Slovakia, a familiar outcome for a team that has only ever recorded one win in its history.
This lone victory came against Liechtenstein in a friendly back in April 2004. Recently, they managed a 0-0 draw against Saint Kitts and Nevis but struggled significantly in their Euro 2024 qualification campaign, losing all 10 matches and conceding 31 goals.
On the other hand, Cyprus has also faced challenges, losing their last two games against Moldova and Serbia. They have not secured a victory since a friendly win over Lithuania last November.
Their performance in the Euro 2024 qualifiers was disappointing, finishing bottom of Group A without a single win.
Recent Form
San Marino
Last 6 matches (all competitions): LLLLDL
Notable recent results: 0-0 vs. Saint Kitts and Nevis
Cyprus
Last 6 matches (all competitions): LLWDLL
Notable recent results: 3-2 loss vs. Moldova, 1-0 loss vs. Serbia
Team News
San Marino
Filippo Berardi is a key player for San Marino, having scored more than once for the national side.
Nicola Nanni, who plays in Italy's third tier, is expected to lead the attack.
Goalkeeper Edoardo Colombo is set to win his fourth cap, with veteran defender Dante Rossi also likely to feature.
Predicted Lineup: Colombo; Fabbri, Cevoli, Rossi, Tosi; A. Golinucci, E. Golinucci; Berardi, Contadini, Sensoli; Nanni
Cyprus
Cyprus head coach Temur Ketsbaia may stick with the lineup that started against Moldova.
Ioannis Pittas and young talent Loizos Loizou are expected to feature prominently in the attack, with Alex Gogic and Hector Kyprianou anchoring the midfield and defence.
Predicted Lineup: Mall; Malekkides, Gogic, Kastanos, Chrysostomou; Spoljaric, Satsias, H. Kyprianou, Panagiotou; Pittas, Loizou
Prediction
Given the form and historical performance of both teams, Cyprus is favoured to win this match.
San Marino’s struggles in both competitive and friendly matches make it difficult to foresee an upset.
However, Cyprus’s recent poor form suggests that the match might be more competitive than expected.
Our Prediction: San Marino 0-2 Cyprus
Cyprus 
San Marino 
